Local Government TV

Thursday, May 28, 2015

A Ron Angle Controller Race Would Help Elect Sam Murray

Although the official tally is not expected until later this week, WFMZ-TV69 has gone out on a limb and reported that Ron Angle has attracted enough write-in votes to get on the Republican ballot in the Controller's race against Steve Barron. I'll go out a little farther and report that Angle has over 550 write-ins, well in excess of the 250 votes required. A few votes went to RAT candidate Anthony Catino, who wanted to twerk his way into office. There was even a write-in vote for the "Mediterranean Manslab" in Bethlehem's eighth ward. But Angle, who spent no money and did no campaigning, really kicked ass. Nobody will be more grateful than Sam Murray, if Ron really runs. And that is a Big If.  

If the judicial race between Democrat Sam Murray and Republican Vic Scomillio were held today, Sam would lose. He would go down even though there are more Democrats than Republicans.The reason for this is that Republicans vote in municipal races while Democrats watch John Stewart. This is why John Brown, who was widely unknown, was able to beat John Callahan in 2013.

Republicans are pretty smart in these races. Look at Bethlehem and Easton. You'll see there are no Republicans on the ballot. Even in the County Council races, Republicans offered no challenger in Bethlehem or Easton. As a result, Democrats stay home in the urban centers. They think they have no real reason to vote. And the Republicans crush everywhere else, especially in county races. So despite having the Brown anchor around his neck, I believe Scomillio is currently the odds on favorite for judge and that Sam is going to have to do everything he can to bring out the vote if he expects to win.

In the old days when there were real party bosses like Justin Jirolanio, Democrats were a real machine on election day. They spent immense amounts of money to drive voters to the polls and make sure as many Democrats as possible voted (and some would add as many times as possible).

Over the years, as unions and party structures have weakened, that real get out the vote effort has been replaced by political consultants who send mailers to the wrong addresses or conduct bogus polls. Candidates with no money get stuck with zealots like Gloria McVeigh, who scare normal Democrats away.

Republicans need no one to drive them to the polls. They will come in on walkers and wheelchairs. You have to respect them for their willingness to be engaged. I wish more Democrats were like that, but they only get fired up in presidential races.

If Ron runs for Controller, things change. Sam's chances of getting elected as Northampton County next judge improve considerably. Ron will bring out the Democrats. In fact, he'll probably bring out more Republicans than might otherwise vote. He is a master at drawing attention to himself, and has already done it in this race. The Express Times was unwilling to do a profile on the judicial race before the primary becauseit  might interfere with their prom coverage. But the paper published a story about Angle's write-in campaign, even though he was not even a candidate. He sells papers.

Now WFMZ is reporting on the barbs being exchanged between Steve Barron and Ron, in what sounds more like the trash talk before a professional wrestling bout than anything else.

Good stuff.

As most of you know, I think Barron is a much better Controller now than he was before John Brown took office. He has matured, and Brown has also managed to make him look pretty good. But as most of you also know, I consider Ron Angle one of my closest friends. In my mind, no one would be a better fiscal watchdog than the man I dubbed the Northampton County Bulldog.

But is Ron really serious?

I think he was running solely to prevent Barron from waging his own write-in campaign, or even worse, seeing the nomination going to a wingnut  like Catino. I doubt he really wants the job. He is simply too busy to be tied down to an office every day. If Ron Angle turns down the nomination, party bosses can select someone else to take his place. That's what I expect to see happen.

But not right away.

He's having too much fun.

44 comments:

  1. Already making excuses for a Ron Angle loss. Please stop. Ron Angle's infamous ego doe snot allow him to "not care" how he does.

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  2. "But Angle, who spent no money and did no campaigning,"

    Absolute bullshit. I received a mailing from Ron Angle and another from the Northampton County Republicans asking to write him in.

