If at first you don’t succeed … try again.

Democrat Anna Thomas announced that she is embarking on another campaign for the 137th House District seat in Northampton County.

Her initial run for the office fell just over 700 votes shy of upending six-term incumbent Rep. Joe Emrick, giving her optimism that 2024 will be different.

“I was born and raised here in the 137th, so I’ve seen firsthand how our region has grown and changed over the last few decades. But I’ve also seen how too many of our elected leaders haven’t managed that growth with a vision for our communities,” said Thomas. “This is my home, this has always been my home, and we need someone in this seat working hard for the future of our home – that’s why I’m running to be your State Representative.”

Growing up in a family of immigrants from Malaysia and India, Thomas says her values were shaped by a family devotion to serving others and contributing to the community.

A graduate of Freedom High School, she first got involved in politics as a student representative to the Bethlehem Area School Board.

“She was a strong advocate for higher academic standards and will be a great voice for us in the State House to improve education, strengthen our economy and fight crime,” said Dr. Dean Donaher on her campaign website.

A graduate of Wellesley College, she says she sees stronger education policy as the key to creating greater economic opportunity in our area. Her educational priorities include focusing on getting Lehigh Valley’s fair share of state funding, expanding access to vocational training, and keeping tuition affordable at our community colleges and state universities.

Thomas also supports the right of Pennsylvanians to make their own family planning decisions without government interference, closing the tax code loopholes that favor politicians’ industry friends, and investing in infrastructure.

Her campaign website does state that Thomas was on the NCAA championship rowing team, but archived rosters indicate that she was a coxswain her freshman season only in 2014. Wellesley won the national title in 2017. The photo on her website is a team photo displaying the fourth-place team trophy from 2014.

The 137th District is made up of part of Northampton County, including Bethlehem, Hanover, Lower Nazareth, Palmer and Upper Nazareth Townships, as well as the boroughs of Nazareth and Tatamy.