{{Short description|American politician (1979–2025)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}} {{Use American English|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = | honorific_suffix = | image = | alt = | state_house = Pennsylvania | district = 35th | term_start = February 21, 2023 | term_end = January 19, 2025 | predecessor = Austin Davis | successor = Dan Goughnour | prior_term = | party = Democratic | birth_date = {{birth date|1979|10|5}} | birth_place = McKeesport, Pennsylvania, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and given age|2025|1|19|45}} | death_place = | spouse = Holly<ref>{{cite web |title=Representative Matthew Gergely |url=https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/house_bio.cfm?id=2013 |website=Pennsylvania General Assembly |access-date=20 August 2024}}</ref> | relatives = Marc Gergely (brother) |children = 2<ref name=obit /> }}
'''Matthew Robert Gergely'''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/triblive-tribune-review/name/matthew-gergely-obituary?id=57336177|title=Matthew R. Gergely|work=Tribune Review|date=January 22, 2025}}</ref> (October 5, 1979 – January 19, 2025) was an American politician. A Democrat, he was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 35th district from 2023 until his death in 2025.
==Early life and education== Gergely was born on October 5, 1979 in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Sofia and Robert Gergely.<ref name=obit>{{cite web |title= Matthew Robert Gergely |url= https://www.strifflerfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/matthew-gergely |access-date=January 20, 2025}}</ref> He graduated from McKeesport High School and earned a bachelor of science degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2002.<ref name=arc>{{cite web |title=Matthew R. Gergely |url=https://archives.house.state.pa.us/people/member-biography?ID=9568 |website=Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives |access-date=18 August 2024}}</ref>
==Career== From 2012 to 2017, Gergely was chief of staff to the mayor of McKeesport, Pennsylvania. He was subsequently the business manager for McKeesport Area School District until 2020. Gergely then became McKeesport's chief revenue officer from 2022 to 2023.<ref name=arc />
In February 2023, Gergely won a special election to represent the 35th district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives after Representative Austin Davis became the lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania. Gergely's victory in concurrence with two other special elections cemented Democrats' narrow majority in the House after vacancies following the 2022 election left control of the House in question.<ref name="nyt-dems-sweep-control2">{{Cite news |last=Vigdor |first=Neil |date=2023-02-07 |title=Sweep in 3 Special Elections Gives Democrats Control of Pennsylvania House |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/07/us/politics/pennsylvania-house-democrats-special-elections.html |access-date=2023-02-08 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The 35th district was previously represented by Gergely's brother Marc.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Morrison |first1=Oliver |title=In 35th District special election, GOP's Nevills takes on Democrat Gergely |url=https://www.wesa.fm/politics-government/2023-01-30/in-35th-district-special-election-gop-newcomer-takes-on-a-longtime-mckeesport-democrat |access-date=20 August 2024 |work=90.5 WESA |date=January 30, 2023}}</ref>
Gergely had two bills he was the prime sponsor of signed into law. One sought to improve the testing of blood plasma, and the other gave licensed businesses more flexibility to serve alcohol.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2025-01-19 |title=Mon Valley State Rep. Matt Gergely dies after suffering medical emergency|work=WPXI |url=https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/mon-valley-state-rep-matt-gergely-dies-after-suffering-medical-emergency/GIGATSWPFBGO5AGFMX2EV5WKTU/|access-date=7 December 2025}}</ref>
==Death== In December 2024, Gergely suffered a medical emergency. The exact circumstances were not publicly disclosed. He was hospitalized and was thus unable to attend the swearing-in ceremony for legislators on January 7, 2025.<ref name=death>{{cite news |last1=Riese |first1=Tom |title=Democratic state Rep. Matt Gergely dies, weeks after medical emergency |url=https://www.wesa.fm/politics-government/2025-01-19/democratic-state-rep-matt-gergely-dies-weeks-after-medical-emergency |access-date=7 December 2025 |work=90.5 WESA |date=January 20, 2025}}</ref> Democratic leader Matt Bradford said that Gergely was not expected to be in attendance “for some foreseeable time.”<ref>{{cite news |last1=McGoldrick |first1=Gillian |title=The Pa. House is tied 101-101 for the first day of the legislative session after a Democratic state rep suffered a health emergency |url=https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsylvania/pa-house-tied-gergely-mcclinton-topper-20250106.html |access-date=7 December 2025 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=January 6, 2025}}</ref> Fellow Representative Andrew Kuzma described Gergely's hospitalization status as critical but stable on January 6.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Turner |first1=Ford |title=Republican lawmaker says hospitalization of a Mon Valley House Democrat won't erase Democratic majority |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2025/01/06/pennsylvania-house-kuzma-gergely-majority/stories/202501060072 |access-date=12 December 2025 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=January 6, 2025}}</ref> Gergely's absence left the chamber with a partisan tie. During the election for Speaker of the House, Republican leader Jesse Topper withdrew his name after the first tied ballot to avoid deadlock, allowing Democrat Joanna McClinton to be reelected speaker.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Scolforo |first1=Mark |title=Democrat elected speaker of tied Pennsylvania House after GOP candidate bows out |url=https://whyy.org/articles/pa-house-mcclinton-speaker/ |access-date=24 October 2025 |work=WHYY |date=January 7, 2025}}</ref> Topper also wished Gergely a full and speedy recovery in remarks on the House floor.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Scolforo |first1=Mark |title=Democrat Joanna McClinton reelected as Pa. House speaker after member's illness throws outcome into doubt |url=https://www.citizensvoice.com/2025/01/07/democrat-elected-speaker-of-tied-pennsylvania-house-after-gop-candidate-bows-out/ |access-date=12 December 2025 |work=The Citizens' Voice |agency=Associated Press |date=January 7, 2025}}</ref> Gergely later died on January 19. He was 45.<ref name=death />
==Electoral history== {{Election box begin no change|title=2023 Pennsylvania House of Representatives special election<ref>{{cite web |website=Allegheny County, PA |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/PA/Allegheny/117227/web.307039/#/summary |title=FEBRUARY 7, 2023 SPECIAL ELECTION - PENNSYLVANIA 35TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT |access-date=20 August 2024 |date=February 21, 2023}}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Pennsylvania Democratic Party|votes=6,792|candidate=Matthew Gergely|percentage=73.67}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Pennsylvania Republican Party|candidate=Don Nevills|votes=2,302|percentage=24.97}} {{Election box write-in with party link no change|votes=126|percentage=1.37}} {{Election box total no change|votes=9,218|percentage=100.00}} {{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Pennsylvania Democratic Party}} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=2024 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election:<br/>Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 35}} {{Election box candidate unopposed with party link|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate= Matthew Gergely (incumbent)}} {{Election box total no change|votes=23,550|percentage=100.00}}{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Democratic Party (United States)}} {{Election box end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gergely, Matthew}} Category:1979 births Category:2025 deaths Category:Democratic Party members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Category:People from McKeesport, Pennsylvania Category:21st-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly Category:Indiana University of Pennsylvania alumni