Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, hailed President Donald Trump's order to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power and extradite him to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.

Julian Guridy will face Bob Smith in the race to fill former state Rep. Josh Siegel's term.

Easton welcomed three new city council members — Frank Graziano III, Julie Zando-Dennis and Susan Hartranft-Bittinger — to the team on Friday evening.

Cristian Pungo and Jeremy Binder are due to join Allentown City Council on Monday. They'll replace outgoing members Daryl Hendricks and Ed Zucal.

Democrat Julian Guridy, an aide to state Sen. Nick Miller, is viewed as the favorite to land the party's nomination for the upcoming 22nd House District special election. Allentown Councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerlach, precinct committee person Erlinda Aguilar and Lewis Shupe are also seeking the nomination.

Of the thousands of stories covered and told in 2025, our staff picked some of their favorites. They included a bald eagle looking for love in the Hellertown area and an $11 million "sky dome" planned for Easton.

In 2025, LehighValleyNews.com readers gravitated toward stories that reflected mounting economic pressure, public safety concerns, environmental uncertainty and moments of sharp civic tension.

Fewer than two dozen rank-and-file members from the Lehigh County Democratic Committee are set to nominate the party’s candidate for the Feb. 24 special election.

While the political news cycle can change on a dime, some clear stories appear in store for 2026, including the Lehigh Valley's congressional race.

Host Tom Shortell helps two contestants revisit the stories, scandals and curveballs that defined the year in politics.

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

The Minnesota governor and Democratic vice presidential candidate met with voters at El Tipico Restaurant in Allentown. It's his second visit to the region in five weeks and comes just 11 days before Election Day.

The Allentown School District said it will dismiss students early Friday because of the potential for road closures Friday in connection with vice presidential candidate Tim Walz's campaign stop in Allentown.