In November 2020, voters elected Senator Cris Dush to represent the 25th Senatorial District, which included Cameron, Clinton, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter and Tioga Counties and portions of Clearfield County. Due to Dec. 1, 2022 redistricting, he now represents, Cameron, Clinton, Elk, McKean, Potter and Part of Jefferson and Centre Counties.
Prior to entering the Senate, Cris served for six years as a member of the Pennsylvania House as the Representative for the 66th Legislative District which covers Jefferson County and municipalities in northern Indiana county. Cris announced he would honor his commitment to only serve three terms in the House a year before the election to give those who wished to succeed him ample opportunity to get before the public.
His priorities as state senator include reducing government spending and over-regulation, working to balance budgets, and fighting against tax increases. His service has been notable in his protection of constitutional separation of powers. He is a strong supporter of 2nd amendment rights and will work to protect the constitutional rights of Pennsylvanians, to protect the freedoms they enjoy.
For the 2023-24 Legislative Session, Sen. Dush will be the chairman of the State Government Committee and vice chair of the Intergovernmental Operations Committee. He will also be a member of five other committees: Appropriations; Game and Fisheries; Judiciary; Local Government; and Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness.
Cris has been appointed to the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee and the Local Government Commission as well. Both are Bi-Cameral and Bi-Partisan entities.
A native of Brookville, Cris graduated from Brookville Area High School in 1979 and attended Clarion State College before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force. While serving in the Air Force, Cris held positions as a law enforcement specialist, law enforcement patrolman, flight chief (shift leader), Hostage Negotiation Team Chief, Anti-Terrorism Program Manager and Resource Protection Technical Consultant to the U.S. Department of Defense and NASA.
In 1995, Cris returned to the Brookville area to begin 16 years of service with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. He retired as a corrections officer in January 2012.
In 2000, Cris enlisted with the 193rd Special Operations Wing of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard as a Security Forces member and received numerous awards in the performance of his duties. He was deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Noble Eagle and on the American border in New Mexico. He also served on the staff with the Air Force Special Operations Command.
Cris also served as the Chief of Information Protection, responsible for safeguarding the classified information programs at the Pennsylvania Air National Guard headquarters and units throughout the Commonwealth. In December 2016, Cris retired from the 193rd as a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO).
Cris resides in Pine Creek Township with his wife Traci in Jefferson County.