Dane Watro
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dane Watro | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 116th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Schnee |
| Mayor of McAdoo, Pennsylvania | |
| In office 2010–2013 | |
| In office 2018–2021 | |
| Personal details | |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Angela Watro |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Central Texas College |
| Website | repwatro.com |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1995–2005 |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War |
Dane Watro is an American politician serving as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 116th district. Elected in November 2022, he assumed office on January 3, 2023.[1]
Watro attended the Hazleton Area High School, graduating in 1995. While stationed at Fort Hood, he studied criminal justice at Central Texas College.
Career
After graduating from high school, Watro enlisted in the United States Army and was posted at the Korean Demilitarized Zone and Fort Hood. He reenlisted with the onset of the Iraq War. After training at Fort Dix, he deployed to Baghdad and was selected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to be a part of the American unit guarding Saddam Hussein. He was honorably discharged in March 2005.[1][2]
After leaving the Army, he worked as president of Schuylkill County Concerned Citizens. He also served as the vice chairman of the Kline Township Municipal Authority. Watro was a member of the Uniform Construction Code Appeals Board for McAdoo before being elected the borough's mayor.[2] He served as mayor for two non-continuous terms, first from 2010 to 2013, and again from 2018 to 2021.[3]
In 2022, Republican Robert Schnee, who filled the remainder of the term of former State Representative and current Luzerne County Judge Tarah Toohil, opted not to run for a full term. As such, there was a crowded field of Republican challengers to take his place in a primary. Watro placed first in the primary and defeated Democratic nominee Yesenia Rodriguez in the general election. Watro described being elected to the Pennsylvania house as "the most humbling experience I’ve ever had in my entire life."[3]
Watro announced that his district offices would be located in Hazleton, Pennsylvania and Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania.[4]
Watro was placed in charge of the state's Trout stocking schedule in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, which will stock Pennsylvania's rivers and lakes with 3.1 million trout for the start of trout season on April 1, 2023.[5]
