Joshua Siegel (politician)
Joshua Siegel | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 22nd district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Peter Schweyer (redistricting) |
| Member of the Allentown City Council | |
| In office January 6, 2020 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joshua Siegel November 15, 1993 (29) Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, US |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Seton Hall University (BS) |
Joshua Siegel is an American politician who is a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party, he will represent the 22nd district, which contains parts of Allentown and Salisbury Township.[1]
Early life, education, and early career[edit]
Siegel was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Seton Hall University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science degree in international relations and diplomacy.[2] Siegel moved to Allentown in 2016. He worked as a field organizer on a Pennsylvania House of Representatives election in the 183rd district. He was a candidate for mayor of Allentown in 2017.[3]
From 2017 to 2020, Siegel worked as the public information officer for Lehigh County, and since 2020 he has worked as the assistant operations manager for the county controller's Office.[2]
Allentown City Council (2020–2022)[edit]
Siegel was elected to the Allentown city council on November 5, 2019, at age 25, making him at the time the youngest member ever elected to the body.[3] Siegel was sworn in on January 6, 2020.[4] He served as chair of the Budget and Finance Committee for three years.
During Siegel's tenure on the city council, he successfully passed paid family leave for city workers, making Allentown the fifth municipality or political subdivision in Pennsylvania to offer this benefit to their city employees.[5][6] Siegel also successfully led the drive to bring the city's vehicle fleet maintenance back in house after over twenty years of privatization, citing concerns over public safety, treatment of union employees, substandard wages and lengthy times required to service critical city vehicles such as fire trucks and snowplows.[7] Siegel also championed campaign finance reform legislation that would have capped the total size of contributions made by each donor; his bill, the provisions of which he argued would have prevented the corruption scheme that resulted in the resignation and federal conviction of Allentown mayor Ed Pawlowski in 2018, was defeated by a margin of 4–3.[8][9] Siegel successfully co-sponsored a responsible contractor ordinance that would have required city public works projects to go firms with Class-A apprenticeships, asserting that it would promote workforce development and protect the use of taxpayer dollars by ensuring the use of high-quality labor and contractors.[10][11][12]
Following the U.S. Supreme Court decision Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization which overturned Roe v. Wade, Siegel fought to pass local legislation that would have protected reproductive access in Allentown, including a buffer zone around the local Planned Parenthood clinic to protect those entering from harassment or intimidation, as well as legislation aimed at crisis pregnancy centers for disseminating false or misleading information and prohibiting city resources from being used to aide out of state prosecutors pursuing those coming to Pennsylvania for reproductive care.[13][14][15]
Pennsylvania House of Representatives[edit]
Elections[edit]
2022[edit]
During the 2022 Pennsylvania redistricting process, the city of Allentown gained a third seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. On February 8, 2022, Joshua Siegel declared his candidacy for the newly created seat, numbered as the 22nd district,[16] covering most of the city of Allentown as well as some suburbs to the east and southeast.[17] Siegel's candidacy focused on addressing the crisis of affordability and rising inflation such as the rising cost of housing, education and childcare; as well as economic development and regionalism, education funding, reducing gun violence, comprehensive public safety, affordable housing, responsible development, protecting the right to organize, strengthening unions, protecting democracy, reproductive healthcare and LGBTQ rights.[18][better source needed]
On May 17, Siegel defeated Saeed Georges by a margin of 64%–36% to win the Democratic nomination for the seat.[19] In the November 8 general election Siegel defeated Robert E. Smith, a former Allentown school board member,[20] by a margin of 64%–36% to become the state representative-elect for the 22nd district.[21][22]
Committee assignments[edit]
Siegel has been appointed to service on the House Appropriations, Transportation, State Government and Housing and Community Development committees.
