In 14th, Miller has mammoth-sized edge in funding over Maldonado
Democrat Nick Miller has amassed $646,693 for his reelection bid in the state’s 14th Senate District – giving him a mammoth-sized edge over Republican challenger Omy Maldonado, who listed less than $2,000 in his campaign account as of June 8, new campaign finance reports show.
The 14th District covers parts of Lehigh and Northampton counties. It had been a new Senate seat created during mandated redistricting and had no incumbent when Miller was elected in 2022.
Friends of Nick Miller started the year with $431,342. The group raised $285,209 between Jan. 1 and May 5 and then added another $68,398 between May 6 and June 8, campaign finance records show.
Of Miller’s contributions this year, $198,300 came from political committees. They included $30,000 from Keystone Seniors PAC, which represents long-term care operators advocating for Medicaid reimbursements; $25,000 from the Greater PA Carpenters PEC; $12,000 from the Steamfitters Local Union 420 Committee on Political Education, and $10,000 each from the Pennsylvania Automotive Association and the Sprinkler Fitters Local Union 692 PAC.
Miller also got $5,000 from the campaign committee of Julian Guridy, who dropped out as the Democratic candidate in the February special election for the 22nd House District over residency issues.
Individual contributors included $20,000 from Joseph Topper, retired founder of CrossAmerica Partners LP; $10,000 each from developer Abraham Atieyh of Bethlehem and Saumil Ambani, president of Hamilton Core Partners; and $5,000 each from Lee Butz, chairman of Alvin H. Butz Inc.; Mark Jaindl, CEO of American Bank, and Charles Marcon, chairman of Marcon Enterprises.
Miller’s committee spent $138,257 between Jan. 1 and June 8. Expenses included a $71,770 contribution to the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee; a $2,000 contribution to the Lehigh Valley Labor Council; and $1,000 to the campaign of Bob Brooks, the Democratic candidate in the 7th Congressional District race.
Miller also gave $5,000 to the political committee for Bradley Merkl-Gump, a Bucks County teacher and school board member who lost in the Democratic primary to Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley in the 16th state Senate race. As of May 4, the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee gave Friends of Bradley Merkl-Gump $100,000 in cash and $24,928 worth of in-kind donations for media buys.
Miller’s committee also gave $3,748 to Winning Connections for in-kind paid phones for Ana for PA, the committee for Ana Tiburcio, who won the February special election for the 22nd but lost the Democratic primary to Allentown City Council member Ce-Ce Gerlach.
Miller received $58,143 worth of in-kind donations from the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and listed no debt or loans between Jan. 1 and June 8.
Maldonado is a consultant who ran unsuccessfully in the 2022 GOP primary for the seat. Friends of Omy Maldonado raised $400 between Jan. 1 and March 30 and $799 between March 31 and May 4, campaign finance reports show. He spent $79 and listed no debts or loans. He received $27,000 worth of in-kind donations from the Senate Republican Campaign Committee for polling and campaign staff.
He had a cash balance of $1,194 as of June 8. He was fined $80 for filing a report, which was due on May 8, on May 14, campaign records show.