State

State Representative, 135th District

Vote for: 1
Term: 2 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A state representative votes on Pennsylvania laws and the state budget in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

The Northampton County part of the city of Bethlehem and most of Hanover Township.

Candidates Compare by issue

Joe Poplawski

Republican

Construction manager and building inspector · Bethlehem

The gist

Opposes data centers in the 135th District and says data centers should pay for needed grid upgrades.
Proposes encouraging towns to cut minimum home and lot sizes by one-third to lower housing costs.
Proposes a Homeless Launch Program of small, low-cost dwellings with savings accounts and services.
Proposes reviving local manufacturing with a focus on carbon-neutral steel production.
Supports enforceable state budget deadlines and more austerity in state spending.
Calls Flock license-plate cameras a violation of Fourth Amendment rights.
Proposes a Smart Standards for Safe Infrastructure Act focused on roads, bridges and water systems.
Received a 100% score on Gun Owners of America's candidate survey, according to the group.

More about Joe

View sources (4)

Opposes data centers in the 135th District and says data centers should pay for needed grid upgrades.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 135
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Data centers question · onyourballot.vote411.org
“Data centers should fund any needed grid upgrades so residents aren't burdened with higher costs”
Candidates in PA House District 135 debate the issues at WFMZ studios
News coverage · WFMZ-TV 69 News · Sep 8, 2026 · Data centers · wfmz.com
“No data centers.”
Proposes encouraging towns to cut minimum home and lot sizes by one-third to lower housing costs.
Our Vision | Joe Poplawski
Campaign website · Friends of Joe Poplawski PAC · Affordable Housing · joe4pahouse135.com
“Joe supports encouraging municipalities to reduce square footage requirements for homes and lots by one-third across all zoning districts”
Proposes a Homeless Launch Program of small, low-cost dwellings with savings accounts and services.
Our Vision | Joe Poplawski
Campaign website · Friends of Joe Poplawski PAC · Homelessness Support · joe4pahouse135.com
“He will advocate for funding to create a Homeless Launch Program—providing small, low-cost dwellings”
Proposes reviving local manufacturing with a focus on carbon-neutral steel production.
Our Vision | Joe Poplawski
Campaign website · Friends of Joe Poplawski PAC · Economic Development · joe4pahouse135.com
“Joe supports revitalizing local manufacturing with a focus on carbon-neutral steel production to create good-paying jobs”
Supports enforceable state budget deadlines and more austerity in state spending.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 135
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Budget process question · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I support commonsense reforms like enforceable deadlines, greater transparency, and mechanisms that keep essential funding flowing.”
Candidates in PA House District 135 debate the issues at WFMZ studios
News coverage · WFMZ-TV 69 News · Sep 8, 2026 · Fiscal responsibility · wfmz.com
“Poplawski said more austerity in state government is needed”
Calls Flock license-plate cameras a violation of Fourth Amendment rights.
Candidates in PA House District 135 debate the issues at WFMZ studios
News coverage · WFMZ-TV 69 News · Sep 8, 2026 · Flock cameras · wfmz.com
“blatant violation of our Fourth Amendment rights”
Proposes a Smart Standards for Safe Infrastructure Act focused on roads, bridges and water systems.
Our Vision | Joe Poplawski
Campaign website · Friends of Joe Poplawski PAC · Infrastructure Improvements · joe4pahouse135.com
“This is why when elected Joe will introduce the Smart Standards for Safe Infrastructure Act”
Received a 100% score on Gun Owners of America's candidate survey, according to the group.
GOA Endorses Joe Poplawski for State Representative
Other · Gun Owners of America Pennsylvania · Jul 20, 2026 · pennsylvania.gunowners.org
“He earned a perfect 100% score on his GOA candidate survey”

Steve Samuelson

DemocraticIncumbent

State representative · Bethlehem

The gist

Supports increased state investment in Pre-K and public education.
Sponsored the law expanding Property Tax/Rent Rebate eligibility and backed the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit.
Supports regulating data centers, giving towns tools to control them, and opposes state tax breaks for them.
Voted for the $50.85 billion 2026-27 state budget.
Calls for more regulation of Flock license-plate cameras.
Says he will keep working on affordable housing.
Sponsors a constitutional amendment creating an independent redistricting commission.In office
Proposes a fee on the heaviest energy users to fund relief for utility ratepayers.In office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Steve

View sources (4)

Supports increased state investment in Pre-K and public education.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 135
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Most pressing issues · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I support increased state investments in Pre-K programs and public education.”
Sponsored the law expanding Property Tax/Rent Rebate eligibility and backed the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 135
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Most pressing issues … Most pressing issues · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I was the prime sponsor of the law which increased eligibility for the Property Tax / Rent Rebate program … create the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit which will benefit more than 900,000 people in PA”
Supports regulating data centers, giving towns tools to control them, and opposes state tax breaks for them.
Candidates in PA House District 135 debate the issues at WFMZ studios
News coverage · WFMZ-TV 69 News · Sep 8, 2026 · Data centers … Data centers · wfmz.com
“We need to regulate, make sure municipalities have the tools to control (data centers), … We do not need a state tax break.”
Voted for the $50.85 billion 2026-27 state budget.
Candidates in PA House District 135 debate the issues at WFMZ studios
News coverage · WFMZ-TV 69 News · Sep 8, 2026 · Fiscal responsibility · wfmz.com
“Samuelson said he was proud to vote for the $50.85 billion 2026-2027 state budget”
Calls for more regulation of Flock license-plate cameras.
Candidates in PA House District 135 debate the issues at WFMZ studios
News coverage · WFMZ-TV 69 News · Sep 8, 2026 · Flock cameras · wfmz.com
“the cameras have just been ubiquitous all over the Lehigh Valley, and we have to take action to address that”
Says he will keep working on affordable housing.
Candidates in PA House District 135 debate the issues at WFMZ studios
News coverage · WFMZ-TV 69 News · Sep 8, 2026 · Top priorities on day one · wfmz.com
“Samuelson said he would continue to fight for affordable housing”
Sponsors a constitutional amendment creating an independent redistricting commission.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: HB 31 - Establishing an Independent Redistricting Commission in Pennsylvania
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Jan 28, 2025 · palegis.us
“amend the Pennsylvania Constitution by establishing an Independent Redistricting Commission to provide a nonpartisan process for redistricting”
Proposes a fee on the heaviest energy users to fund relief for utility ratepayers.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Establishing an Energy Usage Reimbursement Fund for ratepayer relief
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Oct 22, 2025 · palegis.us
“establishing the Energy Usage Reimbursement Fund supported by a fee collected from Pennsylvania's heaviest energy users”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 8 issues covered in this race.