BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Democrat J. William Reynolds will be the next mayor of Bethlehem according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s election. He appears to have defeated Republican John Kachmar 63 to 36 percent. The apparent result was part of a larger Democratic sweep across Bethlehem city government.
A rowdy crowd of about 75 people gathered at 21 Crafthouse in Bethlehem for William Reynolds’ watch party. The William Allen High School teacher says he’s created coalitions of people who support him.
“The only way you make progress is when you have a lot of people moving in the same direction, and we’re going to have that in Bethlehem,” Reynolds said.
For the first time in more than a century, city council will have a female majority. Four of them came out to Reynolds’ party.
“We may not agree on everything, and I may not always vote the way he wants me to, obviously, I’ll be my own person, but I believe he has a really progressive vision,” said incoming councilmember Hillary Kwiatek.
Reynolds said he’s created coalitions of people who support him.
“Nobody does this by themselves. It’s such an exciting day, with the energy that we have coming on to city council,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds said he would work well with all four councilwomen.
WLVR reached out to Republican candidate John Kachmar but did not receive an immediate response for comment.
