Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure, a candidate for Congress in the 7th Congressional District, called out former federal prosecutor Ryan Crosswell at IBEW 375 headquarters in Allentown.

This week on Lehigh Valley Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick discuss the political implications of affordable housing.

Bob Brooks, a retired Bethlehem firefighter, became the fifth Democrat to enter the race for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District. The primary election winner in next year's midterm race will take on U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, the Republican incumbent.

If state Rep. Josh Siegel wins the 2025 Lehigh County executive race, it would trigger a possible special election for Pennsylvania's 22nd state House District. Things get complicated from there.

Ce-Ce Gerlach, a Democrat, will officially launch her campaign for state representative of the 22nd District at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 25, according to a news release.

Garrity, a Bradford County native, is the first Republican to formally challenge Democratic incumbent Josh Shapiro in the 2026 race.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, downplayed President Donald Trump's proposal to slash $32.9 billion from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development following a tour of the Allentown Rescue Mission.

The Lehigh Valley's congressional showdown already is shaping up to be among the nation's costliest races for 2026. Tom Shortell and Chris Borick break it all down in this week's Political Pulse.

More than a month past the budget deadline, Lehigh Valley state Sens. Jarrett Coleman and Nick Miller offered little optimism a deal was around the corner.

U.S. Reps. Ryan Mackenzie and Lisa McClain praised the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for helping manufacturing companies and workers during a tour of Ampal Inc. in Lower Towamensing Township.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie visited Ward Transport & Logistics Corp. in Easton, where he got feedback about federal regulations on truck drivers and concerns about Pennsylvania's emission standards.

Justin Simmons, the former Republican state representative, was among three people who filed nomination papers last week to seek the party's nomination in the May 20 primary election.

Democratic VIPs including U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, DNC Chair Ken Martin and former U.S. Rep. Susan Wild attended the town hall at Cathedral Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem on Thursday night. The evening came with a rebuke to attendees from the church pastor.

At a virtual town hall Thursday, U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, said he did not support cuts to Medicare or Social Security, called for peace in Ukraine, and gently pushed back on how the Trump administration handled cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Organizers with the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, Democratic National Congressional Committee and several other groups invited U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie to a town hall event Thursday over proposed Medicaid cuts. Instead, the first-term Republican will hold his own telephone town hall.

Philip Ginder, 74, who served on the Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners for 24 years, was appointed on Wednesday to fill the vacancy created when Commissioner Robert Piligian resigned in February.

Candidates for Northampton County Council, Allentown City Council, Allentown mayor and Parkland School Board are being challenged in court for allegedly failing to meet legal requirements to appear on the May ballot.

A Lehigh County judge ruled in favor of LoriAnn Fehnel, a Republican candidate for Whitehall Township Commissioner, who challenged that candidate Betsey H. Charles's nominating petition is invalid and should be set aside.

City officials voted in favor of raising the next council president’s salary from $7,600 to $11,400 a year and council members’ annual pay from $7,100 to $10,650. However, City Council decided against salary increases for the next mayor and controller.

This week on Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell speaks with Celeste Dee, owner of Lehigh Valley-based Advantage Political Strategies. The two talk about judicial campaigns.

The vacancy on the Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners will be filled at a meeting on Wednesday night. The board interviewed three candidates on Monday night.

Whitehall Township treasurer/tax collector Tina Koren is asking the Lehigh County Court to reject Commissioner Thomas Slonaker's nominating petition for her job.