Democratic County Commissioners Announce 2023 Reelection Bid

Democrats aim to hold control of the majority on the Bucks County Board of Commissioners. As part of that effort, the two incumbents launched their 2023 reelection bid on Wednesday.

Commissioners Chairperson Bob Harvie, of Falls Township, and Vice Chairperson Diane Ellis-Marseglia, of Middletown Township, will be running to keep the county’s executive branch under their vision for the county’s future.

Harvie and Ellis-Marseglia’s announcement was first reported Wednesday morning in a story posted by political journal City and State Pennsylvania.

“We are proud to have served Bucks County as majority commissioners over these past three years,” Harvie and Ellis-Marseglia said in a joint statement to LevittownNow.com. “From balancing the county budget, fixing our structural deficit, to holding the line and ensuring no new taxes, we have fought to make county government work for Bucks families. Today, we are announcing our re-election campaign to continue that fight.”

According to the state’s county code, county commissioners are elected every four years. Voters cast a ballot for two candidates and those with the highest vote tallies win. The commissioners are made up of two winning members from one party and one member from the party that received the least votes. They oversee county government and the workforce spread throughout; control the budget for county government, the courts, and elect row offices; and appoint citizens for boards and authorities.

The race is expected to be watched statewide and nationally with seven figures being spent by both sides. Bucks County’s 2023 election results are expected to be a barometer for the 2024 U.S. Senate and presidential race.

Republican candidates haven’t made an official announcement on who is running, but GOP Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo, of Bensalem Township, is expected to run for reelection. While there have been rumors on his running mate and possible primary challenges, no announcements have been made.

Harvie and Ellis-Marseglia are the first Democratic majority on the Bucks County Commissioners since the late 1980s. Their win in one of the state’s largest and most influential counties was celebrated by the party statewide and made their seats ones that Democrats want to hold going forward.

On the dais, Harvie, Ellis-Marseglia, and DiGirolamo have had a collegiate relationship and vowed in interviews to make decisions they think are best for the residents.

At public meetings, Ellis-Marseglia, a social worker who first took office in 2008, has said Democrats having the majority have aided in efforts to expand social services, including improving mental health treatment and starting a co-responder program that puts social workers with police officers.

Harvie, a former history teacher at Bucks County Technical High School and former chairperson of the Falls Township Board of Supervisors, often speaks of the importance of our system of government at meetings and has offered a measured tone during tense meetings. He led the county’s push to extend COVID-19 relief to local businesses and nonprofits, distributing tens of millions of dollars in grants.

All three commissioners and the county’s state capitol delegation applied pressure on the state health department and Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, to ease COVID-19 restrictions heading into the summer of 2020.

While the three commissioners have largely been on the same page on major issues, the commissioners, especially the two Democrats, have faced criticism from parents-turned-activists over the county’s 2021 school COVID-19 mitigation guidance and other pandemic-related policies. Public comment sessions have become heated at times and Ellis-Marseglia called some involved “conspiracy theorists” in the past after harsh comments were lobbed at her.

The commissioners have also faced criticism from some who either believe unfounded election theories or were upset at the results. Some have claimed the county has a flawed election system. However, the county’s Democratic and Republican parties have largely celebrated the county’s administering of the elections during COVID-19, times of high turnout, and new voting systems. The three commissioners have been unified in calling on the state legislature to make changes to election law to allow the county to more efficiently run elections.

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As this news organization exclusively reported, Harvie has testified before a federal grand jury as part of an ongoing probe that is looking at Falls Township and beyond. Several officials have been called before the grand jury and the investigation remains open. No charges have been filed, no indictments handed down, and no accusations of wrongdoing have been made by authorities at this point. Being called to testify before a grand jury does not confirm any involvement of potential crimes and is part of the investigative process in the federal system.

Democrats have been hopeful they can keep control at the county administration building and plan to invest heavily in the race. It is unknown if any Democrats will primary Harvie and Ellis-Marseglia in 2023.

Democrats won several row offices in 2017, which shocked many in the Republican party. However, Republicans have won several offices back and will look to regain control.

Longtime Democratic party head John Cordisco previously oversaw Democratic wins, but new Bucks County Democratic Committee Chairperson State Sen. Steve Santarsiero will be leading the upcoming efforts.

Democrats enter 2023 with a morale boost thanks to better-than-expected results statewide and nationally in the midterm elections. In Pennsylvania, Democrats believe they will hold the majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives once a handful of special elections are held in the new year, Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman beat Dr. Mehmet Oz for one of the state’s U.S. Senate seats, and Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro handily overtook GOP State Sen. Doug Mastriano in the race for governor.

Bucks County was recently named one of four “must-win” counties for the GOP in 2024, with political news site Axios noting the county is key for “any GOP revival in Pennsylvania.” The story mentioned Democrats recent wins in the county, but noted Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick has easily beaten back Democratic challengers.

An example of Democrats’ focus on the county commissioner’s race is who has already come out in support of Harvie and Ellis-Marseglia.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat, issued the following statement on the reelection announcement: “Commissioners Harvie and Marseglia have worked tirelessly to promote economic opportunity and ensure county government is transparent, responsible, and responsive and they’re ready to continue that work in the years ahead. I am proud to endorse Commissioners Harvie and Marseglia for re-election and keep Bucks County moving forward.”

In addition, Democratic State Rep. Joanna McClinton, of Philadelphia, the caucus leader who aims to be the chamber’s next speaker, also has endorsed the two Bucks County Democrats.

“The path to protecting and expanding our Democratic majority in the State House in 2024 runs directly through Bucks County, and that effort begins with protecting the first Democratic Majority on the Bucks County Board of Commissioners in over 40 years. Commissioners Harvie and Marseglia have fought to make county government work for Bucks residents and they have delivered. It is imperative we re-elect them both next November,” she said.

Shapiro, the state’s governor-elect, spent time in Bucks County during his campaign and knows many of the players, including the two commissioners. It is expected Shapiro, a former Montgomery County Commissioner, will endorse Harvie and Ellis-Marseglia at some point, according to Democratic sources.

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