State House races taking shape in the Lehigh Valley
See who is running for state representative so far
With signature collections underway for nomination petitions, state House races for the April 23 primary election are taking shape in the Lehigh Valley.
At least two incumbent state representatives – Robert Freeman, D-136th, and Zachary Mako, R-183rd – are facing announced challengers for their party nominations. A Democratic primary race could take place in the 131st for a seat now held by Republican Milou Mackenzie.
Meanwhile, other primary candidates are lining up to take on incumbents on Nov. 5. Among them: Democrat Anna Thomas who is seeking a rematch with incumbent Republican Joe Emrick in the 137th House District.
The stakes are high for House races as both parties seek to gain firm control of the legislative branch, which has 203 members who serve two-year terms.
This will be the second state House election with a new legislative map – one that was redrawn in 2022 because of mandated redistricting.
The new boundaries helped Democrats reclaim the House in 2022 for the first time in 12 years – albeit by the thinnest of margins – 102 to 101.
Democrats have not been able to secure a continuous hold thanks to a series of vacancies that led to special elections. The House is now divided 101 to 101 with yet another special election planned for Feb. 13 to fill the seat of state Rep. John Galloway, D-140th, who resigned after being elected district judge.
In the state Senate, 25 of the 50 seats are up for election for four-year terms though none of the three Senate seats in the Lehigh Valley are among them. Republicans have controlled the Senate since 1994 and now have 28 senators to the Democrats’ 22.
Senators and state representatives will earn a base salary of $106,422 this year.
Here’s a look at the primary season for the state House so far in the Lehigh Valley. Candidates must submit their petitions by Feb. 13. Petition challenges must be filed by Feb. 20, so the final list of primary candidates won’t be known until after they are settled.
Information on races was obtained from state and local political parties, campaign announcements, social media postings and websites.
House District 22
Democrat Joshua Siegel is seeking reelection. The former Allentown City Council member was elected in 2022 in the district that had no incumbent because of redistricting.
Municipalities: Parts of Allentown and Salisbury Township.
House District 131
Jay Santos, who was among four newcomers who ousted incumbents in the Saucon Valley School Board race in November, is seeking the Democratic nomination. Challenging him is Meriam Sabih, a journalist. The seat is held by incumbent Republican Milou Mackenzie, who was first elected in 2020 and wants a third term in office.
Municipalities: Lehigh County: Lower Milford, Upper Milford and Upper Saucon townships and Coopersburg with part of Salisbury Township. Montgomery County: Marlborough, Salford and Upper Hanover townships and East Greenville, Green Lane, Pennsburg and Red Hill. Northampton County: Parts of Lower Saucon Township.
House District 132
Democrat Michael Schlossberg is seeking reelection. He was first elected in 2012.
Municipalities: South Whitehall and parts of Allentown and Upper Macungie Township.
House District 133
Democrat Jeanne McNeill is seeking reelection. She was voted into office in 2017 in a special election, filling a seat left vacant by the death of her husband Daniel.
Municipalities: Catasauqua; Coplay; Fountain Hill; Hanover Township, Lehigh County and Whitehall Township plus the Lehigh County portion of Bethlehem.
House District 134
Democrat Peter Schweyer is seeking reelection. He has been in office since 2014, serving in the 22nd before the 2022 redistricting.
Municipalities: Emmaus and parts of Allentown and Salisbury Township.
House District 135
Democrat Steve Samuelson is seeking reelection. He has been in office since 1998.
Municipalities: The Northampton County portion of Bethlehem and parts of Hanover Township, Northampton County.
House District 136
Democrat Robert Freeman is being challenged by Taiba Sultana, a member of Easton City Council.
Freeman was first elected in 1982 and remained in the state House until an unsuccessful run for state Senate in 1994. Freeman returned to the House in 1998, serving consecutively since.
Sultana unseated 20-year city council veteran Sandra Vulcano in 2021.
Municipalities: Easton, Wilson, parts of Palmer Township, Williams Township, Glendon, West Easton, Freemansburg, Hellertown, and parts of Lower Saucon.
House District 137
Republican Joe Emrick is seeking reelection. He was first elected in 2010. Democrat Anna Thomas announced she will again seek to run against Emrick in November. In 2022, Emrick bested her by 750 votes.
Municipalities: Nazareth, Tatamy and Bethlehem, Lower Nazareth and Upper Nazareth townships along with portions of Hanover and Palmer townships.
House District 138
Republican Ann Flood is running for reelection. She was first elected in 2020. Democrat Jared Bitting, a teacher, is seeking the Democratic nomination.
Municipalities: Bangor, Chapman, East Bangor, Pen Argyl, Portland, Roseto, Stockertown and Wind Gap and Bushkill, Forks, Lower Mount Bethel, Plainfield, Upper Mount Bethel and Washington townships with parts of Moore Township.
House District 183
Republican Zachary Mako, who was elected in 2016, is being challenged by Zachari Halkais, a Slatington Borough Council member who was 19 when he was sworn into office in 2022.
Joseph Lenzi is seeking the Democratic nomination in the 183rd.
Municipalities: Lehigh County: Lowhill Township, North Whitehall Township and Slatington. Northampton County: Bath, North Catasauqua, Northampton and Walnutport and Allen, East Allen and Lehigh townships along with parts of Moore Township.
House District 187
Republican Gary Day is seeking to return to the House. Day represented the district from 2008 to 2022, when he lost to Republican Ryan Mackenzie in the primary election. Mackenzie, who had represented the 134th since 2012, ended up in Day’s district due to redistricting. Mackenzie is seeking the Republican nomination in the 7th Congressional District.
Stefanie Rafes, a physician assistant, is seeking the Democratic nomination.
Municipalities: Heidelberg, Lower Macungie, Lynn, Washington and Weisenberg townships and Alburtis and Macungie along with parts of Upper Macungie Township.