This election cycle, I'd like to schedule candidate nights for county offices. The venue will likely be the Oliver Border House in Nazareth. I'm pretty opinionated and it would be unfair for me to host debates. But what I'd like to do instead is ask candidates to spend some time talking about their campaigns and respond to what the other candidate says. This would be followed by a question and answer session from the audience, excluding me. .
There's going to be a contested primary in the DA's race, and I've already asked Terry Houck and Steve Baratta if they'd be interested in coming. In the general, I will attempt to schedule separate candidate nights for the judge and controller races.
I'll let you know. I'd like to host these before mail-in ballots are out.
This is a great idea! Give every candidate a few minutes to talk and then open it up for Q&A from the audience. It sure beats having to visit pizza joints all over the county to find out who these people are.
ReplyDeleteI will attend upon open bar.
ReplyDeleteWhy would these candidates come to an event you put together? You are completely biased (as you stated) and even if you're not the one asking the questions you would be the only one reporting on the event. You're not a legitimate news organization. You're a biased blogger (some might say a hack). You have no credibility to lend to an event like this. My guess is that if you have it, very few (if any) candidates show up and of any that do show it would likely only be those who you have shown some support for. Stay in your lane. If you're wondering what that is, it's blogging biased jackassed commentary. Leave hosting debates, candidate forums, etc to those who have the credibility to do those things.
ReplyDeleteNo one has credibility as news today brings their own bias even in the questioning. So good for Bernie offering this.
Delete1:15, My first candidate night will be for the primary candidates for DA. I do not have formal replies from both at thus point, but am informed both Houck and Baratta have agreed to participate. It is NOT a debate precisely bc I support Houck. But I believe in fairness and voters should make up their own minds. I will let each candidate speak and allow each to respond to what each said. Then the audience can ask questions. I will ask none. I am doing this bc I doubt any other outfit will.
ReplyDeleteIn the general, I will invite the nominees for Controller to a candidate night>If there is a contested race for D3 on county council, I will invite both candidates.
I am opinionated but try to be fair.
Those who pretend they have no bias are being dishonest.
Actually, there is a contested primary fore Controller in the democrat side. A real fiscal man is running against perianal candidate Zirinski. Would love to have them have to debate. I doubt she would ever want to debate since she knows very little. Her best bet is her cult followers just voting. That and all the McClure backing and union money she gets.
ReplyDeleteIf there really is a contested controller primary, I will schedule a candidate night in that race as well. Please give me the name of the person running against Zrinski. Let's see if he gets on the ballot.
ReplyDeleteA real fiscal man? He has a degree in finance but he’s left of Zrinski politically, if that is even possible! He thinks county funds should be used to pay for college, LOL I don’t think so.
ReplyDeleteHis name? I know he's married to a member of Easton City Council but am having trouble nailing down his name.
ReplyDelete"I will attend upon open bar."
ReplyDeleteMaybe coffee and tea.
The guys name is Nadeem Quyyum. His wife is Easton city councilor Taiba Sultana. She identifies as a socialist if my recollection is correct.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/2023/02/husband-of-easton-councilwoman-announces-run-for-northampton-controller.html?outputType=amp
Thanks. He never sent me his campaign announcement. I just checked him out, and he sounds more like a Congressman than a Controller. Hrd to believe someone is to the left of Zrinski, but you're right. Don't think he has a clue about county government, if his Facebook pronouncements are any indication.
ReplyDeleteBarron Von Footiumouth, doing McClure's dirty work again? Everyone knows Zirinski is your bosses pick for Controller since she is a ringer and clueless. So, you will trash any opponent of hers. If the guy is a resident and breathing, he is at least as qualified as clueless Zirinski.
ReplyDeleteWow...what a choice. 🤪🤪 I sure hope a Republican runs for controller.
ReplyDeleteJohn Cusick is running and if God exists, he will win. .
ReplyDeleteTo everyone bad mouthing Tara, let me remind you that SHE RECEIVED THE MOST VOTES OUT OF ALL THE CANDIDATES AT LARGE in the last election! She has a HUGE amount of supporters.
ReplyDeleteLet me remind you that she was the top vote getter among 10 candidates seeking 5 at-large seats. She was able to appeal to the left-leaning wing of her party and that is how she came out on top. In a one-on-one race just a few months apart, she lost to a more moderate Democrat who was running for the first time. I expect her to win the primary and get trounced in the general. All the issues that are dear to her - legal weed and the environment - are pretty much irrelevant to a Controller. She has been a rubber stamp for McClure and will continue to be a rubber stamp as Controller. She has displayed no interest in county finance and was not on the finance committee. She skips finance meetings so she can attend political functions for herself. In her entire time on county council, she never offered a budget amendment. She skipped an important council hearing on the financing for the human services building. If you want to support her for county council or state office, fine. But as Controller, she'd be terrible. She just wants a paycheck as she runs for her next office.
ReplyDeleteNadeem Qayyum is the only qualified candidate running for Northampton County Controller.
ReplyDeleteGiven that the only requirements for Controller is (1) a US citizen who (2) has resided continuously in the county for a year prior to commencement of the term of office, I suspect all three candidates are qualified. I will want Nadeem to present proof he is a US citizen.
ReplyDeleteI will be writing about his campaign. Thus is his second attempt at office since 2019. He previously ran for MDJ in Easton, and was trounced. Based on his Facebook comments, he has no idea what a controller does.