Along with donating on our Contribution page on this site, through Raise The Money, you can now also donate through Act Blue! Please see the link below.

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/john-deatrich-2

Look for John at this wonderful upcoming event!

Looking forward to petition signing season coming soon! I need everyone who lives in the 123rd to sign my petition.  I will be at multiple signing events and will be sharing info as I can.

First up, I will be attending a petition signing event sponsored by the Schuylkill County Democratic Action Group on Wednesday February 18th at 6pm at Roma Pizza in Pottsville.

Hope to see you there! Stay tuned for future events. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/1EoyYvqdbe/?mibextid=wwXIfr

PRESS RELEASE – CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

My name is John Deatrich, I am pleased to announce my candidacy for Pennsylvania State Representative, 123rd District

Palo Alto, PA — 2/2/26 — John Deatrich, is a lifelong resident of the 123rd District. Today he released a statement that he was excited, humbled, and honored to announce his candidacy for Pennsylvania State Representative in the 123rd District. He has pledged to restore common sense, rely on his practical experiences, and allow himself to be guided by the strong community values that proudly represent the hard-working, blue-collar constituents of this district. He stated that anyone who knows him, regardless of political affiliation, will attest to their full confidence in him to bring an unwavering commitment to public service to Harrisburg.

“I’m running because I believe the people of the 123rd District deserve a representative who is truly representative of them, one who reflects them. I understand the struggle of the middle class because I am the middle class. I understand our communities. I haven’t just heard the concerns, I live them, right alongside family, friends and neighbors. I work every day with the same struggles they face. If I earn the right to represent the fine people of the 123rd district I will work tirelessly to deliver real results. That’s a pledge only a candidate with my name, John Deatrich can print and it be factual.” – Deatrich said.

John Deatrich lives in Palo Alto with his wife Danielle Deatrich, a Nurse at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. They have six children, 3 boys and 3 girls. One is serving abroad in the Air Force, four are currently enrolled in College and Universities, such as the Savannah College of Art and Design, West Virginia University, and two are attending Penn State University Park. One is a senior at Pottsville High, attends Schuylkill Technology Center and is planning on attending Lackawanna College for Criminal Justice. He has been accepted into the Act 120 police training program. Deatrich himself, a graduate of Pottsville Area High School and Schuylkill Technology Center, obtained his teaching credentials at Temple University. While he started out in the family business (Deatrich and Son Automotive), automotive service and shaping a local dirt track racing career led to the creation of his own racing parts and speed shop. Deatrich turned his sights to a career in teaching in 2002. He has taught career and technical education at both Schuylkill Technology Center and is currently teaching at Berks Career and Technology Center.

Professionally, Deatrich considers himself first and foremost an educator. Throughout his years in education Deatrich has found himself in roles such as Chief Negotiator for his local PSEA local barging union. He was also elected to the office president of the PSEA local union and served as a regional delegate representative for PSEA. Deatrich served as a labor representative during the creation of the Berks County School Employees Health Consortium and helped create that from it's inception. For two decades he has been an elected official for the Borough of Palo Alto, serving in many facets of its borough government. First, he was the chair of the finance committee, then many years as the borough’s council president over seeing all committees. The past several years, Deatrich has been the Mayor of Palo Alto. He has played a key role in negotiating several intermunicipal police agreements with multiple municipalities which have brought the borough’s public safety and police coverage into the 21st century and for the first time in the borough’s history, 24/7 police coverage. Deatrich is very proud of the work he and the council have done to combat blight, tough ordinance creation against unsavory landlords with undesirable renting practices, lucrative partnerships with local business, enforceable quality of life ordinances to improve health and safety of citizens, and unmatched progressive planning to ensure the future of Palo Alto is secure on all fronts

If elected, Deatrich says his priorities will include being proactive not reactive to data centers. It’s extremely important to be educated about the pros and cons of new challenges the future holds for this area. Fair funding for infrastructure repair. Funds for road repair does not reflect additional commercial traffic since the construction of warehouses in this district. That math doesn’t work. Child Care reform; Before or after school day care assistance for working parents earning a wage above the poverty line. More hours worked earns more childcare credit and assistance. Less hours worked requires less outside childcare assistance “This campaign is about putting hard working people, who do what they are supposed to, to the front of the line. “Harrisburg should be working for us, — not the other way around,”

The 123rd District generally includes parts of Pottsville, Girardville, Palo Alto, Port Carbon, New Philadelphia, Schuylkill Haven, St. Clair, New Castle Township, North Manheim, Norwegian, Wayne Township, and West Mahanoy Township.

Media Contact: John Deatrich 570-579-5391 jadeatrich@outlook.com