Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

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.

During a visit to Bethlehem Monday, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey said the American public needs to know how a gunman was able to access a roof with a clear shot at former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally Saturday.

While many Lehigh Valley residents were shocked by an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, it was not exactly surprising in today's divisive, supercharged political climate, they said.

Former U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent hoped the attack on former President Donald Trump would lead to Americans softening the rhetoric that has consumed American election campaigns. A wounded Trump was whisked offstage as one spectator was shot and killed and two others were critically injured. “It’s a sad state of affairs for where our political system is right now,” said one Lehigh Valley lawmaker.

The Secret Service said it killed the suspected shooter, who attacked from an elevated position outside the rally grounds in Butler, north of Pittsburgh. One spectator was killed and two were critically injured after the attacker fired "multiple shots," according to the Secret Service.

Join Megan Frank at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. every Friday for Insights with LehighValleyNews.com on WLVR. This week, she's joined by politics reporter Tom Shortell and health reporter Brittany Sweeney.

In a statement Sunday, U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, stopped short of saying President Joe Biden needed to leave the ticket but warned that he could harm candidates in down-ballot races.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., asked Northampton County Democrats to support his re-election campaign during a stop at Weyerbacher Brewing. He will face Republican challenger David McCormick in one of the nation's most contested Senate races.

Neither first lady Jill Biden nor U.S. Rep. Susan Wild addressed questions about President Joe Biden's fitness for office following his poor performance at last week's presidential debate against former President Donald Trump.

With first lady Jill Biden set to visit the region Tuesday, Pennsylvania State Police are warning of traffic delays in the Allentown and surrounding areas.

Jill Biden, Susan Wild and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will look to connect with Latino voters in Allentown as the PA-7 congressional race heats up.

About three dozen Republicans jeered President Joe Biden throughout Thursday's night presidential debate while Democrats fumed that Trump was ignoring questions on child care and climate change.

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will face off Thursday night in what will be the earliest televised presidential debate in American history. Given the two men's deep unpopularity and established public records, it will be difficult for either to move the needle in what's shaping up to be a close campaign.