Strickler announces bid for PA-01 Democratic nomination
Robert “Rob” Strickler, a resident of Buckingham, announced his campaign to seek the Democratic nomination for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District.
Strickler, who was raised in Levittown/Fairless Hills, presently manages an eyewear company and has worked in the corporate world as a designer, creative director, video game designer and software product manager.
The Kutztown University graduate says that he has not been closely aligned with any political party, casting his support behind those he thought were the best candidates. Strickler registered as a Republican in 2008 and switched to Democrat in 2016.
But it was President Donald Trump and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-01) that has pushed him to action.
“I’m no politician. I’ve never had any ambitions for public office,” Strickler stated. “But due to Donald Trump’s authoritarian attacks on our democracy and disregard for our Constitution, along with Brian Fitzpatrick’s cowardly inaction and silence, I fear for the rights and freedoms we’ve come to take for granted as Americans. Fitzpatrick took an oath to defend our Constitution, yet he wouldn’t even vote to impeach Trump after he incited the riot that led to an attack on our capitol, which Fitzpatrick himself called, ‘Nothing short of a coup attempt!’” If you won’t impeach for a coup attempt, then what will it take for Fitzpatrick to oppose Trump?”
“So now I’m running for Congress as a Democrat in District PA-01,” he said on his website. “I have no ambitions for a long career in politics. I’d much rather my wife and I enjoy our lives as is and only participate in politics as an informed, engaged voter. But our very democracy is in peril because we have a lying, vengeful fool in the White House and spineless Congress members like Fitzpatrick enabling him.”
Strickler has no preconceived notions about his place in a Democratic primary that also features Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie.
“I fear in a general election he’ll be seen as just another typical establishment political candidate, similar to Fitzpatrick, who’s beaten the last five Democrats who’ve run against him. In order to stop Trump, we need to unseat Brian Fitzpatrick. Our best chance of doing that is to offer voters in the general election a candidate who is more than “not Brian Fitzpatrick.”
According to a press release, his early campaign launch signals an intention to build sustained community engagement rather than relying on traditional late-stage campaign spending. His platform emphasizes protecting democratic institutions, supporting working families, and ensuring fiscal responsibility in government spending.
He also announced he is not seeking donations, instead focusing on building grassroots support through direct voter engagement. “We’ve got to fix our government to make it work for working men and women, and that starts with getting money out of our elections. Mega donors and PACs have warped and overwhelmed our politics and it must stop.
“I’m just asking for your support and vote in the 2026 Democratic primaries and the general election so we can make government truly work for lower and middle-income people of Pennsylvania and the USA,” Strickler said.
He has yet to file an official statement of candidacy, saying that he is “testing the waters.”
Steve Ulrich is managing editor of Politics PA.
