Dates

• Existence: 1938-2016
• Existence: 1938 - 2016

biographical statement

Kenneth Brandt spent 18 years in the service of Lancaster County by acting as the 98th District Representative in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Many of the issues that he focused on while working as a representative were matters of importance to his home district, and his devotion and loyalty to his constituents was a characteristic of his long political career. Born November 17, 1938 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Representative Brandt attended Elizabethtown Area High School. Following graduation from high school, Mr. Brandt inherited the family business, called A.F. Brandt Rendering Company. He was very active in the community of Lancaster, serving on the Elizabeth Area School Board as well as being involved in the Elizabethtown Chamber of Commerce, and the Elizabethtown Rotary Club. He was also involved with the Elizabethtown Jaycees as a past president, the U.S. Jaycees as a national director and past area vice president, the F and AM Lodge 286, the First Church of God, and the Masonic Lodge No. 286. After selling his business in 1978, Representative Brandt became a full-time legislator. After winning his first election in 1973, Mr. Brandt enjoyed a long tenure as representative with very little opposition. Lancaster County was traditionally a strongly Republican district, and Representative Brandt’s political views reflected his home district. He served on many committees relevant to his hometown interests, including the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee (1989-1990), the Labor Relations Committee (1989-1990) and the Consumer Affairs Committee (1977-1980). He also served on the Law and Justice Committee (1973-1976), the Local Government Committee (1977-1980), the State Government Committee (1977-1978), the Appropriations Committee (in which he also served as a Subcommittee Chair on Education, 1979-1980), the Rules Committee (1981-1988), as well as the Majority Policy Chair (1981-1982) and the Minority Policy Chair (1983-1988). He was present for many changes within the House of Representatives, including the introduction of laptops and other technology and the East Wing expansion. By serving on a multitude of committees, Representative Brandt was able to address numerous issues, including farmland preservation, prevention of Avian influenza outbreaks, help for farmers, helmet laws, overseeing Elizabethtown Hospital’s transfer to the Hershey Medical Center, recycling, and lowering taxes. In his Oral History Interview, Representative Brandt is quoted as saying that the people within his municipalities wanted “money for roads and less taxes,” and he fought to give it to them. His favorite part of being a legislator, as quoted in his Oral History Interview, was “…being back home and the stature that the position gave you, and talking to people and listening to people, what their points were.” (Oral History Interview, February 28, 2008) Despite losing the 1990 election to Thomas E. Armstrong, Representative Brandt continued to be involved in Harrisburg politics, serving as a Senior Associate for Milliron Associates Government Relations and Legislative Law Firm.

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