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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Wednesday, November 03, 2021

McClure Wins Re-Election, But GOP Wins Three Seats on NorCo Council

With all 156 precincts reporting, it appears that Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure has been re-elected. Republicans, however, have picked up three of the five at-large County Council seats up for grabs. This gives them a five-four majority. 

In the Exec race, McClure won with 37,404 votes, of which 18,025 came in by mail-in ballot (MIB). Lynch pulled down 29,628 votes, with only 3,254 coming in by MIB. McClure snagged 56% of the 67,103 votes cast in the Exec race. 

Voter turnout was 31.83%, much higher than the 23% turnout in the municipal race four years ago.

In the County Council race, incumbents Ron Heckman and Bill McGee fell short. Both are Democrats.  The top five finishers are Tara Zrinski (Dem - 32,837), John Goffredo (Rep - 31,719), Lori Vargo-Heffner (Dem - 31,589), John Brown - (Rep - 31,494) and Nicole Romanishan (Rep - 31,485). 

Northampton County will now have a divided government consisting of a Democratic Executive balanced by a Republican Council. 

The Democratic loss in County Council races is more a reflection of the national mood than a rejection of specific candidates. President Biden is unpopular in the latest polling. Few voters know much about county issues, so this vote appears to be a rejection of Biden's blunders as well as Democratic inability to come up with an infrastructure bill. 

Four years ago, the pendulum was swinging the other way. County voters were upset with then President Trump and his attempt to eliminate the Affordable Care Act without a replacement. 

While voters made clear they are upset with the way things are going nationally, their rejection of GOP standard bearer Steve Lynch reflects their disdain for a fringe candidate who alienated voters and bullied Northampton School Directors with a threat to bring "20 strong men" to remove them.   


29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bye - Bye Monty! Have fun the next 4 years. Now, Hopefully, you get the same treatment as you gave long term, NON AFFILIATED career service division heads when your first term started. PAYBACK IS A BITCH!

Anonymous said...

McClure is known as arrogant but he is fortunate the republicans pot the wackiest candidate on earth against him or he and his crew would be on the street, He received no mandate and based on his crazy opponent and burned earth tactics made it uncomfortable. No coattails that d=for sure.

The demos on county council paid the price for their whacky party in DC and the fact they are men in a women's party. Also, whomever managed this group campaign was goofy. The republicans banded together with great mailers and democrats had none. Terrible campaign logic. Vote totals show Zirinski and Hefner did their own thing with women.

Finally, McClure will soon realize that his ways will fall on deaf ears with the new republican majority. Finally, an open and honest review of Gracedale will happen. As well as a pay study. His controlling county council days are over.

Anonymous said...

Northampton people deserve their democratic politicians they deserve all the bad polcies that will happen and they will

Anonymous said...

Zirinski took one of her zany progressive groups she was the leader of the county ticket and would carry everyone below her across the line. I guess her ego wrote some checks her power couldn't cash.lol #smash the patriarchy!!

Anonymous said...

What a mistake for Northampton voters

Anonymous said...

Maybe those council candidates should have outspent their opponents 6-1. Maybe the big guy could have helped the ticket. They didn't. He didn't. Rs ran a train wreck where a ham sammich should have defeated the Gracedale Reaper with ease. Nice job, Lee.

Anonymous said...

O'Hare Hate Machine Blog now laser focused on John Brown in Three, Two, One...

joe said...

Man, and I was pretty stoked to have a guy run the county on Facebook live from the front seat of his truck. It will be interesting to see if Lynch bows out with some dignity or tries to whip people into a fraud frenzy and sell more "we the people" flags.

Regardless, democrats better start figuring out how to make things materially better for people or the midterms are going to be a (metaphorical) bloodbath at the polls.

Anonymous said...

Per the county website just now, it looks like Heckman jumped past Brown and Romanishan. Romanishan looks to be sixth and Ds get three of five.

Anonymous said...

