BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Lehigh Valley Public Media will host a debate Tuesday, April 28 between the two Democratic candidates running for Pennsylvania's 16th state Senate District.
Democratic voters in Bucks and Lehigh counties will choose between Mark Pinsley and Bradley Merkl-Gump when they head to the polls for the May 19 primary.
The winner is expected to face off against state Sen. Jarrett Coleman in the November election. Coleman, a first-term Republican, is running unopposed in the GOP primary. The 16th Senate District represents the northern half of Bucks County and much of Lehigh County.
Pinsley, Lehigh County's two-term controller, and Merkl-Gump, a Pennridge School Board director, will go head-to-head in a race that could have statewide consequences. While the district usually favors Republican candidates, Democrats are looking to flip the district as they attempt to regain control of the state senate for the first time in 30 years.
The debate begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Univest Public Media Center at 839 Sesame St. The forum will be moderated by reporter Tom Shortell of LehighValleyNews.com.
Tickets to the hour-long event are available online for free. Those who can't attend in person can still catch the debate on PBS39, the PBS39 YouTube channel and on LehighValleyNews.com.
