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Democracy Is On The Line … and Bethlehem Votes MATTER!!
In 1787, Benjamin Franklin was asked what kind of government we have, a monarchy or a republic. His response: “A republic, if you can keep it.” And that, in a nutshell, is what is at stake in this year’s election cycle. The control of the White House, the Congress, the Senate, and the Pennsylvania legislature will be determined this year … and what we can do here in Bethlehem (and the Lehigh Valley) will almost certainly decide whether our democracy stands right up through the highest office in the land. This is not hyperbole … our democracy depends on a government that understands that all our freedoms and rights depend on elected officials who understand true small-d democratic values as well as the fact that negotiation and compromise is right at the top of the job description for every single elected official we elect to represent us. This year, we hope that all of us will vote for candidates who represent our values AND the values and freedoms that are at the core of what makes the American experiment a beacon to people around the world.Please join us in supporting these Democrats running to represent all of us, including all Bethlehem citizens, in these upcoming elections!
Candidates who are endorsed by PA Dems are identified on this list with an Asterisk [*] following their name. [click the ▼ after each candidate for bios.]
Candidates to represent us in Washington, DC:
For President & Vice President:
For United States Senator:
- Senator Bob Casey *
Bob Casey was raised to believe that “all public service is a trust, given in faith and accepted in honor,” and he has brought that to every office he has held, including Pennsylvania Auditor General, State Treasurer, and U.S. Senator. In Harrisburg, Bob Casey compiled a record that focused on making government more accountable and responsive to the needs of Pennsylvanians. He has been a fiscal watchdog who made nursing homes safer, child care more affordable and government more accountable. He led the fight to reform Megan’s Law to better protect Pennsylvania children and communities.
Since he was elected to the United States Senate in 2006, Bob Casey has worked to create family-sustaining jobs and foster financial security for Pennsylvania families; protect our children and invest in their futures; ensure safety at home and respect for America abroad; promote honesty and accountability in government; preserve the dignity of the vulnerable of all ages among us; and advocate for his constituents and help them solve problems they face.
As a United States Senator, Bob Casey has established a long record of results on behalf of the people of Pennsylvania. He was the prime Senate sponsor of landmark legislation for individuals with disabilities, the Stephen Beck Jr. Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE), which allows millions of families across the United States to save for the long-term care of their loved ones with disabilities in a tax-advantaged savings account. As concerns arose across the nation about the dangers of campus sexual assault, Senator Casey took action and passed into law the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act (Campus SaVE), which outlines steps schools can take to educate students and help prevent sexual assault, requires uniform reporting standards for sexual assaults on college campuses and requires schools to provide clear guidelines to students on their sexual assault policies.
From legislation to crack down on terrorists’ financing, to a law that makes it easier for small businesses to expand, Senator Casey has passed into law a wide range of measures to keep Americans safe and financially secure. He is committed to raising wages and creating and retaining jobs across Pennsylvania. A tireless advocate for middle-class families, workers, and seniors, Bob Casey is a voice for those who are threatened by Congressional Republicans’ recent attempts to give tax cuts to the ultra-rich and to undermine Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
For U.S. Representative in the 7th Congressional District:
- Congresswoman Susan Wild *
Congresswoman Wild writes:As the daughter of an Air Force officer, I moved frequently throughout my childhood—both around the United States and across the world. I moved to the Lehigh Valley more than three decades ago to raise my family, and it’s the only place I’ve ever truly called home.
The Lehigh Valley is where my two children were born and attended public school. It’s where I built a well-respected and recognized legal practice and became the first female Solicitor of the City of Allentown, a position in which I shepherded in a new era of accountability and transparency. In 2018, I became the first woman ever to represent the Lehigh Valley in Congress, and the only Jewish federally elected Pennsylvania official.
My philosophy is simple: getting things done in Washington takes hard work, it requires listening to my constituents, and it demands working with those on the other side of the aisle. Here are some of the principles that guide me:
A working-class ethic.
