Julian Guridy, a constituent services representative with state Sen. Nick Miller’s office and former Democratic delegate in the 2024 election, will run as a Democrat for state House District 22 , which covers a large portion of Center City Allentown.
His announcement sets up a contest with progressive Allentown City Council member Ce-Ce Gerlach, who entered the race in August for the seat that will be vacant next year, as current Rep. Joh Siegel takes office as Lehigh County executive.
Siegel will resign Dec. 31 and be sworn in as executive Jan. 5.
Guridy, who hosted a campaign kick-off event Thursday evening at Miller Symphony Hall in Allentown, said he is running to give back to the community that raised him — he was born in the 22nd district to parents who immigrated from the Dominican Republic. His father, Julio Guridy, is a former Allentown City Council member for over 20 years and is director of the Allentown Housing Authority.
As a constituent services representative, Guridy said he hears every day about the problems Allentown residents face. His key priorities he would address if elected are affordable housing, public safety, and education, he said.
“It is my job to be at on front line with a multitude of issues constituents face on a daily basis, and I have to provide solutions,” Guridy said.
Allentown Council member Ce-Ce Gerlach speaks Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, during a City Council meeting in Allentown. Gerlach presented an ordinance for Allentown to become a ‘Welcoming City’ to help protect immigrants from ICE.
(April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Gerlach is a progressive Democrat who has drawn on her working-class background and pushed for bills to establish a “co-responder” police program to send social workers instead of officers to some 911 calls, a “homeless bill of rights” and a comprehensive anti-discrimination ordinance.
On her campaign website, Gerlach lists housing, education, worker’s rights, and justice and public safety as key policy issues she would work on if elected.
After Siegel steps down, Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton will decide when a special election will take place for his seat within 60 days of the vacancy. The winner of the special election will fill the seat for the remainder of Siegel’s term, which expires at the end of 2026.
Candidates for the special election will be selected by Lehigh County’s Democratic and Republican committees. Both Guridy and Gerlach are seeking that selection.
Both also said they would run for the seat in the 2026 Democratic primary, seeking the chance to run for a full, two-year term in the November 2026 election.
No Republicans have announced their intent to run for the seat in the heavily Democratic district.
Reporter Lindsay Weber can be reached at Liweber@mcall.com.