Election 2024: Business owner running to represent the 130th District in Berks
Mar. 6—When dozens of state lawmakers challenged the results of the 2020 presidential election — calling on Pennsylvania's congressional delegation to reject electors for Joe Biden — Rayne Reitnauer took it personally.
The 50-year-old Hereford Township woman had been on the front lines of that election. Serving as a judge of elections, she had witnessed how the election was administered and knew it was done correctly.
And, she couldn't understand why Republican lawmakers — which included state Rep. David Maloney — were asking that Biden's election be overturned while accepting their own wins.
"Seeing lawmakers dispute the results of the presidential race but not contesting their own victories, which were on the same ballots, run on the same system and run by the same people, upset me," she said. "As an election official, that was hard for me as well. There are so many checks and balances, so to have it questioned was just too much."
Her experiences with the 2020 election is one of the driving factors leading Reitnauer to throw her hat in the ring as the sole Democratic candidate for the 130th Legislative District in the April 23 primary election. She is hoping to challenge Maloney in the fall.
"I wanted someone to do something, and I decided that someone can be me," she said.
This is Reitnauer's first experience running as a candidate. She is the founder and owner of Cold Nose Lodge, a center that offers dog training, day care, boarding and grooming services in Lehigh County.
And while elections may have been the spark that lit her fuse, it is by no means the only topic she cares about as a candidate.
One of her top priorities should she be elected to serve is protecting reproductive rights for women. That means assuring that women in Pennsylvania maintain access to safe abortion care and contraception.
"I have had friends who have had to make that decision because their own health was at risk during a pregnancy," she said. "I want to ensure that they will still have that choice."
Reitnauer said she would also be an advocate for preserving the environment. One of the ways she thinks she could do that is by championing renewable energy sources like solar and wind power.
And she thinks a local company could play a key role in that effort.
"I see East Penn Manufacturing has been doing a lot of research into trying to extend the life of their batteries, and I think that batteries are going to be one of the most important parts of making things like solar and wind energy more feasible," she said.
Reitnauer is the only Democratic candidate to run for the 130th Legislative District in the April 23 primary. State representatives serve a two-year term and receive an annual salary of $102,844.
Meet the candidate
Candidate: Rayne Reitnauer, 50, Hereford Township.
Position sought: State representative for the 130th District, which includes communities in central and eastern Berks County.
Current salary for position: $102,844.
Background: Reitnauer is the founder and owner of Cold Nose Lodge in Lehigh County. Prior to opening the dog center in 2008, she worked in video production and webcasting. She has also served as a judge of elections.
