Lloyd Smucker

Lloyd Smucker
Born	Lloyd Kenneth Smucker 23 1, 1964
Birthplace	Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businessman
Known for	U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district
Education	Lebanon Valley College Franklin and Marshall College
Spouse(s)	Cindy Smucker
Children	3
Website	[[smucker.house.gov smucker.house.gov] Official site]

Lloyd Kenneth Smucker (born January 23, 1964) is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district, a seat he has held since January 2017. A member of the Republican Party, Smucker represents a district encompassing Lancaster County and most of southern York County. Before his election to Congress, Smucker served in the Pennsylvania State Senate representing the 13th district from 2009 to 2016, where he succeeded Gib Armstrong. Originally elected to represent Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district, Smucker transitioned to the newly drawn 11th district after the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ordered a redistricting of the state's congressional map in 2018. In Congress, Smucker has focused on fiscal policy, workforce development, and budget matters, serving as Vice Chair of the House Budget Committee.

Early Life

Lloyd Kenneth Smucker was born on January 23, 1964, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He grew up in the region, which has long been known for its agricultural heritage and strong business community. Lancaster County, situated in southeastern Pennsylvania, is one of the most productive non-irrigated agricultural counties in the United States and is also home to a significant Amish and Mennonite population. Smucker's roots in the area informed much of his later political career, as he would go on to represent the region at both the state and federal levels.

Before entering politics, Smucker was involved in business in the Lancaster County area. His background as a businessman provided him with experience in economic and workforce issues that would later become central to his legislative priorities.

Education

Smucker attended Lebanon Valley College, a private liberal arts college located in Annville, Pennsylvania, and Franklin and Marshall College, a private liberal arts college in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. These institutions are both well-established colleges in the central Pennsylvania region. The specific degrees Smucker obtained and the years of his attendance have not been widely detailed in available public records.

Career

Pennsylvania State Senate (2009–2016)

Smucker began his career in elected office when he won a seat in the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing the 13th district. He took office on January 6, 2009, succeeding Republican Gib Armstrong. The 13th senatorial district covered a significant portion of Lancaster County, aligning closely with the community Smucker had lived in and worked in for much of his life.

During his time in the state senate, Smucker was involved in a range of legislative issues relevant to his district. In 2014, he was noted for his position on the issue of medical marijuana legislation in Pennsylvania, which was a subject of considerable debate in the state legislature at the time.

Smucker won election to the state senate in both 2008 and 2012, securing his position as the representative for the 13th district across two terms. He resigned from the state senate on November 30, 2016, following his election to the U.S. House of Representatives. He was succeeded in the state senate by Scott Martin.

2016 Congressional Election

In 2016, Smucker ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district, seeking to succeed the retiring Republican incumbent Joe Pitts, who had represented the district since 1997. The 16th district at that time encompassed Lancaster County and portions of Chester County in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Smucker won the Republican primary and advanced to the general election, where he faced Democratic candidate Christina Hartman and independent candidate Shawn House. In the November 2016 general election, Smucker defeated Hartman and House to win the seat. His campaign focused on economic growth, fiscal responsibility, and issues relevant to the Lancaster County business community. Federal Election Commission records document his candidacy and campaign finance filings under the designation for Pennsylvania's 16th district.

U.S. House of Representatives (2017–present)

115th Congress (2017–2019)

Smucker took office as the U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district on January 3, 2017. Upon entering Congress, he received committee assignments that aligned with his interests in fiscal policy and economic development. He announced his committee assignments for the 115th Congress through his official congressional office.

During his first term, Smucker was closely aligned with the legislative agenda of President Donald Trump. The FiveThirtyEight "Trump Score," which tracks how often members of Congress vote in line with the president's position, documented Smucker's voting record in relation to the Trump administration's priorities.

One notable vote during the 115th Congress involved the American Health Care Act of 2017, the Republican effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The New York Times tracked the positions of House members on the health care bill, including Smucker's stance on the legislation.

Smucker became a member of the Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative caucus in the House of Representatives. He also joined the Republican Main Street Partnership, a caucus of moderate and center-right Republicans. His membership in both organizations reflected a positioning within the Republican conference that bridged the party's conservative and more centrist wings.

