Erie Mayor Joe Schember will have at least one challenger in the May 2025 Democratic mayoral primary.
Daria Devlin, Hamot Health Foundation’s director of social impact and a member of the Erie School Board, confirmed to the Erie Times-News that she will seek the Democratic nomination for mayor.
Schember has said publicly that he plans to seek a third four-year term. Devlin said she told Schember personally that she planned to launch a challenge to his re-election campaign.
“I am deciding to do this because I think it’s a really exciting time for Erie,” Devlin, 47, said, “And I have great respect for Joe Schember. But I think that we need some different leadership as we move into this next chapter of Erie’s story.”
Devlin said she’s been “on an unofficial listening tour” throughout Erie since the spring, talking to residents about their concerns.
Devlin, who is married with three children, declined further comment, saying she will provide more details about her campaign after the Nov. 5 general election.