ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Surrounded by leading Lehigh County Democrats, Julian Guridy launched his campaign for Pennsylvania’s 22nd House District on Thursday night.
Before a crowd of about 100 supporters at Miller Symphony Hall, Guridy pitched himself as a problem solver.
As an aide to state Sen. Nick Miller, D-Lehigh/Northampton, he’s spent two years helping Lehigh Valley residents navigate government bureaucracy in Harrisburg. Now, he said, he’s ready to be a problem solver for the community where he was born and raised.
“On a daily basis, I speak to constituents. I listen to their issues,” Guridy said. “I provide real solutions.”
In an interview with LehighValleyNews.com, Guridy said his top priorities would be ensuring safe streets and affordable housing in the district. His father, Julio Guridy, served for years on Allentown City Council and now serves as executive director of the Allentown Housing Authority.
“I know a guy in housing right now, so I should be able to collaborate and also be able to champion resources we can bring from Harrisburg so we continue to make affordable housing here.”Julian Guridy, candidate for the Pennsylvania General Assembly
“I know a guy in housing right now, so I should be able to collaborate and also be able to champion resources we can bring from Harrisburg so we continue to make affordable housing here,” Guridy said.
The district represents Allentown’s Center City and East Allentown neighborhoods, and part of Salisbury Township. State data shows that registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans by a 2.5-to-1 margin in the 22nd District.
According to the 2020 Census, the community is 57% Latino and one of two minority-majority state House districts in the Lehigh Valley.
Both of Guridy’s parents immigrated from the Dominican Republic. During his kickoff announcement, he mentioned visiting the family farm on the island with its dirt floors and lack of electricity. The trip drove home how much the Allentown community has provided for his family and how he is prepared to give back, he said.
“District 22 is exactly who I am and why my family is here today,” he said.
District 22 incumbent Josh Siegel was elected Lehigh County executive earlier this month.
He told LehighVallyNews.com earlier on Thursday that he intends to resign from the General Assembly on Dec. 31, which will kick off a special election.
Guridy said he intends to seek the party's nomination for the special election in 2026 along with seeking the full two-year term.
Guridy will face at least one opponent. Allentown City Councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerlach launched her campaign for the 22nd House District in August.
Guridy has spent months working behind the scenes — and at times in public view — courting support for his campaign. He called his candidacy perhaps the “worst kept secret in Allentown” while addressing the crowd.
But the legwork appears to have paid off.
Backers at Thursday's kickoff included Miller, Siegel, Mayor Matt Tuerk, City Council President Cynthia Mota, and state Reps. Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh; Mike Schlossberg, D-Lehigh; and Anthony Bellman, D-Philadelphia.
