BETHLEHEM, Pa. — While high-profile races for governor and Congress likely will draw the most attention in Pennsylvania politics this year, voters also will weigh in on important General Assembly campaigns that will influence policy on critical issues such as energy, education and the economy.
Republicans need to flip just one state House of Representatives seat to regain control of Pennsylvania's legislative branch.
Meanwhile, Democrats are champing at the bit to hold a Senate majority for the first time in decades. To do that, they would need to flip at least three seats or flip two and see Gov. Josh Shapiro win re-election.
The two-seat path would rely on Lt. Gov. Austin Davis to cast tie-breaking votes.
On paper, many of the Lehigh Valley's state House and Senate races aren't terribly competitive. However, a handful of competitive races could prove consequential in Harrisburg.
Here's a breakdown of the 14 General Assembly races in the region this cycle. The candidates listed filed the needed paperwork by Tuesday's deadline to appear on the primary ballot.
14th Senate District
The district: Catasauqua, Coplay, Emmaus and Fountain Hill and Hanover, Salisbury and Whitehall townships plus parts of Allentown and South Whitehall Township in Lehigh County; Bath, Chapman, North Catasauqua, Northampton and Walnutport and Allen, Bushkill, East Allen, Hanover, Lehigh and Moore townships in Northampton County.
Political leanings: The district stretches from deep-blue urban cores to deep-red rural communities. On the whole, however, Democrats enjoy an 11-point advantage over Republicans in voter registration figures.
The candidates: Republican Omy Maldanado is returning to the race after losing the GOP primary in 2022. He has a clear path to take on Democratic incumbent Nick Miller in the fall.
16th Senate District
The district: Dublin, Perkasie, Quakertown, Richlandtown, Riegelsville, Sellersville, Silverdale and Trumbauersville and Bedminster, Bridgeton, Durham, East Rockhill, Haycock, Hilltown, Milford, Nockamixon, Richland, Springfield, Tinicum, West Rockhill townships in Bucks County plus the Bucks County portion of Telford; Alburtis, Coopersburg, Macungie and Slatington and Heidelberg, Lower Macungie, Lower Milford, Lowhill, Lynn, North Whitehall, Upper Macungie, Upper Milford, Upper Saucon, Washington and Weisenberg townships in Lehigh County plus parts of Allentown and South Whitehall Township.
Political leanings: Republicans hold the advantage with a nearly 12-point advantage in voter registration. The crowded Democratic field suggests Democrats think they can outperform those figures, but it wouldn't be an easy lift.
The candidates: Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinlsey, Richlandtown Mayor Wayne Codner and Bradley Merkl-Gump all are competing for the chance to take on Republican incumbent Jarrett Coleman.
18th Senate District
The district: Bangor, Bethlehem, Easton, East Bangor, Freemansburg, Glendon, Hellertown, Nazareth, Pen Argyl, Portland, Roseto, Stockertown, Tatamy, West Easton, Wilson, Wind Gap and Bethlehem, Forks, Lower Mount Bethel, Lower Nazareth, Lower Saucon, Palmer, Plainfield, Upper Mount Bethel, Upper Nazareth and Williams townships and Washington Township, Northampton County.
Political leanings: The 18th is the most competitive of the region's three Senate districts. Democrats hold a nine-point advantage in voter registration.
The candidates: Former Easton City Councilwoman Taiba Sultana is challenging longtime incumbent Lisa Boscola in the Democratic primary. The two have a contentious history.
Meanwhile, Republican Scott Janney is the only candidate in the GOP primary.
22nd District
The district: Parts of Allentown and Salisbury Township.
Political leanings: The district is the most partisan in the Lehigh Valley, with Democrats outnumbering Republicans by a 2.5-to-1 margin. The winner of the Democratic primary would have a significant advantage in the fall.
The candidates: Democrat Ana Tiburcio is seeking her own full term after winning a special election last month that will see her serve in Harrisburg through December.
She'll be challenged in the primary by Allentown City Councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerlach.
Whoever emerges will face Republican Robert E. Smith Jr. He previously ran in the special election and the 2022 general election for this seat.
131st District
The district: Coopersburg and Lower Milford, Upper Milford and Upper Saucon townships as well as part of Salisbury Township in Lehigh County; East Greenville, Green Lane, Pennsburg, Red Hill and Marlborough, Salford and Upper Hanover townships in Montgomery County; and parts of Lower Saucon Township in Northampton County.
Political leanings: Voter registration demographics in the region favor Republicans by a nearly 14 percentage points.
