Pennsylvania Rep. Matt Gergely dies at age 45 after family says he suffered ‘medical issue over the holidays’

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. (WPVI) — Pennsylvania lawmakers are mourning the loss of Rep. Matt Gergely (D). He was 45 years old.

House Democrats announced Gergley’s passing Sunday, saying he “devoted his life to fighting for children and working families.”

A cause of death has not been disclosed, although the house’s management has previously said that Gergely suffered from a medical problem during the holidays.

Gergely was first elected in 2023 and re-elected in 2024 to represent the 35th District of Allegheny County.

Before that, he spent 20 years in a variety of community positions in his hometown of McKeesport.

The Democratic lawmaker’s death leaves the Pennsylvania House deadlocked at 101-101

Gergely’s passing leaves the chamber deadlocked at a 101-101 partisan divide.

House Democrats won by a one-man margin in the November election, the same one-man margin Democrats held in the last legislative session. Gergely’s death means the chamber will be tied 101-101 until a special election is held to fill the seat in the heavily Democratic Pittsburgh area.

In the last biennial session, the House Democratic majority worked through various vacancies in their ranks, at times slowing the pace of legislation during the biennial legislative session.

In their statement Sunday night, House Democrats said a special election to fill Gergely’s seat will be called by Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, at a later date.

“Matt will be sorely missed in Harrisburg and we know his passing is a tremendous loss to his community in western Pennsylvania. Please keep his wife and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this tragic time,” said House Democrats.

The Associated Press contributed to this post.