Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

Mayor Matt Tuerk and Councilman Ed Zucal went head to head in the Democratic primary election for Allentown mayor. The debate streamed Thursday on LehighValleyNews.com and will air on PBS39 on Friday night.

Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure delivered his final State of the County address in Bethlehem on Monday. He used the speech to recap his administration's proudest accomplishments and criticize recent actions by the federal government.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who joined Congress in January, has been a vocal advocate for President Donald Trump while quietly testing the limits of his support in the battleground district of PA-7.

At a debate in Allentown on Thursday, candidates seeking the Republican nomination for Lehigh County Executive gave virtually the same answers to every question.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, defended the Trump administration's tariff policy and DOGE cuts during the 90-minute CNN "Town Hall: America Asks Congress" on Thursday night.

More eyes are on local and international races, especially with billionaire Elon Musk becoming more politically active. Why should anyone care about smaller elections? This week on Political Pulse, Tom Shortell and Chris Borick dive into those details.

Multiple sources tell LehighValleyNews.com that Carol Obando-Derstine is expected to launch a campaign for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District. The battleground seat is held by freshman U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, will be one of four House members from battleground districts to take questions from a bipartisan audience and CNN anchors.

Lehigh Valley Public Media comprises LehighValleyNews.com, PBS39 and 91.3 WLVR. Debates to be held in advance of the May 20 primary election include Allentown mayor, Bethlehem mayor, Northampton County executive and Lehigh County executive.

Lehigh Valley business experts said it's too soon to determine how President Donald Trump's across-the-board tariffs of 10% or more will affect the economy but acknowledged that stakes are high.

Included here are complete but unofficial results of contested races in Lehigh County for the 2025 primary election.

Jeremy Clark and James Fuller will face off in November in the race for a seat on the Northampton County bench. Meanwhile, Republican Patricia Mulqueen and Democrat Mark Stanziola will compete for the new judicial seat in Lehigh County.

Incumbent Mayor J. William Reynolds said he wants to continue working at making housing more attainable and affordable, investing in public safety, creating jobs and supporting investment in parks and streets.

With ballots counted from all but one of Northampton County's 157 polling precincts, unofficial results show Zrinski ahead by roughly 13.7% of the vote.

Unofficial results show incumbent Mayor Matt Tuerk handily defeating Councilman Ed Zucal. The mayor has earned just over 80% of the 5,100-plus votes counted by 10:30 p.m.

Incumbent Easton City Council members Taiba Sultana and Roger Ruggles lost in the Democratic primary, according to unofficial election returns. Susan Hartranft-Bittinger defeated Sultana and Frank Graziano outpaced Ruggles.

Polling places across the Lehigh Valley faced mainly light turnout throughout Primary Election Day, with early morning turnout lagging.

So far, two Macungie residents have applied to fill an open seat on the borough council. On Monday, the body's current members asked them a few questions.

In this week's episode of Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick talk about the Lehigh Valley's "packed primary" and the highly contested races to keep an eye on.

Tuesday, May 20, is Primary Election Day in Pennsylvania. Several high-profile local races are on the ballot in Lehigh and Northampton counties. Check out our procrastinator's guide and Q&A.

More than 48,000 people have requested a mail-in ballot in Lehigh and Northampton counties ahead of Tuesday's primary election. Even if thousands of those never get turned in, it should mark an increase from the 2021 local primary.

In Tuesday's Democratic primary election, two challengers are on the ballot to face off against incumbent council members Roger Ruggles and Taiba Sultana.