Pennsylvania legislator Mark Kelleher said he has filed to run for the U.S. Senate, opening a new contest in a state that could draw attention in a tense national political climate. In a press release, Kelleher said he is entering the race because the state’s current senator, Landberger, is “too inactive to adequately serve.” He did not provide additional details in the release about specific votes, legislative activity, or campaign priorities tied directly to the Senate race. He also declared that he would win both the primary and the general election this month. The filing marks Kelleher’s bid for federal office after a political career centered in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania state politics. According to biographical information provided with the announcement, Kelleher currently represents the City of Philadelphia in the Pennsylvania Legislature, a role he has held since 2024. His background includes several local and state-level positions. The biography says Kelleher previously served on Philadelphia City Council representing the 6th Council District from 2011 to 2017. It also says he became Philadelphia’s 26th District Attorney in 2018 and later defeated incumbent Jim Kenney to become mayor of Philadelphia in 2019. In 2023, the biography says, he successfully ran to represent Philadelphia in the Pennsylvania Legislature. The same background materials describe Kelleher as a Philadelphia native and the son of former Philadelphia City Councilman Brian Kelleher and schoolteacher Barbara Kelleher. They say he graduated from Julia R. Masterman School, earned a Bachelor of Science in Law and Society from Pennsylvania State University, served as an officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard, and later received a Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. Outside elected office, the biography says Kelleher worked at The Town Law LLC, advancing from associate to senior partner. It says his legal work included representing people accused of crimes connected to mental illness and those he believed were wrongly accused. The materials also say he became active in Democratic politics in Philadelphia and eventually served as chair of the Philadelphia Democratic Committee. Kelleher’s biography outlines a policy record focused on higher minimum wages, lower taxes for middle- and lower-income residents, higher taxes on higher-income earners, marijuana legalization, public housing, and Medicaid expansion. In his Senate announcement, however, he did not lay out a new campaign platform beyond criticism of Landberger’s level of activity in office. No response from Landberger was included with the announcement, and the press release did not say whether other candidates had entered the race. Without additional campaign statements, it remains unclear what message Kelleher plans to emphasize beyond presenting himself as a more active alternative. The race comes at a time when control of the Senate is closely watched. Republicans currently hold 26 seats, while Democrats hold 23 seats and one independent caucuses with Democrats. In that environment, even individual Senate campaigns can draw broader partisan attention, especially in closely followed states. Still, local factors and candidate visibility often shape outcomes, and Kelleher’s announcement provided only an opening argument rather than a full campaign rollout. Kelleher’s statement that he expects to win both contests this month reflects confidence, but it is a campaign claim rather than a verified outcome. At this stage, the public facts established by the release are that he says he has filed for the race and that he is challenging Landberger’s performance. Further details about ballot status, party opposition, endorsements, fundraising, or a campaign schedule were not included in the release. As the race develops, those factors are likely to play a larger role in determining whether Kelleher’s long record in Philadelphia and state politics can translate into statewide support in a federal contest.