ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Republican Roger MacLean improved his fundraising in his bid for Lehigh County executive over the past four months, but his Democrat opponent Josh Siegel is on the cusp of breaking the county's 20-year-old campaign finance record.
Documents filed last week show Siegel spent a staggering $286,033 in the race since June 10 — about triple the amount typically spent on a countywide executive race. That doesn't include another $161,127 of in-kind contributions from the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and a bipartisan PAC.
Combined, Siegel has committed $447,160 of cash and materials to his campaign.
Only Don Cunningham has spent more over the course of an entire executive race when he dropped nearly $451,000 in 2005 when he became the first Democrat to serve as Lehigh County executive. Siegel could eclipse that mark in the final days of the race, when campaigns typically commit their last resources.
By comparison, MacLean has dropped a total of $46,779 on his campaign as he looks to become the first Republican to win the seat since Cunningham defeated Jane Ervin in 2005. While his spending trails Siegel, it is comparable to the amount incumbent Phil Armstrong has spent in each of his two successful campaigns.
Pennsylvania politicos and a bipartisan PAC
Siegel entered the summer with a significant funding advantage over MacLean, with more than $200,000 on hand. Since June 10, he nearly doubled that amount by raising $149,170 in new funding. While $5,472 of that came from minor contributions of less than $250 from Washington, D.C., and 31 states, most of that money came in the form of large contributions from political action committees.
Prominent political backers included Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton ($5,000) and state Rep. Jordan Harris ($5,000), both D-Philadelphia; Armstrong ($2,067) and Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure ($5,000); and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis ($2,500). Unions also made significant contributions, including the Sheet Metal Workers ($10,000); the Eastern Atlantic Council of Carpenters ($10,000); and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 375 ($10,000). Siegel also loaned his campaign $4,000.
Only one candidate has spent more in a Lehigh County executive race — Don Cunningham in 2005. He spent $451,000 when he became the first Democrat to serve as Lehigh County executive. Siegel could eclipse that mark in the final days of this race.
In addition, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party provided his campaign with more than $110,000 in mailers, postage and related services, according to the campaign. While these were technically resources and services donated to the campaign, most of Siegel's expenditures this period were donations back to the state party. He reported giving about $126,000 to the party.
But Siegel also collected more than $44,214 in in-kind contributions from the Democracy First PAC, a bipartisan group that supports candidates who promote fair elections and defend their results. Pennsylvania's five living former governors — Tom Ridge, Mark Schweiker, Ed Rendell, Tom Corbett and Tom Wolfe — as well as former Lehigh Valley Congressman Charlie Dent endorsed the group in 2023. The PAC's contributions have paid for campaign staff and literature, according to Siegel's report.
Siegel has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and his false claims that he won the 2020 election. Siegel has argued that his most important role if elected executive would be serving as the deciding vote on the board of elections. Siegel still had $63,540 on hand as of Oct. 20.
A significant loan and auto dealers
Meanwhile, MacLean added $57,125 to the $2,666 he had in his campaign coffers since June 10. However, $21,000 of that amount was a loan MacLean made to his campaign.
That total doesn't include $2,356 of campaign literature and postage that MacLean received from the Pennsylvania Republican Committee and more than $1,300 of yard signs and mailers MacLean gifted his campaign.
County documents show that many of MacLean's donors conduct business on the Lehigh Valley Auto Mile in Allentown. Car dealers proved to be among his strongest financiers, including Robert Bennett ($2,500) of Bennet Auto Group; Andrew Wright ($2,000) and Arthur Wright ($2,500) of Vinart Auto Group; and Gregory Kelly of Kelly Auto Group ($1,000).
MacLean, a retired Allentown police chief, also drew support from law enforcement. That included former Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin ($2,000), retired police officer and Allentown City Councilman Daryl Hendricks ($500), former Allentown police chief Glenn Granitz ($100) and Lehigh County Sheriff Joe Hanna ($100).
MacLean still had nearly $26,480 on hand at the end of the period.
The election is Tuesday, Nov. 4.
