ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A handful of Democratic Party volunteers in Salisbury Township and the city may have an oversized say in selecting the next person to represent Pennsylvania's 22nd state House District next year.
State Rep. Josh Siegel, D-Lehigh, said Thursday that he intends to resign his seat on Dec. 31 after winning this month's election for Lehigh County executive.
That will set off a special election early next year to complete his House term, which expires in November 2026. House Democrats would lose their one-seat majority once the seat is vacant.
The district overwhelmingly favors Democrats, who outnumber Republicans by a 2.5-to-1 margin. That could incentivize House Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, to schedule the special election before the May primary.
Since there are no primaries for special elections, it will be up to the major parties to nominate their candidates in that race. State law allows the parties to create their own nomination process, and the Democratic Party leaves that decision to its state committee.
But Lehigh County Democratic Committee Chair Lori McFarland said Thursday that precinct level members of the committee who live in the district will interview candidates for next year's special election and recommend a candidate to the county committee.
"It's a democracy. Anybody and everybody is invited to run."Lori McFarland, chair of the Lehigh County Democratic Committee
It in turn will make its recommendation to the state committee, which will make the final call on the nominee. McFarland said that the local recommendation will have a lot of sway on the call, however.
McFarland did not commit to opening the interview process to media or the public.
"I'm not opposed to it. This is my first special election, so I have to know what some of the rules are," she said.
Often times, parties will nominate candidates in special elections who aren't seeking the position long-term to avoid the appearance of playing favorites.
McFarland said the interview committee will not rule out any candidates, however.
"It's a democracy. Anybody and everybody is invited to run," she said.
So far, Allentown City Councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerlach and Julian Guridy, an aide to state Sen. Nick Miller, D-Lehigh/Northampton, have announced their campaigns for the 22nd District.
Identifying the candidates
Both candidates intend to apply for the special election as well. McFarland said a third, unannounced candidate may also seek the nomination but McFarland did not identify her.
McFarland could not immediately say how many precinct committee people, or PCPs, live in the 22nd District. Gerlach believed that would put just six or seven people in charge of steering the process, including Siegel, who is a PCP.
The executive-elect endorsed Guridy on Thursday night.
Gerlach and Guridy were split on whether candidates seeking a full-term should be considered to complete Siegel's term. Gerlach didn't want to put herself at a disadvantage by not seeking the special election nomination but said it would be most fair for the party to nominate someone who wasn't seeking the job long-term.
That way, no one could accuse the committee of playing favorites ahead of the primary, she said.
"It would be beneficial that those of us who have decided to run to focus on the primary and focus on making sure our message is resonating with voters," she said.
Guridy, meanwhile, said he wanted the opportunity to begin representing the district quickly and be a voice for the community.
"I think the rules are made that way for a reason. Everyone has a right to run, and may the best person win," he said.
Inside the 22nd District
McFarland's comments came at Guridy's launch party at Miller Symphony Hall. She said she was attending as an observer, not a supporter.
"Don't read anything into it, that this is a personal decision. I have to remain neutral and open to any candidate who comes forward," she said.
Registered Democrats interested in being the Democratic nominee for the 22nd District in the upcoming special election are encouraged to apply through the Lehigh County Democratic Committee's website, McFarland said.
Unlike the Democratic Party, the Pennsylvania Republican Party allows county committees to spell out their own rules for nominating candidates for state House special elections. In this case, Lehigh County Republican Committee members living in the 22nd District will make the final call.
The GOP perspective
Lehigh County Republican Committee Chair Joe Vichot acknowledged the district may be a long shot for conservatives, but he said Friday that party officials would prefer to nominate a candidate.
The party did not field a challenger to Siegel in 2024 and are not obligated to nominate anyone for the seat, however.
"We obviously want the people in that district to have a choice and voice their opinions (at the ballot)."Joe Vichot, Lehigh County Republican Committee chair
"We obviously want the people in that district to have a choice and voice their opinions (at the ballot)," Vichot said.
Like the Democrats, the Lehigh County Republican Committee will hold an vetting process. Interviews will be conducted privately and will not be open to the public or media, he said.
While party officials have started considering potential nominees, registered Republicans living in the district are welcome to seek the nomination, he said.
Anyone interested in seeking the Republican nomination can contact the committee at 610-435-3322.
The winner of the special election will complete Siegel's term, which ends Nov. 30, 2026. The winner of the May primary will appear as the Democratic and Republican candidates in the November election for a new, two-year term beginning Dec. 1, 2026.
The 22nd House District represents about 62,500 people living in portions of Allentown and Salisbury Township.
According to the 2020 Census, 57% of district residents are Latino, and it's one of two minority-majority districts in the region.
