BETHLEHEM, Pa. — After two decades in Northampton County government, Lamont McClure is betting that his long public record and deep local name recognition will help carry him into higher office.
McClure, who recently completed his second term as Northampton County executive after serving 10 years on county council, is seeking the Democratic nomination in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District.
He joined Lehigh Valley Political Pulse this week to outline why he’s trading an executive role with broad authority for a potential seat in a sharply divided U.S. House of Representatives.
“Part of the reason is I need to get to Washington to fight like hell to end the chaos and disruption of our daily lives that President Trump and Ryan Mackenzie are causing,” McClure said.
Asked what would top his agenda if elected, McClure said his campaign is centered on two main tracks, beginning with what he described as a threat to democratic norms.
“We must protect our democracy. There is no doubt that our democracy is under threat,” he said, pointing to immigration enforcement as an example. While acknowledging the need for secure borders and the deportation of violent criminals, McClure criticized current tactics.
“Masked men running around the streets of our cities in America, picking people up randomly, that's a problem,” he said. “Going into schools, going into churches, nobody likes that.”
Unlike several of his Democratic rivals, McClure enters the race with an extensive governing record. As county executive, he oversaw thousands of employees, managed a budget approaching $500 million, lowered taxes and supported farmland preservation. His tenure also included leading Northampton County through the COVID-19 pandemic.
That record, however, is not without controversy. The county experienced multiple years of voting machine problems during his administration, and McClure’s final years in office also were marked by public disputes with county council.
Asked what voters should ultimately take away from his time in office, McClure pointed to crisis management.
"Leadership during times of crisis,” he said, adding that when problems arose, his administration focused on transparency and accountability. “Explaining to the public what happened, why it happened, how we were going to correct it, taking accountability for it, taking responsibility for it."
To learn more, watch the full episode in the YouTube player above.
