# Michael Stender

Michael A.K. Stender Jr. is an American politician who represents the 108th District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since 2023.

## Career

An EMT and firefighter, Stender was elected to the Shikellamy School Board in 2021, after being unsuccessful in the primary election in 2019.
In 2023, Stender was chosen for the Republican nomination in the special election to fill the 108th District seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The seat was open following the election of Lynda Schlegel Culver to the Pennsylvania State Senate. The 108th was a solidly Republican district, and Stender won with the support of Culver. He was sworn in on June 5, 2023.

## Personal life

Stender resides in Sunbury, Pennsylvania and has three daughters.

## Electoral history

2019 Shikellamy School Directors Republican primary election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jeffrey Balestrini | 1,641 | 16.85 |
| | Republican | Wendy K. West | 1,619 | 16.63 |
| | Republican | Lori Garman | 1,435 | 14.74 |
| | Republican | Slade Shreck | 1,396 | 14.34 |
| | Republican | Jennifer L. Wetzel | 1,314 | 13.49 |
| | Republican | Michael Stender | 1,254 | 12.88 |
| | Republican | Jerome J. Alex | 1,036 | 10.64 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 42 | 0.43 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 9,737 | 100.00 |
2021 Shikellamy School Directors Democratic primary election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Joseph R. Fischer | 718 | 26.07 |
| | Democratic | Jenna Eister-Whitaker | 686 | 24.91 |
| | Democratic | Michael Stender | 682 | 24.76 |
| | Democratic | Justin Lenner | 642 | 23.31 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 26 | 0.94 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,754 | 100.00 |
2021 Shikellamy School Directors Republican primary election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Michael Stender | 1,799 | 25.50 |
| | Republican | Jenna Eister-Whitaker | 1,777 | 25.19 |
| | Republican | Michael P. Thomas | 1,714 | 24.29 |
| | Republican | Justin Lenner | 1,669 | 23.66 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 96 | 1.36 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 7,055 | 100.00 |
2021 Shikellamy School Directors election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Michael Stender | 2,640 | 22.63 |
| | Republican | Jenna Eister Whitaker | 2,553 | 21.89 |
| | Republican | Justin Lenner | 2,310 | 19.80 |
| | Republican | Michael P. Thomas | 2,494 | 21.38 |
| | Democratic | Joseph Fischer | 1,471 | 12.61 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 194 | 1.66 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 11,664 | 100.00 |
2023 Pennsylvania House of Representatives special election, District 108 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Michael Stender | 6,600 | 58.30 |
| | Democratic | Trevor S. Finn | 4,318 | 38.14 |
| | Libertarian | Elijah Scretching | 393 | 3.47 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 10 | 0.09 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 11,321 | 100.00 |
2024 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election, District 108 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Michael Stender (incumbent) | 27,630 | 96.36 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 1,045 | 3.64 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 28,675 | 100.00 |