Ex-lawmaker Justin Simmons announces run for Lehigh County executive
Republican Justin Simmons, a former state representative in the 131st House District, announced he is running for Lehigh County executive.
“I have a proven pro-taxpayer record of fighting for common-sense ideas and needed government reforms that I will bring to Lehigh County’s government,” Simmons said in his announcement.
The four-year county executive seat will have no incumbent on the ballot this year. Two-term Democrat Phil Armstrong is prevented by the county Home Rule Charter from seeking reelection.
State Rep. Josh Siegel, who serves in the 22nd House District, announced he will seek the Democratic nomination.
Candidates must submit valid nomination papers before being placed on the ballot. Petition circulation begins on Feb. 18 and ends March 11.
In running for county executive, Simmons said, “I’m a common-sense person. I think County Government can do more with less. This I can promise you…As your County Executive, I will never sign a budget that increases taxes, I will always support our law enforcement, and I will keep local zoning decisions where they belong ... with locally elected municipal officials.”
Simmons, 38, of Upper Saucon Township, was first elected to the 131st in November 2010 at age 23, defeating incumbent Republican Karen Beyer in the primary election. He subsequently won reelection. In 2019, he announced he would not run again in 2020.
His decision not to seek reelection came after he posted a video on his Facebook page in 2018 in response to media reports that, since taking office, he missed 28 roll call days where votes had been taken.
In the video, which he provided to Armchair Lehigh Valley, Simmons said that nearly a third of the missed days were due to his wedding and the birth of a daughter. Another 11 days were sick days for the flu and bronchitis or were excused absences.
He said he missed the remaining eight days so he could seek residential treatment for a flare-up of obsessive compulsive disorder, an infliction that he said he first experienced as a child. In the video, he explained the disorder and how it affected him personally. He said his disorder did not prevent him from carrying out his duties and led him to focus on learning more about issues and legislation.
The year he released the video, Simmons won reelection to the state House, defeating Democrat Andrew Lee with 52.8% of the vote.
Simmons’ campaign announcement said he has successfully overcome “the health issues that his previous opponents used as political fodder against him because he missed some time to seek treatment for his health.”
Simmons is a senior associate at Hawk Strategies, a business consulting firm in Somerville, N.J. He is a graduate of Southern Lehigh High School and St. Joseph’s University.
While in college, he was an intern for state Sen. Rob Wonderling, R-24th, then worked for him full time. When Wondering left to take a private sector job, Simmons worked for his elected replacement, Bob Mensch.
In 2017, he announced then abandoned plans to run against U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent, who represented the Lehigh Valley in what was then the 15th Congressional District, in the Republican primary in 2018.