Nikki RiveraManheim Parish School Board Chairman, was elected by members of the Lancaster County Democratic Committee to succeed Representative Mike Sturla as a candidate for the 96th District seat.
The district encompasses the northern half of the city of Lancaster and East Petersburg Parish.
Sturla, who has served in Harrisburg since 1990, announced Monday that he will not seek re-election, despite filing to run earlier this year.
Rivera, 51, was the only candidate to file for the party nomination by Wednesday’s 1 p.m. deadline set by Democrats. She won the committee vote unanimously.
“I am grateful for the support of people who inspire me so much” Rivera told Lancaster Online.
In addition to serving on the Manheim Parish School Board, Rivera is also a teacher in the Warwick School District in the Lititz area.
Rivera said she is campaigning for the 96th District seat to “promote inclusivity” across the state. She said she was interested in running for state House last summer but decided not to challenge Sturla. She joined his campaign committee to learn how to run a legislative campaign and meet with some of the Democratic Party’s top donors.
Sturla said Wednesday night after the committee vote that he was “very happy” that Rivera had been selected as the nominee, calling her “highly qualified, thoughtful, intelligent (and) caring.”
“I think the voters in the 96th District who know her are happy, and anyone who doesn’t know her will be happy to meet her,” Sturla said.
Rivera said she promised committee members that if she won election this year, she would serve just five two-year terms in the House of Representatives.
“I’m not a politician. I’m a teacher,” she said.
The state party executive committee must still approve Rivera’s nomination. Pennsylvania Democratic Party chairman Rep. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) said Wednesday he hopes his members will meet and endorse Rivera’s nomination by Friday.
After being formally nominated, Rivera will face the Republican Party candidate Eric Beezerpro-pot candidate who won a seat on the GOP county committee in the May primary. In a statement Thursday morning, he said, “I understand that many voters feel marginalized and want more influence over who their representatives are elected to. Vote for Beezer in November to make sure your vote counts.”
