David J. Brightbill

David J. "Chip" Brightbill (born November 3, 1943) is a former member and Majority Leader of the Pennsylvania State Senate. He is a member of the Republican Party.

David Brightbill
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate
from the 48th district
In office
January 6, 1981 – November 30, 2006
Preceded byClarence Manbeck
Succeeded byMike Folmer
Republican Leader
of the Pennsylvania Senate
In office
January 2, 2001 – November 30, 2006
Preceded byJoseph Loeper
Succeeded byDominic Pileggi
Republican Whip
of the Pennsylvania Senate
In office
January 7, 1997 – November 30, 2000
Preceded byMichael Fisher
Succeeded byJeff Piccola
In office
January 2, 1989[1] – November 30, 1990
Preceded byJoseph Loeper
Succeeded byMichael Fisher
Personal details
Born (1942-11-03) November 3, 1942[2]
Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Political partyRepublican
SpouseDonna[3]
Children3[4]
Alma materPennsylvania State University (BS)
Duquesne University School of Law (JD)
OccupationPolitician, Attorney

He was born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania to Jonathan and Verda (McGill) Brightbill and attended Pennsylvania Military College for two years before graduating from Pennsylvania State University in 1964. He went on to obtain a law degree at Duquesne University School of Law in 1970. Prior to being elected to the Senate in 1982, he served as Lebanon County District Attorney from 1977 to 1981. He was elected Majority Whip in 1989 and 1997 by the Republican caucus and became the Majority Leader in 2001 after Senator Joseph Loeper resigned in December 2000.[5]

Brightbill served the 48th district, including all of Lebanon County, portions of Berks, Dauphin, and Lancaster Counties, and the Chester County borough of Elverson.

He was named runner up for the 2003 Politician of the Year by the political website PoliticsPA, who noted his growing influence in the 2003 budget negotiations.[6]

Brightbill was defeated in the May 2006 Republican primary election by tire salesman Mike Folmer, receiving 36.8% of the vote.[7] Brightbill's defeat was largely attributed to anger generated over a legislative pay raise vote in July 2005.[8]

At the end of his term, Brightbill joined the Reading law firm of Stevens & Lee in their government affairs practice. Prior to joining Stevens & Lee, Brightbill was a partner of Siegrist, Koller, Brightbill & Long for 30 years.[9]

On May 19, 2007, he received an honorary doctorate degree from Elizabethtown College.

See also

References
  1. "Philadelphia Inquirer: Search Results". nl.newsbank.com. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  2. Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, Inc; Martindale-Hubbell, Inc; Martindale-Hubbell (Firm) (1991). The Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, Incorporated. ISBN 9781561600021. ISSN 0191-0221. Retrieved 2015-04-13. {{cite book}}: |author1= has generic name (help)
  3. "Pennsylvania Senate - Brightbill". www.pasen.gov. Archived from the original on 2 January 1997. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  4. "Pennsylvania Senate - Brightbill". www.pasen.gov. Archived from the original on 2 January 1997. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  5. Pennsylvania Manual: Floor Leaders
  6. "Politician of the Year". PoliticsPA. 2003. Archived from the original on December 20, 2003.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. "Election Returns, Pennsylvania Department of State". electionreturns.state.pa.us. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  8. "Republican leaders fall | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". post-gazette.com. May 17, 2006. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  9. "David J. Brightbill - Stevens & Lee". Stevens & Lee. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
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