Centre County GOP candidate slams Democrat opponent’s ‘dishonest’ ad

School district responds to ‘confusion’ caused by board member’s endorsement on school property

A political campaign ad for the state House race in Pennsylvania’s 82nd district, which includes much of Centre County, is sparking controversy less than a month before the election, reports the Centre Daily Times (CDT).

The ad from Democrat incumbent state Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, shows him standing in front of signage for Bald Eagle Area Middle School, along with Bald Eagle Area School District board member Jason Penland.

Penland, who is not identified by name or position in the ad, tells viewers, “Because of Paul, our district got increased school funding and lower property taxes.”

Takac’s Republican opponent, Therese Hollen, is blasting the ad as “dishonest” and as an “implied endorsement” by the district. Hollen met with Superintendent Christopher Santini to make him aware of the ad and to call for clarification of the district’s position on the use of school property in political campaigns.

Following that meeting, Santini released a statement Thursday to clear up “any confusion,” saying the district does not endorse any political candidate.

“The district seeks to have a positive relationship with all of our elected officials and legislators, regardless of party affiliation, and we do not choose sides or endorse individuals running for office,” Santini wrote.
Santini did not comment on what, if any, school-board policy governs the production of political campaign ads on taxpayer-funded school property.

Therese Hollen, GOP candidate for Pa. House of Representatives District 82.

Penland also says in the ad that he “campaigned for Paul Takac’s opponent, but today I’m all for Paul.”

Hollen calls that statement “misleading.”

“Jason Penland has never campaigned for me. He did, however, campaign for Justin Berhrens — Paul Takac’s opponent in the 2022 election. It’s obvious Takac is trying to mislead voters into thinking Penland abandoned his support for me at some point in favor of him, and that’s not true.”

Penland defended his appearance in the 15-second ad, telling the CDT he was speaking as a “parent with four children.”

Takac also defended the ad which appears on his Facebook page. He said in a statement to the CDT that Penland’s endorsement was “in his capacity as a private citizen and active member of the community — not as an identified member of the BEASD school board.”

The Pennsylvania Department of State did not respond to the CDT’s request for comment.

Hollen, who lives in Benner Township, is running to unseat Takac, the state representative for the 82nd district since 2023, in the Nov. 5 election.