My dad grew up poor. He was one of six children and his father died when he was eight years old. He and his older brother lived in an orphanage for a couple of years, while their mother was getting back on her feet. My mother’s family did somewhat better, but her father also died when she was only eight, leaving a young widow with two daughters. So both of my parents instilled in me the notion that our circumstances can change on a dime, that whatever fortunate circumstances we may enjoy, we must help others around us who are less fortunate. And, having grown up in a military household to parents who lived through the Great Depression, I understand the concerns of working-class families, because I’ve lived them. I am guided by a core set of values, in part instilled by my liberal Democrat mother and conservative Republican father: that regardless of political party, we must all look out for one another; that everyone deserves an equal voice in our civic processes; and that we must be guided by the simple yet urgent principle of leaving our children a better world than we had ourselves.
Building consensus to take care of business.
I am proud to be rated as one of the most bipartisan members of Congress by the independent Lugar Center. In Congress, I look for ways to build unity between Democrats and Republicans, because I believe that the only way forward is by consensus. I have partnered with Republicans to address issues including mental health, fixing the USPS, supporting veterans, and supporting our manufacturing sector. I will always work with anyone to get things done for the people of my district.
Guaranteeing access to health care.
I came to Washington, in part, to uphold and fulfill my belief that health care is a right, not a privilege, and that Pennsylvanians of every background and income level deserve to have high-quality medical care. The fact that we have two outstanding health networks in PA-07 only serves to emphasize that everyone who lives here should be able to get the care that they provide. In Congress, I have led the fight to protect health care for people with pre-existing conditions, lower the cost of prescription drugs, and ensure that hard working families have access to affordable health insurance.
Walking in your shoes.
To go to college, I — like so many of today’s young Americans — worked and took on student loan debt. Since then, a college education has become exponentially more expensive, and the future of our economy demands smart reforms to help relieve the burden of student debt. I am a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, where I work everyday to address the student loan crisis crippling the next generation of Americans, as well as to make sure that our K-12 public schools have the resources they need.
Listening to — and fighting for — every voice.
I have made it a point to hold regular town halls in every corner of PA-07, from Allentown to Bangor to Jim Thorpe. I believe government works best when it’s driven by what people really care about, and I want to include everyone’s voice in that process. Through my work cutting red tape and fighting government bureaucracy, I have returned hundreds of thousands of dollars to working Pennsylvanians in the form of Social Security payments and VA benefits.
When I am not working for my constituents, I can be found spending time with my family and our dog, Zoey, or cooking up meals with delicious organic ingredients from my home garden, which has been restyled into our 2022 Victory Garden!
Candidates to represent us in Harrisburg:
For PA Attorney General:
- Jack Stollsteimer
Jack’s journey is deeply rooted in his family’s pursuit of the American Dream, shaped by his father’s service in the U.S. Army and his mother’s resilience after surviving a Nazi slave labor camp. Inspired by their struggles and triumphs, Jack worked his way through college and law school. His career in law began as an intern with the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, where he later served as an Assistant District Attorney, prosecuting criminals.In 2001, he joined the U.S. Department of Justice, earning a 100% conviction rate as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, focusing on gun violence reduction. Jack’s commitment extended to addressing issues in education, as Governor Rendell appointed him as Pennsylvania’s Safe Schools Advocate. His advocacy for reporting violent crimes in the Philadelphia School District led to policy changes, contributing to a Pulitzer Prize-winning series on school violence in 2012.
In 2017, he became Deputy State Treasurer, working on initiatives like the PA ABLE savings program for people with disabilities and the Keystone Scholars grant program, providing educational opportunities for every child born or adopted in Pennsylvania. Jack Stollsteimer was the first Democrat to be elected District Attorney in Delaware County, the place where his parents and now his family have lived since the
1950s.
As Delaware County’s district attorney Stollsteimer:
• Formed the Chester Partnership for Safe Neighborhoods. Three years in, it has helped reduce the gun violence homicide rate in the City of Chester by nearly SEVENTY PERCENT.
• Reformed our criminal justice system by working to place our for-profit county jail back under public management and created diversionary programs for low level offenders that have reduced our jail population by 30%.
