7 Pennsylvania mayoral races to watch in 2025

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Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey announced his campaign for reelection last September surrounded by supporters at the Fern Hollow Bridge, the location of a 2022 bridge collapse that came just hours before then-President Joe Biden was set to visit the city to promote his landmark infrastructure law. Gainey said in September that the ensuing response and rebuild of the bridge set the tone for his administration.

Harrisburg: Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams is hoping voters in the state’s capital city will reelect her to a second term after she defeated longtime incumbent Eric Papenfuse in 2021. Williams, who previously served as the president of Harrisburg City Council from 2010 to 2021, announced her bid for reelection during her 2024 State of the City address, where she highlighted her administration’s record on affordable housing development, youth programs and traffic improvements.

Allentown: Matt Tuerk has been mayor of Allentown since January 2022, when he became the first Latino mayor in Allentown’s history. He announced his bid for reelection in November 2024, listing some of his top accomplishments from his first term – including keeping tax rates flat, attracting federal funding to the city and a decrease in crime, according to LehighValleyNews.com. During his 2025 State of the City address in January, Tuerk praised Allentown Chief of Police Charles Roca and the city’s officers for a drop in crime: “Our police department, under Chief Charles Roca’s leadership, has cut violent crime down to almost half of what it was 10 years ago – and by 25% from when he and I started … We saw just four homicides in 2024 and that’s the city's lowest number since 1989. That’s a fact.”

Bethlehem: Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds kicked off his reelection campaign in the second half of February and will face at least one other challenger in the Democratic primary: Bethlehem City Councilmember Grace Crampsie Smith. Reynolds, in his city budget address given last October, said his administration will continue to prioritize sound budgeting and fiscal restraint, characterizing Bethlehem as “a city you want to invest in,” according to The Morning Call.

Lancaster: With Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace choosing not to seek another term as the city’s chief executive this year, two Democrats have entered the race to succeed her. Both Lancaster City Vice President Jaime Arroyo and City Councilmember Janet Diaz are running for the Democratic nomination. In a video announcing his candidacy for mayor, Arroyo emphasized his work on City Council, which focuses on lead abatement and housing issues. “While we have made great progress in our city, there are still challenges we need to tackle and problems to solve,” Arroyo stated.

Scranton: More after the link.

Erie: More after the link.







https://www.cityandstatepa.com/politics/2025/03/7-pennsylvania-mayoral-races-watch-2025/403426/?oref=cspa-category-lander-top-story