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  3. Scumillio has more problems ahead of him in his race for Judge. He was the mentor for Brownstain and gave Brownstain advise for the pay increases that were Illegal. Watch the hypocracy of Republican Council members who ordered Brown to release all NAMES. Some will even place Scomillio signs on their lawns. SCOMILLIO the county solicitor and advisor at the time. Voters regardless of their party affiliation recognize a illegal and blatant disregard for pay raises for cronies!

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  4. I wrote in "Bullshit" - I don't know if that was one of the alternates Ron supplied the Voter Registration people.

    I'm just kidding - that is for the benefit of the Angle haters like 3:26AM - up at 3:30 in the morning and trolling the internet. I think Ron would do well and wrote him in.

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  5. "Scumillio?"

    Way to keep it classy. And you wonder why most voters despise you guys for being hateful and vicious and eternally miserable?

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  6. "Absolute bullshit. I received a mailing from Ron Angle and another from the Northampton County Republicans asking to write him in."

    Rs did send a mailer on behald of Ron and the other candidates. So far as I know, he spent no money and did no campaigning. If i am wrong, I stand corrected.

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  7. "Scumillio has more problems ahead of him in his race for Judge"

    I understand that Scomillio will be tagged, and rightfully so, for the many legal blunders that occurred under Brown. He will be tagged for stomping all over the civil rights of a county worker, which is the last thing I'd expect to see from a judge. But Democrats will yawn and allow Republicans to install a judge whose concept of due process includes firing people on his car cell just two days before Christmas. Republicans will hold their nose and vote for him bc he is one of theirs.

    All of this changes of Democrats wake up and decide to vote.

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  8. If he can get free oil changes for his car, imagine what he can do for the county!

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  9. I like Ron. But from a political standpoint, he always disappoints. I wrote in his name last week. I don't expect he has the heart to seriously challenge Barron, however. Too bad. Barron failed to show up and do his job for three years. He didn't make any attempt at performing controller duties until his re-election year. Barron is simply the worst example of a human to occupy public office in Northampton County since Glenn Reibman. That's quite an accomplishment. And this lying time thief is the face of NorCo Dems. No wonder the majority registration party continues to get schooled at the polls.

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  10. "If he can get free oil changes for his car, imagine what he can do for the county!"

    LOL - excellent.

    @12:49 I wouldn't exactly say Barron failed to do his job until an election year. He's been pretty busy with Brownstain alone for over a year. I'm still voting for Ron - he speaks common sense and has a good knowledge of the county and council experience.

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  11. anon 12:59, Living in the past and carrying all that hate around. Ron Angle is perfect for you.

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  12. Attacking Glenn Reibman and Steve Barron as awful human beings and terrible county officials in a post about Ron Angle is both funny and sad. You do realize this is about Ron Angle don't you?

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  13. I voted for you RON ANGLE . I was at my father-in -laws little bar in the basement of his house when we called you originally to run for council. See Hemstreet knew that you would be a barb in n Reibman's side if elected.

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  14. Glenn was not equipped to run this county . He was a school teacher. They,teachers - are not historically equipped to run anything. In fact I say it should be ILLEGAL for any public academia to run for any elected office,period! They were never in the mainstream and never had to to prove anything out. Reibman , and other all had 2-S deferments ,I won't name names now -but ,they were exempt from the VIETNAM WAR -they wormed out of a civic duty and now want to be charge! I say bullshit --you are that what u are and that's all that you are. GO AHEAD DEBATE ME.Want to be KING and avoided the draft ,then hose the tax payers for live. Get It? We got it>

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  15. Sorry mean Hose the tax payers for LIFE>

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  16. Tom Ridge on the other hand is one of my Heroes.He was an enlisted man in the Artillery of the U.S.Army in Vietnam . Already had a HARVARD education and went to war anyway like a man. Cincinnatus .They city of Cincinnati is named after him almost like him!.Tom Ridge was Governor here in Pa.and the first Homeland Security Director of the US . I have a photo ,proudly of he an me together,and ran into his Platoon Sargent from Vietnam recently.

