LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa. — With Election Day fast approaching on April 23, state House District 131 potentials are digging on cutting wasteful spending, prioritizing education and supporting families and veterans.
House District 131 is made up of parts of Lehigh, Northampton and Montgomery counties. Here's a view of the district's boundaries.
Democrats Jay Santos and Meriam Sabih are battling to take on two-term Republican incumbent Milou Mackenzie.
Jay Santos: ‘Getting back to normal’
Democrat Jay Santos said he sees the other candidates highlighting “style over substance,” while some politicians already in office have lost sight of what matters most.
“I think that, not only myself, but a lot of the public is just tired of all the crazy politics, especially at the federal level. We don’t want that at the state and local levels,” Santos said.
“I want to get in there and do a good job for our constituents and make sure that we make as many people happy in the district as possible.”
But that'll take direct and sincere action, he said, which goes beyond general canvassing and prioritizes having legislative proposals at the ready in the case he wins the seat.
While Santos holds fiscal responsibility, balanced budgets, women’s health care and broader child care in high regard, he touted a specific keystone proposal of his: the Better Roads, Stronger Communities Act.
The act calls for funding vital road projects while also addressing homelessness by opening doors for broader employment opportunities through tax incentives.
“I think that, not only myself, but a lot of the public is just tired of all the crazy politics, especially at the federal level; we don’t want that at the state and local levels. … I want to get in there and do a good job for our constituents and make sure that we make as many people happy in the district as possible.”House District 131 potential Jay Santos
Santos began his professional career as a paralegal.
He went on to work as a litigation research analyst for Dun & Bradstreet, an organization assisting businesses with the use of commercial data and analytics, in the public sector with the Department of Defense.
“I [lived] in a hybrid situation where I worked with public and private interests, so I know what it takes to actually bring forth some of these projects in a fiscally responsible way,” Santos said.
He later switched roles at D&B and, as a litigation research analyst, got a good grasp on case law from around the world to better understand how bills and laws are created, he said.
Santos later made an in-house change of role to become a solutions engineer alongside the government sector, which he said ultimately helped him get into “politics proper.”
He remains a solutions engineer but now specializes in data for a separate business insurance company.
He now serves with the Saucon Valley School Board and the Northampton County Democratic Committee, and has been a precinct committee person for several years.
Santos was born in The Bronx, New York, where he lived for about five years before moving to the Keystone State.
He’s a graduate of Penn State University.
Meriam Sabih: ‘A state that works for everyone’
Meriam Sabih did not respond to requests for an interview.
Sabih’s website states she wants to emphasize “smart growth” if given the chance to take the district House seat.
That could include priorities placed on strengthening businesses and the local economy, and even maintaining the state’s greenspaces and other environmental assets.
But her goals also span beyond that, according to her website.
“With your support, I will be your voice in Harrisburg for the issues that matter most to you,” a statement on Sabih’s website reads.
“Improving our public schools, preserving women’s reproductive rights, and fighting for our democratic freedoms are vital issues today in our Commonwealth that I will be an unwavering advocate for.”
“With your support, I will be your voice in Harrisburg for the issues that matter most to you. Improving our public schools, preserving women’s reproductive rights, and fighting for our democratic freedoms are vital issues today in our Commonwealth that I will be an unwavering advocate for.”The website of House District 131 potential Meriam Sabih
Sabih is a journalist and organizes with her local Democratic committee, where she also is a precinct committee person.
“As a journalist, I have written about and researched some of the challenges we are facing,” Sabih’s website reads.
“As a candidate, I am committed to responding to these challenges with meaningful action.”
She’s endorsed by Planned Parenthood and the Montgomery County Democratic Committee.
Sabih holds a master’s degree in political science from Lehigh University.
She’s a mother of three boys, and a daughter of an immigrant family of civil servants.
Incumbent Milou Mackenzie
Republican incumbent Milou Mackenzie also didn’t respond to requests for an interview.
Her website touts her tenure, including her proposal to ensure child health care coverage as well as House Bill 1813, which called for children of military families to have equal school registration and enrollment opportunities when moving to a Pennsylvania district.
“In addition to her concerns about education and holding the line on wasteful spending, Mackenzie also focuses on how she can help her fellow small business owners and bring support to our veterans,” her website reads.
“These two groups remain very important to her.”
Mackenzie currently serves within the following House subcommittees: Children & Youth, Education, Housing and Community Development, and Human Services.
“In addition to her concerns about education and holding the line on wasteful spending, Mackenzie also focuses on how she can help her fellow small business owners and bring support to our veterans. These two groups remain very important to her.”The website of House District 131 incumbent Milou Mackenzie
Once a teacher, Mackenzie has experience in both local school district and private institution classrooms.
“Mackenzie continues to use her knowledge of the classroom to stand up and work hard to ensure Pennsylvania students receive a quality education, while still respecting the concerns of the taxpayers,” her website reads.
She is a Cedar Crest College graduate.
Mackenzie has owned and operated V.M. Mackenzie Interior Design in the Lehigh Valley for more than three decades.
A lifelong resident of the area, she is a mother of two and grandmother of three.
Mackenzie lives with her husband in Lower Saucon Township.
