15 Facts About John Pippy

John Pippy's mother is from Thailand and his father was in the United States Air Force.

John Pippy is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, with a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental engineering.

John Pippy was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1996, defeating Democrat Andrew McGraw.

Democrats claimed that John Pippy was ineligible as he had been on active duty in Texas, was registered to vote in Texas and held a Texas driver's license.

John Pippy countered that because he was on active duty service, his absence fell under the "public business" exemption under the state constitution.

In 2003, State Senator Tim Murphy resigned to take a seat in the US House of Representatives and John Pippy announced his candidacy for the seat.

However, shortly after announcing his candidacy, John Pippy's unit was called to active duty.

John Pippy initially received a ruling from the Army Reserve headquarters which barred his candidacy.

Murphy, Assistant Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz issued a waiver allowing John Pippy to remain on the ballot.

John Pippy was stilled barred from campaigning for himself or exercising any duties of his office, should he win.

John Pippy was able to return to Harrisburg on a one-day pass in order to take his oath of office, but was required to return to active duty immediately afterward.

John Pippy returned home from Iraq in January, 2004 and resumed his service in the Senate.

John Pippy was Chairman of the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee; Chairman of the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee; Vice Chairman of the Law and Justice Committee; and a member of the Appropriations, Banking and Insurance, Transportation and Game and Fisheries committees.

John Pippy was formerly the chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council's Homeland Security Task Force.

John Pippy considered a race for Lieutenant Governor in 2005, but eventually stayed out of the race.