The candidates: Republican incumbent Milou Mackenzie and Democrat Meriam Sabih each has a clear path to the November election. Sabih is making her second run for the office — she lost the Democratic primary in 2024 — while Mackenzie is seeking a fourth term.
132nd District
The district: South Whitehall Township and parts of Allentown and Upper Macungie Township.
Political leanings: Democrats make up 46% of all registered voters, giving them a 12.4-percentage point advantage against Republicans.
The candidates: Mike Schlossberg, the Democratic whip in the state House, is seeking his eighth term in office. He'll face Republican Caren Lowrey in the November election. Neither has a dedicated campaign website.
133rd District
The district: Catasauqua; Coplay; Fountain Hill; Hanover Township, Lehigh County; Whitehall Township; and the Lehigh County portion of Bethlehem.
Political leanings: The district significantly favors Democrats, who make up 48.3% of all registered voters.
The candidate: Democratic incumbent Jeanne McNeill is running unopposed. The district has been represented by a McNeill since 2013; her husband, Dan, served the district until his death in 2017.
134th District
The district: Emmaus and parts of Allentown and Salisbury Township.
Political leanings: The district isn't usually competitive, with Democrats making up nearly half of all registered voters.
The candidate: Democrat Peter Schweyer is seeking a seventh term. He'll be opposed in the general election by Republican Miriam Maldonado.
135th District
The district: The Northampton County section of Bethlehem and parts of Hanover Township, Northampton County.
Political leanings: This district is another Democratic bastion; registered Democrats make up almost 53% of all voters.
The candidates: Democrat Steve Samuelson has represented the district since 1999 and is looking to extend his tenure. He did not appear to have a campaign website. Republican Joe Poplowski, a former Bethlehem City Council candidate, is opposing him.
136th District
The district: Easton, Freemansburg, Glendon, Hellertown, West Easton and Wilson plus Williams Township and parts of Lower Saucon and Palmer townships.
Political leanings: The district is generally a safe one for Democrats, who account for almost 47% of registered voters.
The candidates: Democrat Robert Freeman has represented the Easton area in the state House for more than 40 years and wants another term.
Republican Pilar Campisi, the owner of Norwegian Spa in Williams Township, is unopposed in the Republican primary. She does not appear to have a campaign website.
137th District
The district: Nazareth, Tatamy and Bethlehem, Lower Nazareth and Upper Nazareth townships and parts of Hanover Township, Northampton County, and Palmer Township
Political leanings: If Northampton County is one of the most studied bellwethers in America, this suburban district is its battleground heart.
Democrats and Republicans are almost evenly matched, meaning independent voters will determine the victor.
With the House majority decided by a single vote, this has the potential to be one of the most consequential races in Pennsylvania.
The candidates: Republican Joe Emrick is seeking a ninth term in the district. He'll be opposed in November by Democrat Jeff Warren, a Northampton County councilman.
138th District
The district: Bangor, Chapman, East Bangor, Pen Argyl, Portland, Stockertown, Roseto and Wind Gap; Bushkill, Forks, Lower Mount Bethel, Plainfield, Upper Mount Bethel and Washington townships in Northampton County and parts of Moore Township.
Political leanings: Republicans have a 16.1-percentage point advantage over registered Democrats, making it the safest seat for Republicans in the Lehigh Valley.
The candidates: This year's race looks like a rematch from 2024. Democrat Jared Bitting is once again challenging Republican incumbent Ann Flood.
Flood won last time with nearly two-thirds of the vote.
183rd District
The district: Slatington and Lowhill and North Whitehall townships in Lehigh County; Bath, North Catasauqua, Northampton and Walnutport and Allen, East Allen and Lehigh townships plus parts of Moore Township in Northampton County.
Political leanings: Republicans make up 47.9 percent of registered voters in this district, the highest level in the region.
The candidates: Republican Zach Mako is seeking a sixth term; he did not appear to have a campaign site. He'll need to defeat Democrat Deirdre Kamber Todd in November to earn the seat.
187th District
The district: Alburtis and Macungie and Heidelberg, Lower Macungie, Lynn, Washington and Weisenberg townships in Lehigh County plus portions of Upper Macungie Township.
Political leanings: Like most districts in the region, the 187th isn't competitive between the parties. Republicans make up more than 46% of registered voters, giving them an 11-point edge over Democrats.
The candidates: Geoff Whitcomb and Rachel Cuevas will compete for the Democratic nomination this May. The winner will face Republican incumbent Gary Day in November. Day did not appear to have a campaign website available.