• Was one of only two DAs in Pennsylvania to publicly pledge to never prosecute a woman for exercising her constitutional right to an abortion.
• Successfully prosecuted contractors in the construction industry for stealing from their workers through misclassification wage theft schemes—the only DA to do so.
• Created the first Environmental Crimes Unit in any DA’s office in order to better protect our planet and our people from environmental injustices.
• Decriminalized the possession of marijuana for personal use.
• Successfully sued opioid distributors in a civil action in order to bring home millions of dollars to help those with substance abuse disorders.
Jack’s diverse experience, from prosecuting criminals to advocating for safer schools and innovative financial programs, positions him as a candidate for Attorney General with a proven track record of dedication to justice and the well-being of Pennsylvanians. Jack is clearly the best candidate in this race when it comes to making a real impact, and if you don’t know that by now, you don’t know Jack.
- Eugene DePasquale
Eugene DePasquale is the former two-term Auditor General of Pennsylvania. Serving in that role, Mr. DePasquale was the fiscal watchdog for the State of Pennsylvania. He led the effort to expose nearly $2 billion in wasted tax dollars, led the fight to reduce the backlog of thousands of untested rape kits and exposed 58,000 unanswered phone calls at the child abuse hotline.Prior to his tenure as Auditor General, Mr. DePasquale was a three-term member of the state General Assembly representing the 95th district. He was a leader in advocating for public schools and creating a fairer education funding formula. He was also the first legislator to post his expenses online and is the author of The Alternative Energy Investment Act and led the fight to ban texting while driving.
Mr. DePasquale is a Pittsburgh native. He has a BA from The College of Wooster (OH), an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh and a JD from Widener University School of Law.
Mr. DePasquale has two children. Ben is in graduate school at Georgetown and Sarah is a Junior at Temple University.
Mr. DePasquale is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, York College of PA and Widener University School of Law. Mr. DePasquale is also counsel for several organizations and is the Co-Chair of Energy Future PA. He narrowly lost a congressional race in 2020. In his spare-time he competes in CrossFit, Spartan Races, and triathlons.
- Joe Khan
Joe Khan is a dad, son of an immigrant, and a former local and federal prosecutor who has dedicated his life to fighting on behalf of regular Pennsylvanians and their families. He and his brother, State Representative Tarik Khan, grew up in Northeast Philadelphia.Joe previously served for a decade as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where he resolved high stakes matters across southeastern Pennsylvania, including leading the historic City Hall corruption probes in Allentown and Reading and the prosecution of the largest Ponzi scheme ever committed in Delaware County. Since beginning his career prosecuting sexual assault, child abuse, and domestic violence in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, his work and commentary have been featured often in national and local media.
More recently, Joe served as the Solicitor for Bucks County, where he was credited with “redefining the role of County Solicitor.” In addition to overseeing all litigation for the County,
Joe built partnerships with other public entities to protect consumers, and the environment through innovative litigation, including the first lawsuit of its kind against social media companies for fueling a youth mental health crisis. Joe also played an instrumental role in protecting Pennsylvanian’s voting rights when he defeated Trump’s lawyers’ efforts to throw out votes in Bucks County and led a multi-county effort to defeat similar efforts throughout the Commonwealth.
During his tenure with Bucks County, the Pennsylvania Bar Association recognized him as 2022’s Government Lawyer of the Year and the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania honored him with the Outstanding Solicitor Award. Joe is a public school graduate who earned degrees from Swarthmore College and the University of Chicago Law School. He has led several nonprofit boards, has served on the Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Commission for Asian Pacific American Affairs, and is now a parent volunteer in the Central Bucks School District.
- Keir Bradford-Grey
Raised in a proud union household, Keir Bradford-Grey was the first in her family to graduate college. As a young girl, Keir saw the impact the justice system could have on families like hers, and in law school, she dedicated herself to fighting for change. As a nationally-recognized state and federal defender for more than two decades, Keir has devoted her career to creating a justice system that makes our communities safer and serves the people it’s meant to protect.Keir was the first African American to lead public defender offices in Montgomery County – where she was initially appointed by now-Governor Josh Shapiro – and Philadelphia County ultimately overseeing a staff of 500+ and a $50M budget.
