Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

Take a look at stories throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

WLVR’s Brad Klein spoke with reporter Ryan Gaylor, who covers Northampton County for WLVR and LehighValleyNews.com, about the combative atmosphere during the debate.

In a televised debate moderated by LehighValleyNews.com, Democratic incumbent Terry Houck and Democratic challenger Stephen Baratta clashed over the death penalty, oversight of the office and cash bail.

Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck, running for a second term, has said his office reduced crime by 25% since he took office. State statistics tell a more complicated story.

Democratic Sen. Bob Casey will seek a fourth term in office, bringing the power of incumbency and unmatched name recognition in Pennsylvania politics to his party’s defense of a seat in a critical presidential battleground state.

The three-term Democratic representative spoke with Lehigh Valley residents Tuesday at Lehigh University during her second in-person town hall of the year.

Republicans intend to portray Rep. Susan Wild as soft on crime after she voted not to block a Washington D.C. law that would have lessened sentences for people convicted of some crimes.

Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman has left Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after six weeks of inpatient treatment for clinical depression, with plans to return to the Senate in mid-April.

Easton Mayor Sal Panto highlighted the Confluence, an $80 million mixed-use development he's spearheaded, during a campaign event Friday. The project's groundbreaking has been pushed back to Fall 2023.

Former educator Mike Millo is running for the Parkland School Board again after withdrawing from the race in 2020. He said his legislative priorities are listening to resident concerns, fiscal responsibility and transparency.

Thousands came to downtown Allentown for former President Donald Trump's campaign rally — exactly one week before Election Day.

"Fox & Friends" is visiting diners and restaurants in battleground states in the days leading up to Election Day. Fox News Channel said it will be at Superior Restaurant on Main Street in Emmaus on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

A Lehigh County judge granted a motion by the Lehigh County Board of Elections to extend in-person voting at the elections office at the Lehigh County Government Center in Allentown until 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Martin Sheen, whose given name is Ramón Estévez, played President Jed Bartlet on The West Wing.

This week on Political Pulse, Shortell and Borick discuss the course of the upcoming election — from President Joe Biden dropping out to divisive ads and highly contested local races.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, who is third in line to the presidency, visited the Lehigh Valley again on Monday to throw his support behind Republican congressional candidate Ryan Mackenzie.

On the eve of his father's campaign rally in downtown Allentown, Donald Trump Jr. paid a visit to Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays in North Whitehall Township. A crowd of more than 1,000 showed up.

Local, state and federal law enforcement will boost their presence around Center City Allentown ahead of former President Donald Trump's campaign rally at the PPL Center on Tuesday evening. Some street closures begin Monday night.

Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe drew condemnations from across the political spectrum after he made racist jokes at former President Donald Trump's Madison Square Garden rally Sunday. The remarks came two days before Trump's event at the PPL Center in Allentown, which is one of the largest Puerto Rican enclaves in the country.

Dave McCormick, the GOP candidate for Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate seat, and U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst, Roger Marshall and Todd Young urged local voters to cast early ballots for the Republican ticket ahead of Election Day during a Bethlehem Township rally Saturday.

Dave McCormick and Ryan Mackenzie spoke with Allentown voters Friday about their campaigns for seats in the U.S. Senate and House, respectively.

The forms arrived at the Lancaster County elections office shortly before Monday's deadline to register to vote and were apparently part of a larger effort to sign people up, officials said