Molecular Pathologist To Run For State Legislature In Montco

LOWER SALFORD, PA — Democrat Margaret Burke has announced she will run for state legislature in 2026, for a hotly contested Montgomery County seat the could help determine the future direction of the chamber.

The 147th District is currently represented by Republican Donna Schueren, who has been in office since she was first elected in 2023.

Burke, a relative newcomer to organized politics, is a committee person in Lower Salford. She's also a cellular and molecular pathologist with a Ph.D from SUNY Stony Brook and an MBA from Cornell University.

"Regardless of party affiliation, what we have now isn’t working," Burke said of her reasons for running. "Families are struggling with costs, healthcare gaps and an education system that doesn’t serve every child fairly."

Burke said she would focus her campaign on general affordability for residents, improving healthcare access, and expanding opportunities for education. Her campaign announcement touted an early endorsement from Montgomery County's U.S. Congresswoman Madeleine Dean.

"(Burke) is a tireless organizer with strong values," Dean said. "Her love of family and community, equal opportunity, fairness, and civic engagement give me faith in her commitment to public service. She and her work will be great assets to her community and to Pennsylvania.”

Schueren defeated Democrat Al Leach soundly in 2023, by a vote count of 23,792 to 16,835.

Democrats currently hold a one-seat majority in the state house, 100 to 99, so a flipped seat anywhere in the state in 2026 will be a big deal for either party.

The 147th covers a swath of the western region of the county including Harleysville, Lower Salford, Douglassville, parts of Boyertown, and more.