On Monday, I told you all the reasons why DA Terry Houck would win his re-election campaign. Once again, I was the kiss of death. But I stand by that prediction. It's just going to take a bit longer than I thought. I did expect Terry to prevail, but Steve Baratta won the Democratic nomination rather handily, both in mail-in ballots and in-person voting. He garnered 12,932 votes to 10,792 for Terry. He got 54% of the Democrats.
I congratulate Steve for his victory, but it's pyrrhic, This race will continue. That's because there are 2,118 Republican write-ins to be canvassed. Once that happens, it's very likely that Terry Houck, a Democrat, will be the Republican nominee.
If he keeps his Democratic support, he should win in November. Houck wants to represent everyone. Baratta has made clear he's only interested in Democrats.
Ray Lahoud, a major Baratta donor and supporter, told me he intends to challenge every single write-in vote that went to Houck.
You can see the election results here.
I am a democrat whom voted for Houck. I will vote for him again as a republican. Baratta was a awful Judge and he will be an awful D.A. Houck will win in the fall.
ReplyDeleteOkay Patrica. Hit the bottle.
Delete12:23- Will Houck's name even appear on the ballot in November as a Republican? If not, there's no way he'll prevail. It's sad, he's been a great DA. I voted for him.
DeleteHowever, Baratta ran a great campaign and it seemed he placed many more television ads than Houck. Either way, if Houck doesn't prevail, I'm satisfied with Baratta at the helm. Both are fine, honorable scrupulous persons.
@3:18- is your comment directed at The West Easton convict? If so, her head must be exploding today. She has posted and said so much hateful, vile things about Baratta since he announced his candidacy for District Attorney. She's going to need something stronger than the bottle.
Will NorCo Republicans save the Democrats from themselves in November?
ReplyDeleteI think it clearly depends on how far Baratta moves away from his wanna-be Alvin Bragg persona.
And, how far to the right Houck will go to contrast the likely differences between the way the DA's office will operate under his stewardship compared to Baratta.
Houck better go into attack mode or George Soros will be licking his chops and humming "Another One Bites the Dust" in November.
Baratta was also seeking Republican write-in votes. Interesting to see how many Baratta pulled. I'm sure McClure's election office will nix a bunch of Houck write-ins for a multitude of reasons.
ReplyDeleteIf there's a way to cheat, Dems find it.
DeleteStill can't imagine people voting for Baratta knowing he lied, exaggerated, and has to now mend an office that he threw wrenches at. Could it be low-info voters, Lahoud's money, old money/name recognition, or just people from the area look at Houck as an outsider? Either way this stinks.
ReplyDeleteBernie, two democrats running for DA, houck has all those FOP endorsements and Baratta wins on the democratic side. I’ll bet those FOP people voted for Baratta. You covered up many things for Houck like workers are leaving for better jobs, that’s bullshit.
ReplyDeleteThey left because they don’t like Houck’s style of management. Bernie tell us again how Terry is going to win.
2:18 they did. And they came out for Baratta. More than anyone the police are frustrated with Terry. No help. No communication. No call backs on investigations. No grand jury. The only person that thinks Terry is remotely effective is Ternie.
DeleteTerry Lost. Back to Bucks!
ReplyDeleteTerry is done. He sucks. Opportunist Republican. He’s a Republican. Baratta told you so.
ReplyDeleteLahoud/Baratta/Sonos = woke garbage who hate law abiding Americans. Say no to Philly in NorCo. They want every slimey lawbreaker to have more rights than you - even criminal riff raff that just arrived yesterday to rape your children and deal drugs near schools. No cash bail for them from Baratta. This is Bitter Baratta's NorCo. And a get out of jail free card frim Baratta for Lahouds clients. Pay attention. Even Bernie is cool with this crap in most cases.
ReplyDeleteHmmm. A very thoughtful comment.
DeleteWow, you think that "criminal riff raff" should have less rights than you? Wow.
Delete5:57am- The West Easton convict is hitting the sauce really early today. Criminal riff raff? Pot meet Kettle.
DeleteI’d let Lahoud riff and raft me.Mmmm. He could pound me all night long.
DeleteWell, I am both surprised and disappointed. Lies and money won this election. If I’m Houck, I just lick my wounds and enjoy my retirement. If I’m in the DA’s office, I’m looking for a new job. Baratta has burned a lot of bridges on his little spite tour and I’m sure Morganelli has lost a lot of respect, as well. The only winner is Lahoud, who threw an average person’s yearly salary at Baratta and has been shown to be a savvy investor. Baratta may have won the primary, but he lost so much more.
