Nissley to succeed Cutler in Quarryville-area House district

After Dave Nissley weathered a hard-fought primary for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives’ 100th District, he secured some news he doubtlessly considers well worth it: A general-election win five and a half months before the big day. 

Election returns at 10:50 Tuesday night showed Nissley defeating fellow Republican Kelly Osborne in their nomination contest to represent a district encompassing Gap and Strasburg near its north end, all the way down through Quarryville and Eldora to the Maryland border. 

The primary’s results were rivetingly close throughout much of the evening, with the margin remaining within just a few votes until Nissley pulled ahead late in the night.

“We had more name recognition, our team worked harder, and the voters chose the more conservative choice,” he told The Independence.

Nissley will replace Bryan Cutler, the GOP former State House speaker who will retire at the end of this year. Cutler backed Osborne, of Strasburg Township, in his party’s nomination contest against Nissley, who himself challenged Cutler in the 2024 primary and came up short by seven points. 

Nissley is an entrepreneur from Sadsbury Township with expertise in hospitality and landscaping who has served as a deacon in the Gap-based Chestnut Church. Osborne, a Lampeter-Strasburg School Director, has a law enforcement background, having worked for 25 years as a Pennsylvania state trooper. She has served on the boards of the Southern Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, the Quarryville Police Foundation, Wakefield EMS, and the Pilot Club of Lancaster. 

Both ran conservative campaigns, though Nissley placed a heavier emphasis on his status as an outsider who challenged the Republican Party apparatus in the past. Yet while the Republican Committee of Lancaster County gave Osborne a slight edge in its straw poll this winter, neither candidate secured the organization’s formal endorsement. 

Osborne reacted to the news of her loss in relatively strong spirits, looking forward to further community involvement.

“While this was not the outcome we hoped for, I want to sincerely congratulate my opponent on his victory and wish him success as he serves the people of the 100th District,” she said in a statement. “I am deeply grateful to every volunteer, supporter, friend, and voter who stood beside me throughout this campaign. This experience has strengthened by love for our community and my belief that public service matters. Though the election has ended, my commitment to our district, our conservative values, and the people who call this community home will continue.” 

Items on Nissley’s legislative agenda include expanding school choice options for Pennsylvania families, adopting protections for unborn life, eliminating property taxes, and reducing regulations on Pennsylvania businesses. He said he hopes to be a presence in Harrisburg that improves the GOP’s internal strength so its members govern more intentionally and effectively for Pennsylvania residents.

“A big goal for myself and others, as Republicans, is to help our party be the better party, consequently to grow in number and have more vitality and energy,” he said. “I say that not lightly. There’s no lack of ways to fix things, i.e., overspending and whatnot, but there’s often a lack of political will. The Republican Party has had the majority in the past and still lacked the political will to make the necessary changes, so one of my goals is to be one of those individuals that can help our party be a better party.” 

Bradley Vasoli is the senior editor of The Independence.