Election 2026: Meet the 2 Democrats running to face Sen. Jarrett Coleman in November

The article profiles two Democratic candidates, Bradley Merkl-Gump and Mark Pinsley, who are vying to unseat Republican state Sen. Jarrett Coleman in Pennsylvania's 16th District in the upcoming November election. The district, encompassing parts of Bucks and Lehigh counties, is anticipated to experience significant growth, with data center development emerging as a key electoral issue. Incumbent Senator Coleman has already been active in the data center debate, including hosting a town hall and proposing legislation to regulate these facilities. Both Merkl-Gump and Pinsley were questioned on their strategies to mitigate the financial and environmental impacts of numerous data centers proposed for the Lehigh Valley. Merkl-Gump, an eighth-grade social studies teacher and Pennridge School Board director, emphasized the need for state-level common-sense regulations, advocating for data centers to be self-sufficient in water and electricity, use union labor, and generate their own new energy. He believes local municipalities' zoning regulations should retain final authority on data center locations. Mark Pinsley, the Lehigh County controller, acknowledged the job creation benefits of data centers but also highlighted concerns regarding increased electric bills, water strain, and noise. He proposed requiring data centers to bring their own new energy sources, implement strict water withdrawal limits with mandatory closed-loop systems, enforce noise ordinances, and prioritize local union labor. Pinsley also committed to ensuring full public disclosure of the financial costs and contributions of data center companies to the community, emphasizing transparency. The primary election is scheduled for May 19.