ReplyDeleteLahoud is a hottie with a swimmer’s body
ReplyDeleteIf he challenges my write in vote I’ll challenge him. Lahoud is an asshole.
ReplyDeleteWell, that’s like, just your opinion, man.
DeleteI want Lahoud so bad that I can hardly hold myself.
DeleteTerry despises Trump, so that’s going to be interesting.
ReplyDeleteWill Terry spend the next 6 months lying to Republicans the way he spent the last 4 years lying to the Democrats.
ReplyDeleteIt's safe to assume that all the scolds who chastised 'Bernie Bros' will fall in line and vote for the choice of the party, right? Right???
ReplyDeleteIs Terry still supporting Tara Zarinski is he for Cusack ?
ReplyDeleteThe people have spoken. Terry is done.
ReplyDeleteNancy Aaroe and Terry should run together. Their consultants Tiny Tim Butler and Severson Scissorhands used to work together.
ReplyDeleteLOL. BERNIE YOU IDIOT!
ReplyDeleteI am a Democrat who voted for Houck, and I intend to do so again in November. I prefer a DA elected by the people to a DA elected by big money.
ReplyDeleteTerry is supporting Kelly Keegan over Carey Meyers. So, that proves Terry has not gone full MAGA.
ReplyDeleteWill Terry proudly go to Left Wing Lehigh Valley For All and proudly proclaim he’s still a Progressive ?
ReplyDeleteMaybe Terry can get a job with Kline & Specter.This way he won't have to work two jobs.
ReplyDeleteGive Tom Severson credit. He masterminded the Houck Republican write-in. The strategy going forward will be that Houck will continue to lie to Progressives and Severson will send pieces of mail to R voters that Baratta will turn Northampton County into Philly.
ReplyDeleteTiny Tim Butler and Severson Scissorhands can’t work together. Severson is working for Panella and Butler is working for Aaroe. I wonder if Butler and Severson have disclosed to their clients how closely they have been entangled ?
ReplyDeleteBernie, you accused a jighly regarded judge (on both sides of th aisle) of a federal crime when you know that the fucking goober you represent did it. You are a fucking scumbag. And as usual, WRONG....AND *checks results* a LOSER!
ReplyDeleteGood luck in the fall with this (if you aren't in litigation and Terry isn't under investigation...).
You're so bad at this. Lol.
ReplyDelete9:06, What I stated is that Baratta was blowin' oil over a text message that his own campaign could have sent as a dirty trick. I at no time accused Baratta of doing anything except leaping to a conclusion that was unwarranted by the evidence. There is no actual evidence (other than speculation) that the text was sent by Terry, who specifically denied it. Ray Lahoud tells me he is seeking an AG investigation. Let's see how that plays out. I am unwilling to engage in speculation the way Baratta did. This is exactly what I said. " For all I know it is a dirty trick conjured up by Team Baratta to make Terry look bad among Democrats. I won't accuse Steve himself of that kind of mudslinging, but he should look to his own team to determine where that text message really came from and who really paid for it."
ReplyDeleteI had just as much reason to say what I did as Baratta had to say what he did.
https://lehighvalleyramblings.blogspot.com/2023/05/baratta-blowin-oil-over-text-that-his.html
Terry's going back to bucks. Rich is moving into a nursing home. And you can stay on the interwebs and out of a courtroom. Northampton county deserves better. Shame on you for doing everything in your power to protect the corruption. You are a fraud.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are so mean.
DeleteTiny Tim Butler and Severson Scissorhands can’t work together. Severson is working for Panella and Butler is working for Aaroe. I wonder if Butler and Severson have disclosed to their clients how closely they have been entangled ?
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteHoucky only cares about himself. Did he change his party yet? Hocuky seems confident that he got enough write-in votes. funny, because republicans in slate belt, bethlehem, palmer, formks, bethlehem and hanover townships overwhelming were writing in Baratta because the republicans knew the sleaziness of Houcky is. Bernard: did Houcky tell you when he was going to change his party...or is he still lying about it? Is he making friends with Tom Carroll now who Houck ran a negative and dirty campaign against? Houcky lost big. Houcky is a liar who couldnt handle the heat that Baratta rightfully gave him.
ReplyDeleteBye, bye Patricia. Hit the bottle hard tonight. Will you register Republican now? Panella should dump you just like traitor Houcky dumped the Democrats by saying he was going to now be a Republican. He tried to play the democrats, but the democrats saw through his lies.