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  17. Angle has finacial intrest in Pen Jersy

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  18. Dream team. Brown, Angle and Scomillio - hear no evil, see no evil, do no evil --NOT
    ������

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  19. Do we know when the Mediterranean manslab will be released from SCI Pittsburgh?

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  20. I believe that will be in February, when he maxes out.

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  21. Ok if I were defend a deflated football at the Superbowl that time of year , I would have asked -where was it filled ,in a 74 degree room then taken to the field and it chilled down?WELL Mr.Angle may have had 'CREDITS" as some promotions go --as Hillary said -'What difference does it make ?" Ron is Ron and he does not care about small bullshit,he cares about major waist in government like 'food stamps and Obama Care and free to the irresponsible knuckleheads that don';t even work. Somebody has to be a 'GATEKEEPER" .

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  22. Those are Federal issues pal..not local yokel stuff like the county. Barron is doing just fine ..Thank you..at his job as..GATEKEEPER! He has been there and doing it for some time now. Don't kill the messenger..it's about this council now.

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  23. Gatekeeper? More apt to say barbarian at the gates.

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  24. I Love it-- Barbarian at the Gates- Ron Angle . Well the truth is that some of you his age were waiting out the draft =he was at 8th and I Streets Washington D.C. Selected to be around the President and sent on special duties we have no idea about --- and here some of you were sweating out getting drafted. Ron was selected because of his GT score and demeanor and appearance. He was once one of the Nations most Trusted service members ..

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  25. Why did he not serve full turm in the service?

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  26. Try again weekend troll. Ron was in the marines from '63 to '67, including a year in the presidential guard.

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  27. Presidential guard means many thing sand is not necessarily what you are trying to make people think. How honest will this campaign be? Based on past runs, probably not very.

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  28. Based o your slimy dishonest comments, I know it would be a dishonest campaign. That is a given.

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  29. Ron is an admitted computer/IT illiterate. How is he gonna sell that to today's voters? He can't and all the bravado and bluster in the world can't make up for it.

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  30. I know how he can sell it..hire a consultant!

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  31. Angle had the gall to attack Barron as a career politician while bragging about his own forty years in the public arena.


    Angle has a long and sordid history that even a Catholic priest could not exorcise.

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  32. Angle makes a Pam Colton campaign look palatable by comparison. Is that the plan? Pam? Are you still out there lurking in the shadows Ron is throwing? HA!

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  33. As I indicated, I think Ron will withdraw once the Rs find a half decent candidate (not Catino) willing to challenge Barron. He was running so that the party could have that option and would much rather make money than watch it.

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  34. Pam Colton is a tax and spend school director. She only works one side of the ledger. Raise Taxes is all she knows how to do. Her track record speaks for itself.

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  35. Is Colton a friend/crony of Brown's? Maybe..maybe not.

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  36. Barron is in a great position here. Incumbent..Anti-Brown..union backing..born again public servant who understands his role and he has matured on the job despite his trials and tribulations. An O'Hare survivalist! Can you say LANDSLIDE?

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  37. "Scares you. Good."

    He should scare all decent citizens. The guy is a moral and ethical train wreak.

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  38. Blunt but a bulls eye..3:01

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  39. I get the impression that the tag team of Angle/Stoffa/O'Hare won't soon be forgotten.

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  40. "He should scare all decent citizens. The guy is a moral and ethical train wreak."

    Says someone who lacks the morality or ethics to say who he or she is.

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  41. Last night on Business doesn't matter, Iannelli had his asshole buddy Ron Angle on the show. It was about racism and Angle did not disappoint. He is the ugly American of race relations and lived up to his reputation. He was his usual confederate self.

    What a buffoon.

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  42. The same show that accused us of being white supremacists and blacks of having colonized minds? The same show where the Latino told Angle to be quiet and maybe he'll learn something? The same show where the Latino guest claimed that Latinos view Cubans as Jews? I was at the taping. There were four guests. Three of them were bigots. Angle was the only one of the four who did not act like a bigot.

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