First, congratulation to all those candidates who were successful in their races for public office. Next, thanks to all those residents of the County who took the time to exercise their right to vote. Now, we elected an unusual set up in Northampton County. Please do not become like our elected officials in Washington. Please work for all the people of Northampton County and forget that you are a "R" or a "D". You are a public official elected to "serve" the people of our County. Mr. McClure must extend the olive branch and County Council should not sharpen the ends and stab him with it. Council must serve as a check and balance to the administration. This should be government at its best. It isn't going to be easy but remember, the Executive and Council are there to represent we the people. It doesn't matter who won or who lost, the people have spoken.

Anonymous said...

John Brown, what a joke!

Tom Marshall said...

I find it hard to believe that there are that many mentally challenged people in Norco that would vote for Lynch. Very scary.

Anonymous said...

In scanning through various state results from around the nation I see MANY Incumbents being replaced. That’s great! After one or two terms, politicians seem to get a little too ‘cozy’ in their positions and frequently lose sight of who they are supposed to serve. Another positive, in my mind, is the number of far left-leaning judges being replaced. Many courts have been legislating from the bench and that’s not their role.

Anonymous said...

Certainly wasn't a landslide for McClure from Lynch. See if he is smart enough to understand why or continue to be arrogant. Can't wait until he is gone for good. God help us all in the next four years.

Anonymous said...

As of 4 am county website shows Heckman pulled ahead

Anonymous said...

Once again - the VOTERS, aka the General Public, aka American Citizens, want moderate and competent adults in office, not extremists and party cheerleaders.

If Biden has any brains or failing that, politically talented people around him, the message yesterday was move towards the middle. Clinton did it after the 1994 midterms and got another 4 years because of that in 1996.

Anonymous said...

IF this is a democracy then this is what is called the balances in power. IF this is actually what the country has deteriorated to, this will just be another wedge driven between reality of the middle mass and the fringe who use it for their propaganda.

Anonymous said...

Let me make this perfectly clear to any other future Cult 45 political candidate, we don’t want a fascist, neo-nationalist as a public servant.

This time Steve Lynch, We The People didn’t mean YOU…

Good riddance

Anonymous said...

wrong Heckman is in 4th place just above BrownStain so the Ds have 3

Anonymous said...

@8:03 - God? Prove to me that there is a God!

Chris Amato said...

Good run for Bill McGee that came up short. Great guy, hard worker who deserved another term. Asks the difficult questions and shows caring for the people. Better things are on his horizon.

Anonymous said...

Bravo!

Anonymous said...

Steve Lynch just posted this on his Facebook page and is blocking everyone who posts a negative comment. I was able to copy this before being blocked.

The age of corruption will be coming to an end in Northampton County. They have no idea who they messed with! God's people are just beginning this march! I am invigorated to eviscerate the swamp creatures in our county and their evil deeds. Remember, God is at work! This administration and their minions miscalculated big time messing with me, my family, and We the People. Lions are now cirlcing and we have no care or concern to appease your desire to allow corruption to continue because you refuse to be informed of facts. Suit up Patriots... We are just getting started! Who's ready for phase 2?
����������������������������������������������������������������

joe said...

Lynch also posted that he is going to "make them pay." For him losing an election, I guess? The fascist narcissist can't handle losing, which makes it even more obvious how unfit he is.

I wonder how far he's going to push it before the law gets involved?

Anonymous said...

11:02a. All the emojis at the bottom of his message are American Flags.

Anonymous said...

Funny how the totals on the county official site changed with supposedly all votes counted at midnight. The good old boys appear to be at it again. Wonder why people don't trust the so called system. System for who, or should I say what?

Anonymous said...

12:27 Of course you can Bernie runs a typical left wing agenda--he hate republicans please watch fox tonight to educate yourself--the people in America are finally waking up to that left wing garbage. 2022 will be The Grand Old Party's victory in a landslide,

Anonymous said...

When you make statements like this, it is YOU, the accuser, that has the burden of proof.

So please provide proof, if not, shut the FUCK up.

Bernie O'Hare said...

“ Funny how the totals on the county official site changed with supposedly all votes counted at midnight. The good old boys appear to be at it again. Wonder why people don't trust the so called system. System for who, or should I say what?”

The vote tally changed and will continue to change until the results are certified. I will explain tonight what happened to change results after midnight. By the way, an attorney from NCRC was present the entire time and had no issues. Also, everything was done under the glare of a camera. In a race with many close elections this is the norm