Political Pulse
LehighValleyNews.com politics reporter Tom Shortell and Chris Borick, director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, take the political pulse in the region and examine how the national agenda affects the Lehigh Valley.

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PBS39In 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.
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Tom Shortell/LehighValleyNews.comLehigh County Executive Phil Armstrong joins Tom Shortell on this week's episode of Political Pulse to explain how county government fills vital social service roles and what duties come with the county executive role.
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Political Pulse host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick dive into the complex relationship between American health care and politics, with specific regard to Pennsylvania and its role as a "purple" state in elections. Insights from a recent Muhlenberg College survey help depict Pennsylvanians' attitudes on the matter.
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This week on Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick talk about the impact primary elections have beyond what meets the eye, like campaign challenges and voter fatigue.
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This week on Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick dive into the results of President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" about two weeks ago. What do tariffs mean to — and for — the average American? The two dissect that in this week's episode.
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Why do sports get so much attention from politicians? And do athletes have the right to express their opinions on social and political issues and even endorse political movements? This week's Political Pulse examines those questions and more.
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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.
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This week on Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell is joined by political scientist Chris Borick to talk about the department, its standing in American politics and its future.
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National politics often makes headlines, but former Bethlehem mayor Bob Donchez says municipal government impacts its residents more. This week on Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell dives into what goes on inside local government with Donchez.
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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.
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In this week’s Political Pulse, Tom Shortell and Chris Borick discuss the shifting dynamics of U.S. foreign policy, in light of the recent meeting between Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, President Trump, and Vice President JD Vance.
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On this week's episode of Political Pulse, Tom Shortell and Chris Borick talk about President Donald Trump's second term. Has he started it off on a strong foot? In Trump's first month in office, Borick said, approval numbers seem to be pointing down.