State

State Representative, 137th 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.

Central Northampton County: Bethlehem, Lower Nazareth and Upper Nazareth townships, Nazareth and Tatamy boroughs, most of Palmer Township and part of Hanover Township.

Candidates Compare by issue

Jeff Warren

Democratic

Northampton County commissioner; director of community outreach, CASA SHaW · Bethlehem Township

The gist

Calls for more state school funding to expand opportunities and ease local property taxes.
Promises to focus on living costs by expanding attainable housing, child care and lower health costs.
Supports in-person early voting and more time for counties to process mail ballots.
Says legislators should be required to stay in session until a state budget is enacted.
Supports statewide data center standards for power and water use and mandatory environmental reviews.
Pledges to keep preserving farmland and open space with local communities.
Opposes right-to-work policies and supports collective bargaining rights.
Pledges more funding for police, fire departments and EMS.

More about Jeff

View sources (2)

Calls for more state school funding to expand opportunities and ease local property taxes.
Jeff Warren for PA — Issues
Campaign website · Jeff Warren for PA · Fairly Fund Our Local Schools · jeffwarrenforpa.com
“I will bring more state funding into our public schools, giving all our kids better opportunities and lowering the property tax burden on homeowners”
Promises to focus on living costs by expanding attainable housing, child care and lower health costs.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 137
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Most pressing issues · onyourballot.vote411.org
“By expanding attainable housing, supporting accessible child care, and working to reduce healthcare expenses”
Supports in-person early voting and more time for counties to process mail ballots.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 137
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Elections question · onyourballot.vote411.org
“The state legislature should also pass reforms to create in-person early voting and give counties more time to process mail ballots.”
Says legislators should be required to stay in session until a state budget is enacted.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 137
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Budget process question · onyourballot.vote411.org
“state legislators should be required to stay in session until a state budget is enacted”
Supports statewide data center standards for power and water use and mandatory environmental reviews.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 137
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · Data centers question · onyourballot.vote411.org
“We should require statewide standards for electricity and water use, mandatory and transparent environmental impact reviews, and thoughtful grid-capacity planning”
Pledges to keep preserving farmland and open space with local communities.
Jeff Warren for PA — Issues
Campaign website · Jeff Warren for PA · Preserve Open Space and Farmland · jeffwarrenforpa.com
“I will continue working with local communities to preserve as much farmland and open space as possible”
Opposes right-to-work policies and supports collective bargaining rights.
Jeff Warren for PA — Issues
Campaign website · Jeff Warren for PA · Fight for Working Families and Unions · jeffwarrenforpa.com
“will be firm against right-to-work policies and other legislation that threatens our right to collectively bargain”
Pledges more funding for police, fire departments and EMS.
Jeff Warren for PA — Issues
Campaign website · Jeff Warren for PA · Boost Funding for Public Safety and First Responders · jeffwarrenforpa.com
“I will bring in funding to make sure our police, fire departments, and EMS have the tools they need”

Joe Emrick

RepublicanIncumbent

State representative · Upper Nazareth Township

The gist

Sponsored a bill letting voters approve or reject large warehouse developments by local referendum.In office
Voted for the 2026-27 state budget, noting it had no new or increased broad-based taxes.In office
Supported the 2025-26 budget deal repealing Pennsylvania's entry into RGGI.In office
Sponsored a bill returning table-game tax revenue to property tax relief for homeowners.In office
Sponsored a bill requiring colleges to notify students in advance of tuition increases.In office
Sponsored a bill giving the Governor veto power over Pennsylvania's Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge commissioners.In office
Co-sponsored an election bill package responding to Northampton County voting problems.In office
Supports stricter benefit-integrity checks in public health programs to cut costs.In office

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

More about Joe

View sources (7)

Sponsored a bill letting voters approve or reject large warehouse developments by local referendum.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Local Option for High Impact Warehouses and Distribution Centers
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Feb 19, 2025 · palegis.us
“provide local governments with the ability to seek voter approval for large-scale warehouse and distribution center developments”
Voted for the 2026-27 state budget, noting it had no new or increased broad-based taxes.
Emrick: 2026-27 PA State Budget Passes
Public statement · Office of Rep. Joe Emrick · Jul 12, 2026 · repemrick.com
“voted for a $50.85 billion 2026-27 state budget, noting this budget was balanced without any new or increased broad-based taxes”
Supported the 2025-26 budget deal repealing Pennsylvania's entry into RGGI.
Emrick Keys on Improving Affordability for Pennsylvanians with State Budget Vote
Public statement · Office of Rep. Joe Emrick · Nov 12, 2025 · repemrick.com
“we are repealing, through statute, Wolf Administration regulations that forced Pennsylvania into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative”
Sponsored a bill returning table-game tax revenue to property tax relief for homeowners.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Tax Reform Code Legislation
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Feb 18, 2025 · palegis.us
“put those extra dollars back into the hands of homeowners where they rightfully belong to provide further property tax reductions”
Sponsored a bill requiring colleges to notify students in advance of tuition increases.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Tuition Increase Transparency Legislation
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Feb 18, 2025 · palegis.us
“require institutions of higher education to notify students in advance if they intend to increase tuition”
Sponsored a bill giving the Governor veto power over Pennsylvania's Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge commissioners.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Compact
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Feb 18, 2025 · palegis.us
“My bill would amend PA law to grant the governor veto power over actions of the Commission members of PA.”
Co-sponsored an election bill package responding to Northampton County voting problems.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Elections Package (Reps. Flood, Mako and Emrick)
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Jan 31, 2025 · palegis.us
“we will soon be re-introducing a package of bills to address this consistent mismanagement of elections by Northampton County”
Supports stricter benefit-integrity checks in public health programs to cut costs.
Emrick Keys on Improving Affordability for Pennsylvanians with State Budget Vote
Public statement · Office of Rep. Joe Emrick · Nov 12, 2025 · repemrick.com
“Eliminating waste, fraud and abuse in our public health care programs helps make health care more affordable for everyone.”

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; 9 issues covered in this race.