She pioneered innovative solutions to our criminal justice system that have been proven to keep us safe. As a result of Keir’s work as Chief Defender, for instance, there are now ten community justice hubs in Philadelphia. Throughout her career, she’s partnered with police, community stakeholders, and local officials to find solutions to the challenges facing Pennsylvania families.
Keir has a track record as an effective leader who delivers results. As Attorney General, Keir will take on powerful special interests that treat vulnerable people unfairly, from corporate polluters to opioid manufacturers and predatory lenders.
Keir will always fight for fairness, opportunity and justice.
- Jared Solomon
Jared was raised on the second floor of his greatgrandparents’ butcher shop in Northeast Philadelphia by his single mother, who was a public school teacher. While his family didn’t have much, Jared Solomon learned from his mother that if you create a better future for your community, everybody can prosper. He worked and borrowed his way through Swarthmore College and Villanova Law School.Jared fought corporate abuse for a Philadelphia law firm and decided to serve his country by joining the Army Reserves as a JAG officer and currently serves in the Pennsylvania National Guard. In 2016, Jared ran for the State House because it was clear that the neighborhood he loved wasn’t getting the representation it deserved, so he took on a 42-year career politician — and WON.
In Harrisburg, Jared is fighting to reduce gun violence and against corruption. He votes to invest in our public schools and defend abortion access. And he’s tackling crime in his neighborhood head-on with simple and effective solutions like better street lighting, converting abandoned properties to public parks, and investing in youth programs — and it is WORKING. Now Jared is running to bring that same approach to the Attorney General’s office by focusing on protecting your right to vote, standing up to corruption, and using proven commonsense tactics to make our communities safer.
In addition to Jared’s legislative record in Harrisburg, he is the leading voice against corruption in Philadelphia. In 2019, after the sweeping 116-count federal indictment that ensnared many of the political power brokers in Philadelphia, Jared stood up and spoke out against corruption. He was the first elected official to speak out in 2019, and continues to be one of the only elected officials in Harrisburg publicly advocating for truly transparent, ethical, and good government.
Jared lives with his wife, Tiffani, and their daughter, Charlotte, around the corner from his mom’s house in the same Northeast Philadelphia neighborhood where he was raised.
For PA Auditor General:
- Malcolm Kenyatta *
Representative Malcolm Kenyatta is a third-generation North Philadelphia native, thought leader, and legislator, currently serving in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. He earned a B.A. in Public Communications and a minor in Political Science from Temple University, a M.S. in Strategic and Digital Communications from Drexel University and completed the Harvard Kennedy School’s Executives in State and Local Government program.
He has been chosen for multiple prestigious fellowships and international delegations including: the Bertelsmann Leadership Fellow in the Digital Economy, the bipartisan Hunt/Kean Leadership Fellow in Education, and American Jewish Committee (AJC) Project Interchange.
Representative Kenyatta is a barrier-breaking public figure, becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ person of color and one of the youngest members elected to the PA General Assembly in 2018. In 2022, he became the first openly LGBTQ+ person of color to run for the U.S. Senate in American history.
Representative Kenyatta has been a vocal proponent of protecting workers’ rights, enacting common-sense gun safety policies, and rooting out government corruption and waste. He has multiple legislative leadership roles: member of the powerful State Government Committee with oversight on state agencies and elections, Minority Chair of the Subcommittee on Campaign Finance and Elections, Minority Chair of Automation and Technology in the Committee on Commerce, and a member of the Finance Committee. Since elected, he has additionally served on Governor Tom Wolf’s Suicide Prevention Task Force, and he has been a member of the Philadelphia Delegation leadership team.
In 2020, he was chosen by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to give the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention along with a group of other ‘Rising Stars’. Representative Kenyatta appears regularly on local and national media outlets including 60 Minutes, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News.
His political career and life have been the subject of two documentaries: an award-winning short, Going Forward and an Al Roker (Today Show)-produced feature length film, Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn. He lives in North Philadelphia with his husband Dr. Matthew Kenyatta and their dog Cleo.