Electoral history[edit]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic primary election | |||||
| Democratic | Ed Pawlowski (incumbent) | 1,702 | 28.20% | ||
| Democratic | Ray O'Connell | 1,377 | 22.82% | ||
| Democratic | Charles F. Thiel | 1,333 | 22.09% | ||
| Democratic | Siobhan Bennett | 719 | 11.91% | ||
| Democratic | David Jones | 575 | 9.53% | ||
| Democratic | Joshua Siegel | 295 | 4.89% | ||
| Democratic | Nathan L. Woodring | 34 | 0.56% | ||
| Total votes | 6,035 | 100.00% | |||
| General election | |||||
| Democratic | Ed Pawlowski (incumbent) | 4,833 | 39.12% | ||
| Republican | Nat Hyman | 4,569 | 36.99% | ||
| Write-in | 2,250 | 18.21% | |||
| Independent | John Richard Ingram | 498 | 4.03% | ||
| Independent | Solomon Tembo | 203 | 1.64% | ||
| Total votes | 12,353 | 100.00% | |||
| Democratic hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic primary election | |||||
| Democratic | Cecilia Gerlach | 3,310 | 27.65% | ||
| Democratic | Candida Affa (incumbent) | 2,192 | 18.31% | ||
| Democratic | Joshua Siegel | 1,985 | 16.58% | ||
| Democratic | Courtney Robinson (incumbent) | 1,897 | 15.84% | ||
| Democratic | Luis E. Acevedo | 1,381 | 11.53% | ||
| Democratic | John Rosario | 1,208 | 10.09% | ||
| Total votes | 11,973 | 100.00% | |||
| General election | |||||
| Democratic | Cecilia Gerlach | 8,171 | 29.74% | ||
| Democratic | Joshua Siegel | 7,347 | 26.74% | ||
| Democratic | Candida Affa (incumbent) | 7,230 | 26.32% | ||
| Republican | Joe Hoffman | 4,725 | 17.20% | ||
| Total votes | 27,473 | 100.00% | |||
| Democratic hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic primary election | |||||
| Democratic | Joshua Siegel | 1,712 | 64.00% | ||
| Democratic | Saeed Georges | 963 | 36.00% | ||
| Total votes | 2,675 | 100.00% | |||
| General election | |||||
| Democratic | Joshua Siegel | 6,442 | 63.76% | ||
| Republican | Robert Smith, Jr. | 3,662 | 36.24% | ||
| Total votes | 10,104 | 100.00% | |||
| Democratic hold | |||||
References[edit]
- ^ Sweeney, Brittany (May 18, 2022). "Josh Siegel triumphs in Democratic primary for newly formed Allentown Pa. House seat". WLVR. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ a b "The Allentown City Council Members". Allentown, Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on November 2, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ a b Wagaman, Andrew (November 5, 2019). "Two fresh faces to join Allentown City Council following Democratic sweep". The Morning Call. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ Rultenberg, Josh (January 6, 2020). "Allentown mayor O'Connell, two new council members sworn in". WFMZ. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ Weber, Lindsay (February 4, 2022). "Some Allentown employees will now have six weeks of paid family leave". The Morning Call. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ "Paid family/parental leave policies for municipal employees" (PDF). National Partnership for Women & Families. March 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 1, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ Weber, Lindsay (November 4, 2022). "After year of conflict, Allentown hopes it has a solution to maintenance problems in city vehicles". The Morning Call. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ Weber, Lindsay (November 18, 2021). "In close vote, Allentown rejects campaign finance limits for city candidates". The Morning Call. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ Althouse, Steve (November 17, 2021). "Allentown votes down campaign finance reform bill". WFMZ. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ Reinhard, Katherine (March 6, 2022). "In Allentown, controversial law requiring contractor apprenticeships on city projects hits snag". Pennsylvania Capital-Star. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ Weber, Lindsay (February 17, 2022). "Under new Allentown rule, some contractors would no longer qualify to work on city construction projects". The Morning Call. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ Althouse, Steve (February 16, 2022). "Allentown passes 'responsible contractor ordinance'". WFMZ. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ "Councilman Josh Siegel plans to make Allentown a safe-haven for women's reproductive rights". WFMZ. August 24, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ Weber, Lindsay (August 25, 2022). "Allentown abortion ordinances draw big crowd at raucous committee meeting; council members' tempers flare". The Morning Call. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ Farris, Jaccii (August 3, 2022). "Allentown councilman introduces abortion-related ordinances; not all council members are on board". WFMZ. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ "Allentown city councilman announces candidacy for Pennsylvania's 22nd House district". WFMZ. February 8, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ Nunez, Alan (July 13, 2022). "Joshua Siegel is young, but has all the experience in his run to represent PA District 22 in Harrisburg". Al Día. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ Siegel, Joshua (February 8, 2022). "Issues". Vote Josh Siegel. Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ "Joshua Siegel takes lead in Democratic nominating contest in race for Pa. House district covering parts of Allentown, Salisbury Twp". WFMZ. May 17, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ Golter, Graysen (October 6, 2022). "Josh Siegel, Bob Smith want to be Allentown's 3rd representative in Pa. House. Where they stand on affordable housing, abortion, election integrity, and more". The Morning Call. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Siegel wins open seat as 22nd District state rep". WFMZ. November 8, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ Reinhard, Katherine (November 10, 2022). "For three open seats in Legislature, Lehigh Valley picks two Democrats, one Republican". Pennsylvania Capital-Star. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Allentown municipal primary election results, 2017". Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. May 16, 2017. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
- ^ "Allentown municipal general election results, 2017". Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. November 7, 2017. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
- ^ "Allentown municipal primary election results, 2019". Lehigh County. May 21, 2019. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Allentown municipal general election results, 2019". Lehigh County. November 5, 2019. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
