Jill Cooper

Jill Cooper (née Nixon; born ) is an American politician who is a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 55th District since 2023.

Early life, education, and career Born Jill Nixon in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, She was later elected to the Pennsylvania Republican State Committee in 2014.

In 2022, Cooper unseated incumbent Pennsylvania State Representative Jason Silvis in the primary with 49% of the vote in an election against Silvis and another primary contender. Cooper said she took the opportunity to run against Silvis, not because she opposed him, but because Silvis's district, the recently redrawn 55th District, had 75% new constituents and was an "open seat" in her mind. She was additionally "passion[ate]" to represent the district. She defeated Democratic candidate Scott Gauss in the general election.

In 2025, Cooper called for removing candidates' home counties from primary election ballots, deeming the notation as unnecessary and biased towards certain counties.

Personal life Nixon met her husband, Leighton Cooper, in Atlanta, Georgia while she was working for Alcoa. The couple married in 1999 and moved to Murrysville, Pennsylvania in 2005 where they currently reside with their two children.

Electoral history