ALLENTOWN, Pa. — City Councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerlach declared victory over incumbent Ana Tiburcio in the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania's 22nd state House District late Tuesday night.
Unofficial results on the Lehigh County website showed Gerlach leading, 1,443 votes to 1,118 for Tiburcio, with all the county's precincts reporting.
“This victory belongs to the people."Democratic 22nd state House District candidate Ce-Ce Gerlach, in statement declaring victory
“This victory belongs to the people: to everyone who voted, knocked on doors, made phone calls and spoke with their neighbors about the importance of this election,” Gerlach said in a statement.
"Together, we will work to stabilize rent, fund home repairs, stop grocery price rigging, and tax billionaires to take the burden off us. Let’s get to work.”
The district represents the East Allentown neighborhood, parts of the Center City neighborhood and a portion of Salisbury Township.
District a hotbed of political drama
The 22nd District has been a hotbed of political drama since Josh Siegel resigned from the seat in December to become Lehigh County executive.
Local party leaders initially rallied around Julian Guridy to run in the February special election to complete Siegal's term, but he dropped out at the last minute due to residency concerns.
Instead, state and party leaders selected Tiburcio, then an Allentown School Board Director, to run in the special election.
Many interpreted the selection of Tiburcio, who had not pursued the seat before that point, as a snub of Gerlach, an anti-establishment candidate who had actively campaigned for the nomination.
The primary served as the first chance for Tiburcio and Gerlach to go head-to-head with voters as they campaigned on taxes, education and the high cost of living.
The winner of the November election will serve a full two-year term beginning in December.
"We are thrilled that a true Working Families Party champion will be heading to Harrisburg to represent the 22nd district,” Siara Gutierrez, Senior Organizer for the Lehigh Valley for the Working Families Party," said in a statement.
“Ce-Ce’s entire career has been building working-class power from the ground up. She passed some of the city’s most ambitious legislation to benefit renters, small businesses, immigrants, and working people.
"We can’t wait for her to get to work in Harrisburg to keep working for the benefit of the working people of this district.”
Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 2.5-to-1 ratio, giving the winner of this primary a distinct advantage heading into the fall.
Republican Robert Smith Jr., who lost the February special election, ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
