Bucks County Commissioner, scientist vie for Democratic nomination in 1st Congressional Race

Two candidates are on the ballot in the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania’s First Congressional District.

Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie announced his candidacy in April 2025. Born in Bristol Borough, Harvie previously served as a member of the Falls Township Planning Commission before being elected supervisor in 2008. He has received the endorsements of Governor Josh Shapiro and much of the Democratic establishment.

Scientist Lucia Simonelli announced her candidacy in December. A Lansdale native and Quakertown resident, she holds a PhD in mathematics and worked as a science advisor in the U.S Senate under Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. She is currently the director of a climate nonprofit.

The district is comprised of the entirety of Bucks County as well as a sliver of eastern Montgomery County stretching from Horsham to East Greenville. The seat is currently held by Republican Brian Fitzpatrick, who was first elected in 2016 and is running unopposed in the Republican primary. The swing district is one of over 40 seats eyed by the Democratic Party in its quest to retake control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The candidates were asked the same set of questions. Harvie did not respond to requests. Here are the answers received from Simonelli:

Please describe your background and experience in politics.

Simonelli: When I am not campaigning, I serve as a director at a climate nonprofit. I’ve worked on federal climate and energy policy for the past 7 years, including for a time in the US Senate under Senator Whitehouse. I hold a deep respect for the legislative process and the potential it holds to make good change for working people.

Like millions of children around the world, public education was the difference between struggling to get by, and a life that holds the promise of a more abundant future. After I graduated with a PhD in mathematics, I decided to use my education to further the opportunities of the next generation of young people by teaching mathematics around the world.

I currently live in Quakertown, where I volunteer with my local Indivisible group, supporting community engagement and grassroots movement building.

Why are you running for Congress?

Simonelli: I’m running for Congress because the status quo of inadequate leadership is not good enough anymore. Working people all over this district have been abandoned by their elected officials, whether they call themselves Republicans, Democrats, Independents, or have left politics behind entirely.

Like many of our neighbors, I’m the child of working-class parents. My father immigrated to the United States from Italy in the 1980s. My mother’s family has lived in the area for over 50 years. From my parents, I learned how important it is to take care of our family, our community, and our planet.

But things weren’t always easy. Like many families living in this district, my parents lived paycheck-to-paycheck. I grew up without health insurance, and we relied on public services to make ends meet. We didn’t have the luxury of wealth, but what we did have were the values that hold this community together: honesty, gratitude, and compassion. I’m grateful to have been raised by parents, and a community, who believe in these things.

But today, we’re facing one of the greatest challenges in leadership our country has ever encountered. After decades of destruction to our public programs by the rich and powerful, everyday Pennsylvanians are faced with nearly impossible financial decisions. Billionaires and special interests gut our public institutions, force our communities to foot the bill for AI data centers, and squander our precious tax dollars on reckless and unnecessary wars.

In a time when the current administration is enacting a draconian system of authoritarian government, we need courageous leadership. We need leaders who challenge the elite, hold the lawless accountable, and who will not compromise when working-class people are on the line.

This May, we have an opportunity to elect that leadership. We are living in some of the most precarious times we’ve ever known. In moments like this, mediocrity is dangerous. Instead of a system that rewards capitulation to a political party, corporations, and Washington insiders, we need leaders who steward in real change and hold the powerful accountable. I’m ready to stand with you all and bring about that change. Please join us, and vote Lucia Simonelli for Congress on May 19.

The primary election is on May 19. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.