BETHLEHEM, Pa. — It's been a week since parties selected their candidates for the November election.
So, political scientist Chris Borick and host Tom Shortell talk about the results and other notable events from this year's primary election.
This year reported remarkably low voter turnout in the Lehigh Valley.
Still, Borick noted Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk's "tireless" campaigning, including biking and running trips to polling places on Election Day.
"So that matters, right?" Borick said. "How you campaign in a primary — and we'll talk about that, we're not looking at enormous numbers of people — so if you can mobilize, you know, a few thousand individuals and get them out, you have an opportunity."
The two further break down challenger Ed Zucal and Tuerk's campaign strategies.
Unofficial results show Tuerk winning the Democratic primary against Zucal, but the two could see a rematch in six months after Zucal earned nearly 500 Republican write-in votes.
In Northampton County, Tara Zrinski will face off against Republican nominee Tom Giovanni for county executive.
"She's an established, vocal, progressive candidate, so it's not shocking that she won the primary where like-minded people tend to vote," Shortell said.
But in a swing county that recently flipped to vote for Donald Trump last November, Shortell asks where Zrinski's odds lie in the upcoming election.
"That's going to be fascinating to look at," Borick said. "I'm a resident of Northampton County. I love the politics there because it is so balanced, it's so representative.
"... I think it's the best bellwether county in all of Pennsylvania in terms of predicting what happens statewide, so I'll be fascinated to see how that race goes."
The two also talk about Republican nominee Roger McClean's chances of turning the tide in the Lehigh County executive race against State Rep. Josh Siegel.
Shortell notes that Republicans haven't won that race in 20 years. So what do the two expect to see in that race come November?
Find out by watching the latest episode of Political Pulse on the PBS39 YouTube channel or by clicking play on the module at the top of this article.
