# Jennifer O'Mara

Jennifer O'Mara (born November 12, 1989) is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 165th Legislative District. The district includes parts of Springfield Township, Marple Township, Radnor Township and the borough of Morton.

## Early life and education

The oldest of three children, O'Mara was born in Southwest Philadelphia. She moved to Delaware County with her mother and siblings after her father, a Philadelphia firefighter, died by gun suicide. O'Mara cites the importance of her father's pension and public program such as CHIP in supporting her family while she was a teenager. She graduated from the Interboro High School in 2007 and became the first in her family to attend college.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and a certificate in Secondary Education from West Chester University in 2011. In 2017, She received a Master's degree in liberal studies from the University of Pennsylvania, her master's thesis was centered around creative methods for childhood grief.

## Pennsylvania House of Representatives
### Elections
#### 2018

On November 19, 2017 (2017-11-19), O'Mara launched her campaign for the 165th District. The district had never elected a Democratic representative before, and had previously been represented by one-term Republican Alex Charlton.
O'Mara was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Charlton defeated primary challenger Regina Scheerer with 65.72% of the Republican vote. O'Mara upset Charlton in the 2018 general election, becoming the first Democrat and first woman to represent the district.

#### 2020

O'Mara ran for re-election in 2020. She was unopposed in the Democratic primary and faced Republican Robert Smythe Jr. in the general election. O'Mara retained her seat by defeating Smythe with 51.51% of the vote.

### Results

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 165, 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Jennifer O'Mara | 16,627 | 50.81% |
| | Republican | Alex Charlton (incumbent) | 16,096 | 49.19% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 32,723 | 100.00% |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 165, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Jennifer O'Mara (incumbent) | 21,529 | 51.51% |
| | Republican | Robert Smythe Jr | 20,222 | 48.38% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 43 | 0.10% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 41,794 | 100.00% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 165, 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Jennifer O'Mara (incumbent) | 20,936 | 60.9 |
| | Republican | Nichole Missino | 13,027 | 37.9 |
| | Independent | William Foster | 402 | 1.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 34,365 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### Tenure

O'Mara was sworn in on January 1, 2019, and was elected first vice-chair for the Democratic Caucus's Southeast delegation.

#### Committee assignments

* Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness
* Transportation
* Aging and Older Adult Services