Robert Jubelirer facts for kids

Robert C. Jubelirer was born on February 9, 1937, in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He is a Republican political leader from Pennsylvania. He served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate for many years, from 1975 to 2006. He was also the President pro tempore of the Senate for most of that time. From 2001 to 2003, he served as the 29th lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania.

In 2006, Mr. Jubelirer was not chosen by his party to run for re-election. He left office on November 30, 2006.

Early Life and Political Career

Robert Jubelirer's father was a well-known judge in their county. Robert went to Pennsylvania State University and then studied law at the Dickinson School of Law. After becoming a lawyer, he worked for several years before getting into politics.

In 1974, he was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing the Altoona area. He became the Majority Leader in 1981, which meant he led the main party in the Senate. From 1985 to 1992, he was the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. This is a very important role, as this person leads the Senate. After a short time as the Minority Leader (leading the smaller party), he became President Pro Tempore again in 1994 and held the position until 2006.

In 2002, a political news group called PoliticsPA gave him the "Hardest Working" award.

Serving as Lieutenant Governor

On October 5, 2001, the Governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Ridge, resigned. He left to work for President Bush as his Homeland Security Advisor. When a governor resigns, the Lieutenant Governor takes over. So, Lieutenant Governor Mark Schweiker became the new Governor.

According to Pennsylvania's rules, when the Lieutenant Governor becomes Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate automatically becomes the new Lieutenant Governor. This meant Robert Jubelirer became Lieutenant Governor on the same day. There was some discussion because he also kept his job in the State Senate. Some people thought this went against the idea of separation of powers, where different parts of the government (like the law-making Senate and the executive Governor's office) should be separate.

A lawsuit was filed to stop him from holding both jobs at once. However, the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court decided that he could hold both positions. Mr. Jubelirer continued in both roles until January 21, 2003. He chose not to accept the Lieutenant Governor's salary during this time.

2006 Election and Challenges

In May 2006, Robert Jubelirer faced a challenge in the Republican primary election. He was defeated by Blair County Commissioner John Eichelberger. This was a big deal because he was one of the first top leaders in the Pennsylvania legislature to lose a primary election in a long time. Many people believed this defeat was mainly because of a bill passed in July 2005 that gave lawmakers a pay raise.

Mr. Jubelirer initially defended the pay raise. However, after seeing that people in his district were unhappy, he said it was a "mistake." He apologized for it and accepted responsibility. He also promised to return any extra money he had received from the raise.

During the campaign, some of his opponents also brought up his views on certain social issues, saying they were different from the Republican Party's official stance.

Pennsylvania State University Board of Trustees

In 2013, Mr. Jubelirer tried to get a seat on the Pennsylvania State University Board of Trustees. Even with support from former Governor Tom Ridge, he did not win one of the three available spots that year. However, he was successfully elected to The Pennsylvania State University Board of Trustees in 2014.

See also

• 2005 Pennsylvania General Assembly pay raise controversy
• Drew Crompton
• List of Pennsylvania state legislatures