Fern Leard

Fern Leard is the Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 120, in the November 3, 2026 general election, in which she faces incumbent Brenda Pugh (R).[1][2] According to Ballotpedia, she was born in Scranton and works in healthcare; in a Ballotpedia survey, she described herself as a healthcare advocate and mother of twins who helped campaign for the federal Lymphedema Treatment Act.[1][3]

Fern Leard was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and her career experience includes working in healthcare, according to Ballotpedia.[1] In a Ballotpedia survey, she said she grew up in public housing and foster care and worked as a dishwasher, waitress, bartender and certified nursing assistant before building a stable life for her family.[3] She said that after her twins were diagnosed with a rare disease, she spent more than a decade working with families and lawmakers from both parties to help pass the federal Lymphedema Treatment Act.[3]

Leard was the Democratic nominee for District 120 in 2022, losing to incumbent Aaron Kaufer 66.1 percent to 33.9 percent, and again in 2024, losing to Brenda Pugh 57.6 percent to 42.3 percent.[1] She defeated Joanna Bryn Smith in the May 19, 2026 Democratic primary.[1] In the survey, she listed lowering utility costs, property tax relief, consumer protections, public schools, small businesses and affordable healthcare as priorities, said she supports a three-year statewide moratorium on data center development, and said she does not take corporate PAC money.[3]

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.