ReplyDeleteAs a Dem, I expect our candidates to support the winner. If they can't do that, then they should keep shut their trap. And if they run against the party's nominee, then they should never claim again to be a Democrat.
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha, the GOP doesn't want Houck. Justice is done.
ReplyDeleteWhat a party boss wants is irrelevant. What matters are the votes of party members. Hock is not running as a Republican. He is doing exactly what Democrats Ken Kraft and Kelly Keegan have tried to do - get the R nomination as a write-in.
ReplyDeleteHocuk is running against Big Moent. He is running against the Morganelli Machine and the establishment. While Democrats were conned in the primary, that should change, and once Republicans and independents can vote, Houck will win.
BOH- will Houck be on the Ballot as a Republican or is it write in only? If the latter, there's no way he can win. Don't be delusional.
DeleteI can't wait to wake up one morning and hear that Baratta got more Republican write ins than Tiny Trembling Terry. Then youll say, "BuT jUsT wAiT uNtIl tHe InDePeNdEnTs HaVe ThEiR sAy". Disbarred Bernard, can you hear the drums of defamation suits beating in the air?! I can!!
ReplyDeleteI agree that Terry would never succeed if he had to wage a campaign against a candidate already on the ballot solely as write-in. He will be on the ballot as the nominee of Republican voters. He will lack the support of the Dem party or the GOP party, but he will be on the ballot. He will not have the big money donors that Baratta has used. He will not have the established politicians. Terry will win once Republicans and independents can vote in addition to the Dems who already support him. I always vote the person, not the party. I am always leery of big money pols or people pushed by the establishment.
ReplyDeleteBernie with all due respect, you kissed Charlie Dent’s ass for years when he was in office. He wasn’t funded by big money around here (JB Reilly, Joe Topper, etc)? He wasn’t establishment? Give me a break. You get too caught up on personalities. I predict within a year you will be singing Baratta’s praises.
ReplyDeleteWhat planet are you on, Terry was supported by all the establishment, you wrote about it extensively, the straw poll has to be on of the most embarrassing aspects of this campaign for LVIA and the party, and it shows how useless, disconnected, and anemic they are from the world. You are the epotime of that and all of what is wrong with politics in the Lehigh Valley. At one time, a less vindictive, more sentient O'Hare had some pulse on the vein of what matters, now you wake up and smell your own farts and forget what you said five minutes ago. Politely get bent and get lost. The LV desperately needs leadership, its lacking across the board, but folks like you make good folks run from people and places that do politics, they are unwelcoming, thoughtless, and in your case down right nutty. Politics shouldn't be entertainment but you get fives stars for being the County Jester.
ReplyDeleteYours Truly,
Death
How have we completely lost the plot in all of this? Is it middle school with the name calling? Are you proud of your posts about human beings? You hide behind your keyboard and anonymity but are too cowardly to do anything. Go make a change in your community instead of spewing hate on the internet.
ReplyDeleteGet over yourselves weirdos and move the fuck on. These are peoples lives, jobs, families. Get a hobby, get a dog, get a clue, I don’t care but stop sucking the life and energy from Northampton county.
At least the people running in elections are willing to DO SOMETHING. agree or disagree, they are motivated community members. And what that’s you done aside from shell up, and spew hate on the internet? Woof, sad life you live.
For the benefit of our community, get over yourself. Go make a change, go take a walk, or just mind your fucking business. If you need to talk shit then sign your name coward. See how it goes.
10:16, Sure I supported Charlie Dent. I will back establishment pols. But I am always leery of elected officials backed by big $ and the establishment. Terry had the support of first responders. Baratta had the support of two real estate developers, a state senator, a behind the-scenes push by a sitting judge and the George Soros of the Lehigh Valley. I'll go with the first responders. I have not been critical of Baratta as a person and won't go there. I consider him a good man and have saud so several times. He just gets bad advice. He won a primary but will lose the general.
ReplyDeleteThe George Soros of the Lehigh Valley? Come on, you know that’s ridiculous. Lahoud is a registered Republican. Total moderate.
ReplyDeleteLol Terry does not have the support of first responders, specifically police, because he's fucked up that office so much. You are the only one that refuses to concede it. They silently support baratta (only because Houck is the sitting DA) and voted that way. I think the write in results will clarify that. Looking forward to this being over and the future investigations into what's been done by the Houck campaign. Stay tuned!
ReplyDeleteI decline to post the personal attack aimed at Ray Lahoud unless the author identifies himself.
ReplyDeleteHi Big Gulp
ReplyDelete