State Rep. Tom Murt (R-152nd dist.) has announced he will not run for re-election.

Murt was elected in 2006, defeating Rep. Sue Cornell in the Republican primary and winning the general election.

In 2018, Murt was re-elected with 55 percent of the vote.

This year, the likely Democratic candidate is Nancy Guenst, the mayor of Hatboro.

An Iraq War veteran, Murt formerly served as an Upper Moreland School Board member and township commissioner. His legislative district includes portions of Bustleton and Eastern Montgomery County.

Murt was recently named chairman of the House Human Services Committee. He has worked to increase services for adults with special needs, improve treatment options for those struggling with mental illness and addictions, protect children and improve care for veterans.

Murt recently completed his doctoral degree at Temple University, and has started to write a book about his experiences in Harrisburg.

Murt’s statement is below.

“It has been a great honor for me to serve in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Being elected into this office in 2006 was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. After careful consideration, I have chosen after three decades of public service not to seek re-election in 2020. To my constituents and supporters, I extend my most sincere appreciation for the opportunity to serve the 152nd District. For those of you who have been by my side since my first Upper Moreland School Board election in 1989, for my first Upper Moreland Township Commissioner election in 1992, and for my deployment in Iraq in 2003, I am especially grateful. Thank you for your loyal support.

“I will continue to serve as the Chairman of the Human Services Committee until the end of the current session. As you know, many human service issues still need an advocate to bring them to the attention of the legislature. I echo the words of the late Hubert Humphrey who said, ‘the moral test of government is how it treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life; the sick, the needy and the disabled.’ Initiatives on which I am proud to have made progress include increased services for adults with special needs; better treatment options for those struggling with mental illness and addictions; protection for our children; and improved care for our veterans.

“With God’s grace, I will be afforded another 30 years to spend with my family and friends, and to serve our community in a different capacity. As you may know, I recently completed my doctoral degree at Temple University, and have started to write a book about my experiences in Harrisburg. In any endeavor, you can be sure I will continue my devotion to public service, human services, assisting adults with special needs, supporting Pennsylvanians with mental illness, and defending our disabled veterans. God bless you, and God bless America.”

Most sincerely,

Rep. Thomas P. Murt

152nd Legislative District ••