Our 2026 Candidates
Josh Shapiro and Austin Davis
Governor and Lieutenant Governor
Since being sworn in to the Office of Governor in January 2023, Governor Shapiro has brought people together to get stuff done and defend Pennsylvanians’ fundamental freedoms. In his first 18 months in office, despite working with the only politically divided legislature in the nation, Governor Shapiro has hit the ground running and delivered meaningful results for the people of Pennsylvania.
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis is the youngest lieutenant governor in the country and the first Black lieutenant governor in Commonwealth history. Inspired by the history-makers who came before – leaders like Pennsylvania House Speaker K. Leroy Irvis and state Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Nix Jr. – Austin is determined to motivate a new generation of public servants to break even more barriers.
Help us Re-Elect Josh Shapiro and Austin Davis and keep Pennsylvania moving forward!
Maria Collett
State Senator, PA 12
"I have been a lifelong advocate for those in need: I worked as an attorney fighting on behalf of children victimized by abuse and neglect before transitioning to a career in nursing. Working in the areas of pediatric home health, trauma and long-term care, I provided comfort and have been the voice for people in their most vulnerable moments.
"I'm running for re-election in PA’s 12th Senate District to continue the hard work for our community where smart decisions will continue to make our neighborhoods, cities, and Commonwealth a great place to work and live."
Sen. Collett is a lifelong advocate for working families. Following a successful career as a Deputy Attorney General in Camden County, New Jersey advocating for the rights of children, Sen. Collett pursued her passion for healthcare by transitioning to nursing. After graduating from nursing school, she found tremendous purpose and pride caring for patients at the bedside, working as a Level I trauma nurse, in pediatric home health, and in long-term care with aging adults. With the goal of serving her community on an even larger scale, Sen. Collett successfully ran for office in 2018, becoming the first Democrat elected to the seat.
Sen. Collett grew up in Maryland, raised by her Greek immigrant father, who came to the U.S. to earn a Ph.D. in Economics, and her mother, who rose from a disadvantaged childhood to become the first member of her family to graduate from college. Their experiences instilled the values of education, hard work, integrity and humility in Sen. Collett from a young age. Sen. Collett has a BA in English Literature from the University of Maryland at College Park, a JD from Rutgers University School of Law, and a BSN from Drexel University.
Madeleine Dean
US Congress
Born and raised in Glenside, Pennsylvania, to Bob and Mary Dean, Madeleine got her start in politics around the dinner table with her five older brothers and one older sister. She graduated from Abington High School, and at age 18 won the election to serve as a local committee-person.
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Madeleine was sworn into Congress in 2018 as a part of the most diverse freshman class in history – and brought female representation back to Pennsylvania. Having cosponsored over 400 pieces of legislation during her first term – she has used her voice in Congress to advocate for and champion forward-thinking priorities such as education, universal access to healthcare, gun safety, and ethical government to support the lives of her constituents.
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Madeleine is a graduate of La Salle University and Delaware Law School of Widener University. She practiced law in a small Philadelphia firm and with the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, eventually serving as executive director. Madeleine returned to La Salle University, teaching composition, persuasive writing and rhetoric, business writing, legal writing, and ethics for 10 years before serving as Abington Township commissioner, and then in the Pennsylvania State House.
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​Madeleine and her husband PJ Cunnane live in Lower Merion Township, and have three grown sons – Patrick, Harry and Alex; two daughters-in-law – Stephanie and Juliet; and three granddaughters and one grandson – Aubrey, Ella, Scotland, and Sawyer.
Missy Cerrato
PA State Representative, 151st District
State Representative Melissa Cerrato, affectionately known as "Missy," is a passionate public servant and tireless advocate for the people of Pennsylvania's 151st District. A proud resident of Horsham, Melissa has spent over a decade raising her family in the very community she now represents with unwavering dedication.
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Melissa's path to public office is a testament to her lifelong commitment to service. From her early days as a caregiver and elder assistant to her role managing a district office for a fellow legislator, she has consistently put her neighbors' needs first. Her election in 2022 marked a historic moment, earning her the nickname "Missy 102" as her victory secured the pivotal seat that flipped the PA House to a Democratic majority.
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Driven by a vision of a Pennsylvania that works for everyone, Melissa champions a bold legislative agenda. She fights for issues including reproductive justice, equitable funding for public education, affordable childcare, and living wages. Her approach is rooted in practical, commonsense solutions that address the challenges Pennsylvanians face every day.
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Melissa's influence extends across several key committees, including Human Services, Aging & Older Adult Services, Children & Youth, Energy, and Tourism, Recreation & Economic Development. Her active participation in caucuses such as the Mental Health Caucus, LGBTQ Equality Caucus, Animal Protection Caucus, Early Childhood Education Caucus, PA Against Hate Caucus, and PA Charities Caucus underscores her steadfast commitment to inclusivity, equity, and justice.
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Beyond her legislative work, Melissa is a devoted wife and mother to four daughters. Her personal experiences as a working parent and community member fuel her relentless drive to create a brighter, more equitable future for all Pennsylvanians.
Ben Sanchez
PA State Representative, 153rd District
Ben has been honored to serve his beloved lifelong hometown - the 153rd legislative district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the past five years and seeks to continue his role for another term. He has been a staunch advocate in Harrisburg for common sense gun safety, LGBTQ+ rights, healthcare, education, the environment and more.
Born and raised in Abington, Ben knows the value of public education and when it was time to raise his own family after obtaining both his CPA and law degree, he and his wife knew exactly where they would settle, right here in the 153rd. After proudly serving as Abington Township Ward 7 Commissioner, Ben was honored and humbled to earn the opportunity to serve as State Representative.
Devoted and dedicated to this community, Ben takes great pride in representing everyone in Abington, Upper Dublin and Rockledge and wishes to thank everyone for all of their faith and support throughout the years.
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"Giving what I can to help the people in our community thrive has been the opportunity of a lifetime for me. I consider myself lucky to go to work every day and represent the place I love most, my hometown."
