Russell Diamond

Russell Diamond was born in Hershey, Pennsylvania. His career experience includes working as a business owner.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Russ is a life-long resident of Lebanon County. He graduated from Northern Lebanon High School and Lebanon County Vo-Tech in 1981. He entered the workforce as a production laborer at O'Sullivan Corporation in Lebanon, and seven years later pursued his dream of becoming a working musician.

In 1992, his passion for music led him to open a small recording studio in Lebanon. The business subsequently gained regional acclaim and was transformed into the nationally known CD and manufacturing and duplicating service known as Raintree Multimedia.

Prior to being elected to office, Russ was a well-known and highly effective government reform advocate, leading the charge against the infamous midnight pay raise of 2005. His organization recruited over 110 candidates for the General Assembly, the largest such effort in state history by a non-partisan organization.

His group also led the charge in the first-ever non-retention of a PA Supreme Court Justice, which cleared a path for Republicans to take the majority on the Court in 2007.

He was named one of three Citizens of the Year by the Philadelphia Inquirer for his work in 2006. Later that same year, Russ received the Public Service Achievement Award from Common Cause of Pennsylvania and was named Communicator of the Year by the Harrisburg chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators.

First elected to the General Assembly in 2015, Russ introduced a bill to bring industiral hemp back

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

First, a good legislator needs to know their district. Russ has lived his entire life in the 102nd District. His instinctive knowledge of Lebanon County attitudes and traditions is very instructive to his legislative duties.

Second, a good legislator needs to know Pennsylvania as a whole. Russ has crisscrossed the Commonwealth on 6 separate occasions during his campaigns as an award-winning citizen activist and candidate over the last 20 years.

Finally, a good legislator needs to know the legislative process. Russ authored bills that were introduced word for word by other lawmakers long before he was elected to be a state legislator himself in 2014.In 2005, Russ spoke the truth about the midnight pay raise and helped change Pennsylvania for the better. In 2014, he spoke the truth about bogus smear campaigns & character attacks and won a seat in the General Assembly. And in 2020, he spoke the truth about Tom Wolf’s Covid lockdowns and helped change Pennsylvania for the better again.

In all of those instances, Diamond stood for the truth despite knowing that many would criticize him for taking such a stand. But each time, events proved he was on the right side of history.Russ’s re-election in 2024 could prove to be very meaningful for Lebanon County. The county has not been represented on the House Republican leadership team since the late H. Jack Seltzer’s retirement as Speaker of the House over 40 years ago. As the state’s second-fastest growing county, a potential leadership role for Diamond based on his experience and positive relationships with colleagues would be very significant for our county’s future.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Medical freedom, property taxes, defending firearms rights, pro-life, election integrity.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Atlas Shrugged

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity, accessibility, transparency and solid core values.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To defend individual rights while striving for common sense public policy and fiscal responsibility.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. Six years old.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

A governor should faithfully execute the laws the legislature has approved and work in partnership with members of the General Assembly, rather than serving from an isolated ivory tower.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Dealing with the lingering social issues rooted in Covid lockdowns and with an aging population. Reducing red tape and regulatory strangulation for new business ventures. Retaining young educated Pennsylvanians and creating an economic landscape that will entice them to remain in the Commonwealth to work and raise their families.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

There is a lot to be said for experience and institutional knowledge. In Pennsylvania a lot of state investment depends on who is serving in legislative leadership, unfortunately, so having an experienced local legislator on the leadership team can be beneficial to a region.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely. In politics, business, and everyday life nothing gets done without relationships. Having healthy personal relationships even with people who you disagree with on most public policy issues can be key to getting things accomplished.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

No.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

A constituent recently relayed that after Russ presented a Leadership Award to her son prior to him entering high school, it inspired him to later graduate as President of the class, member of the National Honor Society, Student of the Month, three-sport triathlete, while winning many academic awards.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Absolutely. Russ led the legislative charge to keep Governor Tom Wolf in check during Covid. His legislation to terminate the governor's disaster emergency was introduced just 11 days after he declared it and Russ witnessed some very questionable executive decisions. It took 462 days, many legislative battles, a Supreme Court challenge, and two constitutional amendments to win that battle, but it was worth the fight. As a result, Pennsylvania was the only state in the nation to reduce its governor's emergency powers via constitutional change.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

Russ has many bills in the system now that he would re-introduce at the first available opportunity if they are not successfully passed in this legislative session.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Lebanon County Republican Committee, NFIB, FOAC

What committees interest you?

Currently the Chairman of the Gaming Oversight Committee, but also have experience on the State Government, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Finance, Tourism, Liquor, Local Government, and Human Services Committees.

Russ is the House Republican designee to the Joint State Government Commission's Election Law Advisory Board.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Transparency and accountability are critical, and and already available to the people. Russ is always open to suggestions of ways to enhance both.

Russell Diamond did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

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Russell Diamond did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Russell Diamond did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.