2026 Election Preview: 143rd Legislative District

Posted

The midterm elections are less than four weeks away and PoliticsPA has identified 19 State House races throughout the Commonwealth to focus on during the run-up to the 2026 election, as part of our 31 Races in 31 Days series.

HD-143: Shelby Labs (R) v. Tim Hayes (D), Chris Gambino (F)

The Key Numbers

  • Voter Registration favors Republicans by 13 percentage points (as of 10/5)
  • 2024 Presidential. Donald Trump +5
  • 2024 District: Labs d. Eleanor Breslin, 56-44%
IncumbentChallengerChallenger
Shelby Labs (R)Tim Hayes (D)Chris Gambino (F)
Plumstead TownshipResidenceDublinPlumstead Township
B.A., Lycoming College
M.S., Kutztown University
EducationB.A., Temple University
M.P.A., West Chester University
B.S., North Carolina State University
M.P.A., NC State
Ph.D., Washington State University
Elected state representative in 2020
ExperiencePresident, Dublin Borough Council

State Policy Manager for a Statewide Environmental Organization

Army National Guard
Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Officer for a national foundation stewarding over $200 million in public-interest research.
unopposedPrimary ResultunopposedN/A
Fighting for Affordability

Working Across the Aisle to Lower Energy Prices

Record Funding for Our Schools
PrioritiesWork to expand energy capacity, lower food costs with local farmers, and keep corporations from buying up homes.

Push for sustainable, long-term funding for first responders across the 143rd.

Work to keep healthcare out of private equity hands, expand Medicaid, protect pre-existing conditions, and cap the cost of insulin.

Supports fully funding public education and keeping public dollars in public schools.

Be a champion for a $15 minimum wage
Schools & Education: directs state funding based on student need so every child has access to real pathways—no matter where they live.

Guns & Safety: focuses on proven prevention—background checks, safe storage, and mental health support

Election Reform: opening elections expands participation and rewards leaders who govern for the whole community.
candidate has yet to respondMost Pressing Issue(s)
Facing Your District
I’m focused on lowering the cost of living, getting our first responders the resources needed to keep us safe, and protecting our natural resources.
These issues are connected. First responders in our district are struggling to find new recruits because they can’t afford to buy homes in our community. We need to make sure folks are earning a livable wage and that we’re constructing more new housing. We need to balance that construction with the need to conserve our district’s beautiful open space for future generations. And we need to make sure we’re putting guardrails on data centers to stop them from using up our water while raising our already too high utility bills. In Harrisburg, I’ll lead efforts to tackle these challenges head-on.
Families are being squeezed from three directions at once: taxes, housing, and school costs. These are not separate problems. When the state does not adequately fund public schools, local property taxpayers are forced to carry more of the burden. When housing costs rise, families have less room for everything else. I’m the only candidate proposing both a Pennsylvania standard deduction to give working families direct tax relief and seller-side housing incentives that help first-time buyers and older homeowners maintain the equity they earned.
Voter GuideGo DeeperVoter GuideVoter Guide
Raised: $42,130
Spent: $10,930
Cash on Hand: $28,121
2026 FundraisingRaised: $78,545
Spent: $34,406
Cash on Hand (6/8): $60,445
N/A
As the cost of living continues to challenge household budgets, I will continue supporting practical solutions that help keep more money in the pockets of working families.QuotableWhen I get to Harrisburg I promise to pursue the solutions that will not only keep costs down in the near future, but benefit Pennsylvania for generations to come.My experiences shape how I envision our future: less finger-pointing, more problem-solving. That’s why I’m running as an independent.
ShelbyForPA.comCampaign WebsiteTimHayesForPA.comGambinoForPA.com
FacebookCampaign SocialFacebook | Instagram
Twitter
Facebook | Instagram

Debates/Forums

  • none

In The News

  • Chris Gambino: Let’s Talk About Abortions | Bucks County Beacon, Oct. 9
  • Tim Hayes: Protecting Ratepayers from Data Centers Is Only a Start. We Need to Upgrade Our Energy Infrastructure to Lower Costs | Bucks County Beacon, Sept. 27
  • Pa. Supreme Court upholds Gambino nomination in 143rd District race | Bucks County Herald, Sept. 25
  • Hayes leads Labs in Pennsylvania’s 143rd House District | State Navigate, Sept. 21

District Composition

Part of BUCKS County consisting of the TOWNSHIPS of Bedminster, Hilltown, New Britain (PART, Districts East and West), Plumstead and Tinicum and the BOROUGHS of Dublin, Perkasie, Sellersville and Silverdale.

More Information

Bucks County Board of Election

Screenshot 2026 10 14 at 2.43.21 PM
Campaigns, Elections, News, politics, 2026 Elections, Chris Gambino, Hd 143, PA State House, pennsylvania, Politics, PoliticsPA, Shelby Labs, Tim Hayes