Sara Steelman

Not to be confused with the Missouri politician, Sarah Steelman.
Sara G. Steelman
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from the 62nd district
In office
January 1, 1991[1]  November 30, 2002[2]
Preceded by Paul Wass
Succeeded by Dave L. Reed
Constituency Part of Indiana County
Personal details
Born April 24, 1946
Wichita, Kansas
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) John Henry Steelman
Children 1 child
Residence Indiana, Pennsylvania
Occupation Biologist
Religion Unitarian Universalist

Sara G. Steelman (born Wichita, Kansas 1946) of Indiana, Pennsylvania, American biologist and politician, served seven terms as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1991 until 2002. Steelman is married to John Henry Steelman, a mathematics professor at Indiana University.[3] She is a 1963 graduate of Southeast High Schoo in Wichita, Kansas. She graduated with a degree in Zoology from the University of Chicago in 1967 and earned a Ph.D. in behavioural genetics from Stanford University in 1976.[4] She moved to Indiana in 1986 when her husband joined the faculty at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.[5]

She was first elected to represent the 62nd legislative district in 1990, defeated Republican Paul Wass. She was also a supporter of reform of house rules to provide more openness and more participation by rank and file legislators.[6] She proposed a keg registration law to combat underage drinking.[7]

She was defeated for re-election in 2002 by 24-year old Republican Dave L. Reed.[8][9] Both candidates made improving the local economic climate part of their platforms.[5] As a challenger, Reed raised $120,000 for the campaign and knocked on 11,000 doors in the district.[10] During the campaign, Steelman "erupted" on the district's airwaves with taxpayer-funded "public service announcements" for the first time in a decade.[11]

She then worked as director of the Indiana Arts Council</a>.[12]

References

  1. "SESSION OF 1991 - 175TH OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY - No. 1". Legislative Journal. Pennsylvania House of Representatives. 1991-01-01.
  2. Per Article II, Section 2 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, the legislative session ended on November 30, 2002
  3. "Dr. John Henry Steelman". Faculty Profile. Indiana University. 24 Nov 2003.
  4. "Sara G. Steelman (Democrat)". Official Pennsylvania House of Representatives Profile. Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Archived from the original on 2002-10-28.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Katarski, Jeffry (2002-10-15). "62nd District race pits youth vs. experience". Pittsburgh Tribune Review (The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.).
  6. Reeves, Frank (1991-01-06). "Reforms fail as Legislature opens session". Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
  7. Kusic, Sam (2002-03-17). "Registration stickers for beer kegs proposed". Pittsburgh Tribune Review (The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.).
  8. "2002 General Election - Representative in the General Assembly". Commonwealth of PA - Elections Information. Pennsylvania Department of State. 2004.
  9. Shannon, Joyce (2002-11-06). "Reed upsets Steelman". Pittsburgh Tribune Review (The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.).
  10. Brownawell, Angel (2002-11-07). "24-year-old pulls House upset". Pittsburgh Tribune Review (The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.).
  11. Roddy, Dennis (2003-12-21). "Mine! Mine! Mine!". Pittsburgh Post Gazette (PG Publishing Company). Incumbent Democrat Sara Steelman, who went a decade without doing such broadcast spots, suddenly erupted on her district's airwaves promoting state programs as if she had invented them, in the months leading up to election. Reed defeated her, anyway.
  12. "Henderson Brothers announces appointments". Pittsburgh Tribune Review (The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.). 2003-05-11. Sara Steelman, director of the Indiana Arts Council and former state representative