On Tuesday, Allegheny and Lehigh counties will hold special elections for House of Representatives who have resigned. (Photo: Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury)
On Tuesday, Allegheny and Lehigh counties will hold special elections for House of Representatives who have resigned.
In the 22nd Legislative District, Republican Joshua Siegel resigned after being elected as Lehigh County executive.
Democratic Allentown school board member Ana T. Tiburcio, owner of a tax preparation company, is running for the seat against former Allentown school board member Robert E. Smith Jr. He is a program specialist at a mental health treatment facility. The 22nd District includes parts of Allentown and Salisbury Township.
Tiburcio was the second choice of Lehigh County Democrats, who initially chose Julian Guridy, an aide to state Sen. Nick Miller (R-Lehigh). However, Guridy was unable to apply for the position because he did not meet the state’s four-year residency requirement.
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Smith ran for the House of Representatives twice, in 2022 and 2024, losing to Siegel both times. Last year, after serving 16 years, he lost his chance for re-election to the school board.
Rep. Dan Miller, a Democrat representing the 42nd District, resigned after being elected to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.
Democratic Dormont Borough Councilwoman Jen Mazzocco will face Republican Joseph Leckenby, an attorney who challenged Miller’s 2024 re-election bid. The 42nd District includes the townships of Castle Shannon and Dormont, Baldwin and Mount Lebanon, and part of Upper St. County. Claire.
In addition to his elected positions, Mazzocco is a teacher at Taylor Allderice High School and a board member of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers.
Leckenby is a 2025 law graduate from Duquesne University, where he also earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy.
Democrats have a 100-98 majority in the House, with five seats open. Republicans could take control of the House by winning both of Tuesday’s elections and then at least two of the three special elections scheduled for later this year.
Under House rules, a special election must be announced within 10 days of the vacancy, but cannot be scheduled earlier than 60 days after the announcement.
House Speaker Joanna McClinton (R-Philadelphia) also scheduled a March 17 election to fill the unexpired terms of former House Reps. Louis Schmitt (R-Blair) and Toren Ecker (R-Adams). The special election to fill former Rep. Seth Grove’s (R-York) seat coincides with the May 19 primary election.
Candidates in the special election are nominated by their party’s local committees, and the winner will only serve the unexpired portion of his predecessor’s term ending this year, unless he runs and is elected to a full term in November.
