Mark Pinsley drops out of PA-07 race, shifts focus to state senate

On the morning of Feb. 18, Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley announced his decision to drop out of the PA-07 Democratic congressional primary. 

Pinsley is instead focusing his campaign in the state’s 16th District, where he’s expected to run alongside Juan Vargas for state senate. 

Pinsley said he didn’t have the funds to financially support his congressional campaign, but the money raised will transfer to his campaign for the 16th state senate district. 

“The money that wasn’t enough to run a federal campaign is certainly enough to run a state campaign,” he said.

Prior to his career in politics, Pinsley considered himself an entrepreneur. After graduating, he started a Massachusetts company using angel capital, raising around $1 million. After selling the company, he shifted his focus to the corporate world. 

Pinsley said he spent much of his career traveling, frequently going abroad.

He also worked on the corporate side of the health care industry as a global product developer of personal nutrition for several years. 

“My role (in corporate health care) was to get people healthier,” he said. “I would travel all around the world, and we would document things through science, through the scientific process, and show that we were actually making these people healthier.”

Pinsley said he was motivated to enter politics after President Donald Trump was inaugurated in 2016. He said he felt policies proposed during Trump’s campaign would affect his personal and religious identity.

“I got into politics because I wanted to help people,” Pinsley said. “I got in because Donald Trump was there. I didn’t get in because I wanted to be a lifelong politician. I have no issues with the people who did get in for that, but I am here to make a difference.”

In 2017, Pinsley was elected as South Whitehall’s first Democratic commissioner in 20 years. The following year, he was asked by his party to run for state senate but lost to Pat Browne. 

In 2019, Pinsley was elected Lehigh County controller. He said he initially decided to run for the congressional seat because he felt his community was missing a candidate who was a true progressive and populist. 

“I have tried to use every lever of power to help the people during my time as Lehigh County controller,” he said.

Pinsley said if a Democrat is elected for the 16th state senate district, it’ll be easier to address issues such as minimum wage and the affordable housing crisis. The governorship, state senate and House would all be controlled by the Democratic Party. 

Shadwick Yoder, the president of Lehigh Valley Young Democrats, said this upcoming election cycle presents an opportunity for Democratic candidates to flip seats. 

“It is a very bipartisan issue that Congress increasingly does not do its job and due diligence of enforcing the checks and balances on the executive,” Yoder said. “That is something that goes with both parties, and I think that having a candidate who has that type of background is really important.”

Yoder said being knowledgeable about how the government should function and understanding what constituents want from a representative are also vital for a candidate’s campaign.

He also said Pinsley’s attentiveness and accountability make him a strong candidate.

Andreas Marangos, ‘26, the secretary of Lehigh College Democrats, said he spoke with Pinsley after one of the club’s events. 

“(Pinsley) was so personable and talked on every issue that we spoke about,” Marangos said. “He always had something to add to the conversation, which I was able to really appreciate.”

Marangos said when Pinsley announced his decision to drop out of the congressional race, many students were talking about it. He said when there’s a shift like this in an election, Lehigh students remain engaged and continue following local politics.

The primary election will take place May 19. The general election will follow Nov. 3.