Christopher M. Gebhard[1] (born 1974 or 1975) is a Pennsylvania state senator who represents the 48th district, which includes all of Lebanon County and portions of Dauphin and York counties. He is a member of the Republican Party and the owner of an insurance and risk management firm.
Early life and career
Gebhard was born in 1974/1975 to parents Peter and Lauralee Gebhard.[2] He attended Cedar Crest High School in Lebanon before graduating from The Hill School in Pottstown in 1992. Gebhard earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville,[3][4] after which he returned to Lebanon and began working for his father's insurance agency just after it had merged with a larger company in 1996. Later that year, Gebhard took a job with Cincinnati Insurance Company in Ohio, returning to Hoaster Gebhard in early 2000 but as a "regular employee" per his father.[5] By 2014, Gebhard became the CEO and president of Hoaster Gebhard & Co., an insurance and risk management firm in Lebanon.[2][5]
Pennsylvania Senate
After Dave Arnold died in January 2021 while serving as state senator from Pennsylvania's 48th district, a special election to fill the position was scheduled for May 18, 2021.[6] Gebhard was chosen by the Lebanon County Republican Committee as the Republican candidate,[7] from a list of eight potential names.[8] Running against three other candidates, he won the special election to complete Arnold's term with 62 percent of the vote.[9] Gebhard was sworn in to office on June 9, 2021.[10] In 2022, he ran for re-election against Calvin Clements, who was his closest opponent in 2022, and won with 67% of the vote.[11]
