Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

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.

Whitehall Township treasurer/tax collector Tina Koren is asking the Lehigh County Court to reject Commissioner Thomas Slonaker's nominating petition for her job.

Whitehall Township commissioner Republican candidate LoriAnn Fehnel filed a challenge March 14 against fellow Republican candidate Betsey H. Charles, 3212 Chestnut St., based on deficiencies on the latter’s petition.

The chamber will return this week to focus on providing legal relief to sexual abuse survivors, but leaders are still debating what permanent rules to govern the chamber should look like.

Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. kicked off his campaign for a record seventh term in office Thursday night.

Colón, a Democrat, is seeking a third term. He was first elected in 2016.

Incumbent Mayor Sal Panto Jr. on Thursday plans to make an official announcement of his candidacy for reelection in the upcoming municipal elections this year.

The decision comes three months after Pinsley lost his state Senate race, running as a Democrat.

Laird, who helped found the Bethlehem Food Co-op, announced a run for City Council Tuesday.

Cusick, 56, a Republican, was elected to county council's at-large seat in 2006, and has represented District 3 on the body since 2016.

Michelle Graupner, a South Whitehall Township Democrat, hopes to become Lehigh County's second clerk of judicial records.

91.3 WLVR's Brad Klein speaks with Capitol Bureau Chief Sam Dunklau about the balance of power in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

The Pennsylvania state House has been unable to function for a month. Three special elections this week could end the standoff, though big questions remain.

The refusal thus far of Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro to disclose who paid for his inaugural party has exposed the gap in state law that lets governors in Pennsylvania escape the kind of transparency sometimes required elsewhere

Atty. Brian Panella pushed back on claims by Atty. Nancy Aaroe, his opponent in the race for Northampton County Court of Common Pleas, that he lacks trial experience.