FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, April 17, 2026

5th Square PAC is proud to announce its endorsement of the following candidates for the 2026 Pennsylvania primary elections.

• Marylouise Isaacson for the 175th House District
• Joe Hohenstein for the 177th House District
• Malcolm Kenyatta for the 181st House District
• Ben Waxman for the 182nd House District
• Elizabeth Fiedler for the 184th House District
• Tarik Khan for the 194th House District
• Sierra McNeil for the 195th House District
• Chris Johnson for the 200th House District
• Andre Carroll for the 201st House District

These candidates will best represent our mission to make Philadelphia a more accessible, transit-friendly city for everyone. 5th Square PAC's membership overwhelmingly voted to approve these endorsements.

Informing our endorsements were questionnaire responses from candidates. Questionnaires were issued to candidates running in Philadelphia-based PA State House districts and in US Congressional District 3. Completed questionnaires are posted on our website.

5th Square PAC makes no endorsement in the Congressional District 3 primary. Of the three candidates who completed our questionnaire, none emerged from our straw poll as a clear favorite among our membership. However, we encourage voters to refer to the questionnaire responses to guide their decisions. 

For updated information, visit our 2026 Election Center page. We also released a list of committeeperson recommendations throughout the city. 

Marylouise Isaacson has represented the 175th House District since 2019, serving the River Wards along the Delaware River from Old Richmond to Queen Village, including Chinatown and historic Washington Square. Prior to her election, she spent 12 years as Chief of Staff for the late Representative Mike O’Brien. She has been ranked among the top legislators in Pennsylvania for bringing home state investment to her district, delivering funding for projects including the I-95 cap and waterfront revitalization. She is an ardent supporter of public transit funding, affordable housing, pedestrian and bike infrastructure, and a transition to a green economy.

From our questionnaire: “Transit, housing, and safety aren’t just urban issues. They’re about workforce access, economic growth, and infrastructure efficiency statewide.”

Joe Hohenstein has represented the 177th House District since 2019, covering Fishtown, Port Richmond, Bridesburg, Frankford, and surrounding neighborhoods. Born and raised in Frankford, he is an attorney with a background in immigration law who grew up singing “You Can’t Get to Heaven on the Frankford El.” He serves on the House Transportation Committee and is a strong advocate for investment in public transit, people-centered city planning, and housing policies that make a quality of life attainable for all Philadelphians. He has sponsored legislation on ports, environmental protections, and the rights of workers and immigrants.

From our questionnaire: “I have been and continue to be a strong proponent of constructing a Roosevelt Boulevard subway line from the Northeast to Center City.”

Malcolm Kenyatta has represented the 181st House District since 2019, covering parts of North Philadelphia. A lifelong North Philadelphian, he became the first openly LGBTQ+ person of color and one of the youngest members ever elected to the PA General Assembly. He is a staunch advocate for transit funding, affordable housing, minimum wage increases, workers’ rights, and mental health access. He has championed proposals to address generational poverty and has been an unyielding voice for making Pennsylvania’s cities greener, more affordable, and more accessible for all. He currently serves as Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee.

From our questionnaire: “I recently lost a friend in a hit-and-run in West Philly, so I know all too well the devastating consequences of dangerous street design and traffic violence. We have a responsibility to build roads that better protect cyclists”

Ben Waxman has represented the 182nd House District since 2022, serving Center City, the most densely concentrated public transit zone in Pennsylvania. A former journalist and organizer who previously worked for State Senator Vincent Hughes and Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, Waxman is one of the House’s leading champions for transit funding. He sponsored HB 902, which seeks to close the capital budget shortfall by allowing local governments to assess new fees or taxes to fund transportation agencies like SEPTA. He is a proponent of dense, walkable neighborhoods and has earned a 100% rating on the Pennsylvania Environmental Scorecard.

From our questionnaire: I would sponsor a tax-credit bill for low-car households.

Elizabeth Fiedler has represented the 184th House District since 2019, covering South Philadelphia. A former public radio reporter for WHYY and the parent of two young children, she serves as Chair of the House Energy Committee and is a fierce advocate for safe streets, strong public schools, and publicly funded green infrastructure. She stands against the I-95 highway expansion that would bring more high-speed traffic and pollution into South Philadelphia neighborhoods and is a vocal champion for sufficient and reliable SEPTA funding. She has consistently supported legislation to protect the environment, expand renewable energy, and ensure every Philadelphian can get around safely.

From our questionnaire: “I stand against a highway expansion that would bring more high-speed traffic, noise and air pollution, to our communities.”

Tarik Khan has represented the 194th House District since 2023, covering Manayunk, Roxborough, East Falls, and Chestnut Hill. A frontline nurse practitioner, Ph.D., and born-and-raised Philadelphian, he is the first Pakistani-American lawmaker and first advanced practice nurse ever elected to the Pennsylvania legislature. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he co-created a home vaccination program for people with disabilities that was featured in People Magazine and recognized at a White House forum. In Harrisburg, he has passed legislation on safe nurse staffing, affordable housing, medical debt cancellation, and expanded veterans’ benefits, and is a proud sponsor of legislation to increase transit funding, speed cameras, and zoning reform for in-fill development of affordable housing.

From our questionnaire: “Here in Philadelphia, I believe it makes sense to raise funding for public transit from taxes on parking.”

Sierra McNeil is a social worker, educator, and proud Strawberry Mansion homeowner running for the 195th House District, challenging incumbent Rep. Keith Harris. She holds a Master’s in Social Work from Temple University and has spent her career helping families navigate systems that too often leave them behind — starting in behavioral health crisis response and growing into a leadership role as Director of Workforce Development at FTAC. As President of the National Association of Social Workers–PA and a current national board member, she organized nearly 700 social workers to the Capitol to advocate directly with lawmakers. She is running on a platform of transparent, accountable government; accessible healthcare; a living wage; fully funded schools; and safe, connected streets and transit.

From our questionnaire: “I support [authorizing all PA municipalities to enact split-rate property tax] because the shift would allow for more construction of high-rise housing and mixed-use buildings across Philadelphia”

Chris Johnson is running for the open 200th House District seat in Mt. Airy, Chestnut Hill, West Oak Lane, and Blue Bell Hill, a seat vacated by Rep. Chris Rabb, who has endorsed him. A Philadelphia native who has called Mt. Airy home for seven years, Johnson is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government and currently serves as Director of State and Federal Government Relations for the School District of Philadelphia, where he fights for facilities investment, strong academic programs, and educator pay. He previously served as district office director for House Speaker Joanna McClinton and as a regional representative for U.S. Senator Bob Casey. He is endorsed by Mayor Cherelle Parker and is committed to investing in public education, public transit, and community infrastructure.

From our questionnaire: “Urbanism is personal for me. Growing up, I lived in one of America’s most air polluted zip codes. I developed environmentally-induced asthma because of the very negative externalities that urbanists fight against.”

Andre Carroll has represented the 201st House District since September 2024, covering East Germantown, Ogontz, and West Oak Lane. Born and raised in Germantown by his grandmother on a fixed income, he became the first openly gay man elected in the district. Before his election, he worked as a community outreach liaison for State Senator Anthony Williams and as a campaign advocate for criminal justice reform. He strongly prioritizes the safety of vulnerable roadway users — pedestrians, cyclists, and those who use public transit — and advocates for fully funding public transportation to build a system that allows Philadelphians to travel as they choose without being forced to depend on a car.

From our questionnaire: “Positioning pro-housing and pro-transit policy as tools to: strengthen local economies, connect people to jobs and services, and reduce cost burdens helps align them with colleagues’ own district priorities.”