Redistricting and Transition to the 11th District

In January 2018, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ruled that the state's congressional district map, which had been drawn following the 2010 census, constituted an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander under the state constitution. The court ordered a new map to be drawn for the 2018 elections. The resulting redistricting significantly altered several congressional districts across the state.

Under the new map, Smucker's constituency was redrawn as the 11th congressional district, which encompassed Lancaster County and most of southern York County. Smucker ran for and won election in the newly configured 11th district in November 2018, continuing his representation of much of the same geographic area and constituency he had served under the old 16th district boundaries.

Subsequent Terms and Legislative Priorities

Smucker has continued to win reelection in the 11th district in subsequent election cycles, maintaining his seat in Congress through multiple terms.

In Congress, Smucker has focused on several key legislative areas, particularly fiscal policy, workforce development, and budget reform. He has risen in the Republican conference to serve as Vice Chair of the House Budget Committee, a position from which he has been involved in shaping the party's approach to federal spending and debt management.

In his role on the Budget Committee, Smucker responded to the Congressional Budget Office's updated baseline — the annual Budget and Economic Outlook — emphasizing the need for fiscal discipline. He has also advocated for responsible governance and has spoken publicly about the consequences of government shutdowns and stalled budgets. In a November 2025 op-ed, Smucker wrote that "no one wins when government grinds to a halt" and called for responsible governance over reckless spending, noting that the effects of budget impasses reach communities whether they originate in Harrisburg or Washington.

In October 2025, during a government shutdown, Smucker issued a statement calling on congressional Democrats to work with Republicans to reopen the government, placing responsibility for the shutdown on the Democratic caucus.

Fiscal and Budget Policy

Budget and fiscal policy have been among Smucker's most prominent legislative priorities. In early 2025, he co-introduced a bipartisan resolution setting a 3 percent deficit target aimed at stabilizing the national debt. The resolution, introduced in his capacity as Vice Chair of the House Budget Committee, sought to establish a framework for reducing federal deficits as a percentage of gross domestic product.

Smucker has also been involved in tax policy through his work on the House Ways and Means Committee. In July 2025, he joined Representative Mike Kelly and 18 other members of the Ways and Means Committee in sending a letter to IRS Commissioner Long calling for the removal of a Biden-era IRS revenue ruling.

Workforce Development

Workforce development has been another area of sustained focus for Smucker. In September 2025, he reintroduced legislation aimed at developing America's workforce and strengthening the economy. The legislation reflected his long-standing interest in connecting workers with employment opportunities and addressing skills gaps in the labor market.

Election Integrity and Other Legislation

In February 2026, Smucker voted in favor of the SAVE America Act (S. 1383), legislation aimed at strengthening the integrity of elections. His office described the bill as a measure to protect the election process.

Smucker has also engaged in bipartisan efforts on constituent service matters. In early 2026, he joined colleagues in a bicameral, bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging the extension of the Library Passport Acceptance Program, which allows local libraries to serve as passport acceptance facilities for the benefit of local communities.

Personal Life

Smucker resides in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the area where he was born and raised. He is married to Cindy Smucker, and the couple has three children. The family has maintained their home in the Lancaster County community throughout Smucker's career in public service.

Smucker's political positions have been documented through various voting records and surveys. Vote Smart, a nonpartisan organization that tracks the positions and voting records of elected officials, maintains a profile on Smucker that includes his responses (or lack thereof) to political courage tests and other indicators of his policy positions.

Political Positions and Caucus Memberships

Smucker is a member of the Republican Party. Within the House Republican conference, he holds membership in both the Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative caucus in the House, and the Republican Main Street Partnership, a group associated with the center-right wing of the party.

His dual membership in these caucuses, which represent different ideological tendencies within the Republican Party, positions Smucker within the mainstream of the House Republican conference. His voting record during the Trump administration showed a high degree of alignment with the president's legislative priorities, as tracked by FiveThirtyEight's congressional voting tracker.

His legislative work has spanned both partisan and bipartisan efforts. While he has taken positions critical of the Democratic Party — such as his statement blaming Democrats for a 2025 government shutdown — he has also participated in bipartisan initiatives, including the deficit reduction resolution and the Library Passport Acceptance Program letter.