State Rep. Joshua Siegel (D-Lehigh) is running for Lehigh County executive. (Contributed photo)
Democratic state Rep. Joshua Siegel announced Tuesday he is running for Lehigh County executive.
The winner of the county executive race would take over from term-limited Democratic County Executive Phillips Armstrong, for whom Siegel served as director of communications.
Siegel, who represents the 22nd Legislative District covering part of Allentown and neighboring Salisbury Township, was first elected to the state House in 2022 and re-elected last month.
The Lehigh Valley region is Pennsylvania’s third largest metropolitan area and has transformed from a heavy industrial economy to a modern manufacturing hub, Siegel told the Capital-Star.
While he credits the Lehigh Valley’s previous leaders for that success, Siegel, 31, said he believes it’s time for a new generation of leadership in the county executive’s office. He said he would use the office to ensure Lehigh County remains affordable and offers a high quality of life.
“I want to make sure we are addressing the results of our success,” Siegel said, noting that the region is experiencing a shortage of affordable housing, threats to farmland and open space from development and rising local taxes.
Siegel said he would promote regional strategies for smart growth to promote the development of multi-use, walkable communities and a housing production fund to provide revolving financing for affordable housing. He would also promote regionalization of municipal services including police, fire and ambulance services to reduce municipal taxes.
In the wake of the 2024 election where Republicans made gains in areas historically dominated by Democrats, Siegal said his party has an opportunity to regain voters’ confidence by demonstrating an ability to meet their needs on the local level.
“It’s a natural place to reach out to those people who are disaffected,” Siegel said.
If Siegel is elected county executive, it would set up a special election in the state House for early 2026. Siegel said he’s confident that would not put the House Democratic Caucus’ one-seat majority in peril. Siegel’s district leans heavily Democratic, with Siegel winning 64% of the vote in 2022 and running unopposed this year.
State Rep. Dan Miller (D-Allegheny) has also announced he is running for an Allegheny County Common Pleas Court seat in 2025.