- Mark Pinsley
Mark Pinsley writes:
You wouldn’t vote for an Attorney General without a law degree. So why elect an Auditor General without a finance degree and experience managing billion-dollar budgets?
The short answer: You shouldn’t.
If you don’t have an extensive background in finance coupled with executive experience, you have no business being Auditor General.
I’m the only candidate with an MBA. I’ve held senior staff positions in multi-billion-dollar companies. I’ve been Lehigh County Controller since 2020 with a track record of turning wrongs into rights.
I put myself through college by enlisting in the Army Reserves and working for my grandfather’s business. I raised money to start my own company after graduation. Today, I own and manage a small business in Media, PA.
My political career kicked off in 2016 when I won election for township commissioner. The opportunity came up a few years later to be county controller. It was perfect for putting my finance background and political experience to work helping people.
For PA Treasurer:
- Ryan Bizzarro *
Ryan Bizzarro writes:I grew up in a large family of fighters. Inside the ring, they fought with their fists. Outside of it, for themselves and each other.
When I was a child diagnosed with Leukemia, the doctor told my parents “We can only keep him comfortable until he dies.” But my parents fought for me, and won. After two years of experimental treatments as a child in a Buffalo hospital, I am now cancer free.
As a child I was diagnosed with Leukemia. The doctor told my parents he could only keep me comfortable until I died. But my parents fought for me, and won. Like my family, Pennsylvanians are fighting their own battles for a better life. While growing-up in Erie, I recognized that politicians weren’t always looking out for us, and government wasn’t always helping. That’s why I ran for public office and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Service.
I serve as Pennsylvania’s Democratic Policy Chair and State Representative from Erie. Formerly, I served as a victim/witness advocate for Erie County’s District Attorney. My public service is dedicated to putting people first — and fighting back against extreme agendas, politicians, and special interests that hurt them.
I’ve introduced legislation to expand veteran services, senior citizen services, animal rights, voting rights, first-time home buying assistance, and health care. I am a longtime supporter of our police, fire, and medical first responders.
And I take a backseat to nobody when it comes to being an advocate for working people and the labor unions who help build our country while providing workers with safer working conditions and fairer pay with benefits.
Now I’m running for State Treasurer to protect Pennsylvanians. Protect our assets. Protect our pensions. Protect the programs that make a positive impact.
And to protect you from Stacy Garrity.
Pennsylvanians deserve a State Treasurer who serves them – and not some extreme agenda.
With your help, I will be a State Treasurer who fights for you.
- Erin McClelland
A native of Western Pennsylvania, I was born, raised, and currently live in a working class steel mill town on the outskirts of Allegheny County. I am the beneficiary of four generations of organized labor and relish the fact that my hometown still has an operational steel rolling mill. I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1997 and Master of Science concentrating in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Chatham University (formerly Chatham College) in 2002.
I spent 15 years of my career as a substance abuse and mental health counselor and served as a program manager and director in treatment systems in multiple Western PA counties. In 2003, I began working at the Institute for Research, Education and Training in Addiction (IRETA) as their Process Improvement Manager. My work was dedicated to reducing the 10-year information gap between best-practice research and clinical integration throughout Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.
During that time, I had the privilege to train under the direction of former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill, where I learned supply chain logistics and lean process improvement strategies to eliminate errors, increase effectiveness, reduce waste, and improve outcomes in large systems. While at IRETA, I served as an opiate addiction consultant on the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) 25 Cities Initiative.
In 2006, I designed, successfully state-licensed, and operated the first and only orthomolecular recovery program for addiction in Pennsylvania. This program raised nearly $2 million in venture capital funding and was featured twice in Industrial Engineer Magazine for using supply chain management principles and lean systems to improve effectiveness. Not willing to succumb to common claims of over-regulation in the substance abuse treatment system by some providers, I set a goal to achieve a perfect evaluation in the clinic’s annual state audit and achieved it.
