Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

Ending the shutdown: Political scientist Chris Borick joins Tom Shortell for this episode of Political Pulse to help break down the breakthrough between Democrats and Republicans.

Tuesday’s meeting was the last before new election commission members are sworn in. The commission criticized the county’s home rule charter — the charter created the commission — as too vague, leaving officials to scrap over who has what powers.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to force the Justice Department to publicly release its files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, voted in favor of it.

Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, did not sign the discharge petition that will force a vote on releasing the Epstein files on Tuesday. However, Mackenzie has said for months he would support the measure if it came to a vote.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie helped secure $1.6 million in earmarks toward a new Alburtis Fire Station. The existing structure is too small to serve a modern fire department.

On this week's episode of Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick dissect the Democratic sweep in elections across the country and the Lehigh Valley last week.

The House passed a bill Wednesday night to end the nation's longest government shutdown, sending the measure to President Donald Trump for his signature after a historic 43-day funding lapse that saw federal workers go without multiple paychecks, travelers stranded at airports and people lining up at food banks to get a meal for their families.

Billions of dollars for Pennsylvania’s public schools and social services will soon start flowing after months of delay, as lawmakers on Wednesday approved a $50 billion spending plan to break the state’s budget impasse.

The historic 40-day federal shutdown could be coming to an end after eight members of the Democratic caucus broke ranks on a procedural vote Sunday.

Gov. Josh Shapiro says Pennsylvania's utility companies have stepped up to shelter low-income households this winter. The customers are usually covered by LIHEAP, but the federal assistance program has experienced delays due to the federal government shutdown.

Politics reporter Tom Shortell sat down with WLVR's Brad Klein to discuss the upcoming May 16th primary election, including a few standout races.

Find the answers to all your questions about Pennsylvania's closed primaries, mail-in ballots and voter registration.

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.

Incumbent Terry Houck and challenger Stephen Baratta each made their case to voters in a contentious town hall. Houck is in the final year of his first term. Baratta retired after 25 years as a county judge to run for the top prosecutor job.