In 2014 and 2016, I was the Democratic nominee for the United State Congress in Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District serving Cambria, Somerset, Beaver, Westmoreland, Lawrence, and Allegheny Counties. Being on the ballot with Donald Trump and seeing first-hand the issues of rural and working-class voters ignored by my own party was an experience and a conscious awareness that I carry with me to this day.
In 2015 I began performing process improvement and policy work at the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS). My work includes redesigning the organization’s employee performance management system, developing a merit-based hiring process and policy, writing the employee medical marijuana policy, and identifying points of systemic-bias in the employee recruitment and retention processes. Every day I work to standardize employees’ work, eliminate systemic bias, and advocate for blame-free work-place principles that protect workers, improve morale, and decrease turn-over and other forms of systemic loss.
I have thoroughly enjoyed starting and operating a small business and working to improve government systems, processes, and policies while advocating for our public-sector workers. My experience has taught me, in any large complex adaptive system, it doesn’t matter how good your intentions are if you don’t have viable systemic answers to two fundamental questions: What problem are you trying to solve and what is the root cause of this problem? The devil lies completely in the details of the policy solutions you implement. And it’s time we elect a responsible, honest-broker to oversee the Commonwealth’s Treasury who is committed to rebuilding our state’s supply chain with transparency and integrity and managing our taxpayer’s coffers with diligence and accountability.
For PA House District 133 (incl. the Lehigh Co. parts of Bethlehem)
- Jeanne McNeill
Jeanne McNeill was elected to serve the 133rd Legislative District in 2017. Although born and raised in Bethlehem, she has lived in the 133rd District for over 27 years, having raised two daughters, Kathleen and Shannon, along with her husband, the late state representative of the 133rd District Daniel McNeill.
Jeanne has always been a champion of those in need. For the past 14 years, she has been employed by CLIU 21 as a skills trainer teaching job skills, independence, and life skills to young adults with disabilities in order to give them the independence, self-esteem and opportunity they need to become productive members of society. Before becoming a skills trainer, Jeanne was employed by Parkland High School in the College Resource Room, assisting students with the difficult selection of which college to attend as well as their field of study.
Community service has always been a top priority for her, from organizing donations for fire victims and fundraising events for cancer patients, to hosting Thanksgiving dinners for those in need and serving spaghetti dinners at her church. Jeanne has always been there for friends and strangers alike and will bring that passion, dedication and willingness to further serve the constituents throughout her legislative district. Jeanne will carry on her late husband’s work, as was his wish, and continue to fight for working families, seniors and women’s rights, against discrimination of any kind, and the right for the physically and mentally challenged to have the same opportunities as the rest of the residents of this commonwealth. She is also committed to addressing the opioid crisis that is plaguing this state and taking more lives young and old every day. She will continue the shared vision of her late husband of bettering the lives of the residents of the 133rd District as well as those across Pennsylvania.
Jeanne lives in Whitehall Township, and spends her free time with her daughters and grandchildren Kenzie, Isabelle, and Lincoln. She attends community events as her schedule permits.
For PA House District 135 (incl. the Northampton Co. parts of Bethlehem)
- Steve Samuelson
Rep. Steve Samuelson is the Democratic Majority Chair of the House Finance Committee. He was previously Democratic Chair of the House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee.
Serving the state’s senior citizens has always been a priority for Rep. Samuelson. Every year his constituent services office assists more than 900 residents with their Property Tax / Rent Rebate applications.
Before being elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1998, Rep. Samuelson was a legislative aide and clerk to the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners for 9 years, an experience giving him a great understanding of the challenges facing local governments. Rep. Samuelson also served as a legislative assistant to state Reps. Paul McHale and Karen Ritter, and was a reporter for the former Globe-Times newspaper.
A Bethlehem resident, Rep. Samuelson is a graduate of Liberty High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Lehigh University. He is a graduate of Leadership Lehigh Valley. He has always been active in his community having served as a PTA Board member at Spring Garden Elementary School, president of the Bethlehem Area Jaycees, a board member of Habitat for Humanity of Humanity of the Lehigh Valley, and a volunteer for Freedom High School Theatre.
He is the father of two grown children, Molly and Michael.