Who Do You Support in Tuesday's Election?

Tomorrow is election day, so I thought I should give you all an opportunity to make your final arguments. Here are mine.

Northampton County Judicial race. - Brian Panella and Nancy Aaroe have cross-filed. An overwhelming number of lawyers have contributed to Panella. This tells me he is the best person for this job. Although it's hard to imagine he'd win the Republican nomination, Republican lawyers are backing him. 

Northampton County DA. - I've made my choice clear in the post below.

Northampton County Controller. -  Tara Zrinski and Nadeem Qayuum are two opportunists seeking the Democratic nod, while John Cusick is running unopposed on the Republican side. The Democratic candidates are a disaster. I'll be voting for Cusick in the general. 

Northampton County Council D1 (Bethlehem). - Democrat Ken Kraft is running unopposed. Hellertown's Bill Rowe was ejected from the Republican ballot for a minor, but fatal, error. He is waging a write-in campaign. I'd support Hellertown's Bill Rowe as a breath of fresh air who will work with Executive Lamont McClure. Ken Kraft left this office in the middle of his term for a better opportunity,  The voters he abandoned should reject him. 

Northampton County Council D2 (Easton). - Kelly Keegan is running unopposed on the Democratic side. Based on her quick response to criticism from Forks resident Ed Reagan last week, I'd support her. Council Prez Kerry Myers, who was bounced from the Democratic ballot because he was too lazy to get the signatures he needed to secure a spot, has switched sides and wants Republicans to write him in. 

Northampton County Council D3 (Nazareth). - Democrat Jeffrey Warren and Republican Casey Foreman are both running unopposed. I am bothered by Warren, who seems to move around a lot. But I know nothing about Foreman. That will change. 

Northampton County Council D4 (Slate Belt, Northern Tier): Tom Giovanni is running unopposed on the Republican side. Democrats have fielded no candidate. Giovanni is a proud Republican, but tends to govern without regard to party. I'd vote for him if I could. 

Easton Mayor. - Incumbent Sal Panto and Peter Melan both seek the Democratic nod. There's a rumor that firefighter Tim Reilly has decided to mount a write-in campaign on the Republican side. Panto promised to make Easton "clean and safe," and has largely kept that promise. But he's been in office six terms. Melan describes himself as a listener, which would certainly differentiate him from Panto.  I'm honestly conflicted, but would probably give Panto one last shot if I lived in Easton. 

Easton City Council. -  Seven Democrats and zero Republicans seek three open seats. The candidates are Downtown Kenny Brown (incumbent), former Easton School Prez Frank Pintabone, Constable Lance Wheeler, Dave O'Connell (incumbent), Ken Greene, Crystal Rose and Kurt Carlson. 

I'd go with Ken Brown, whose life story is remarkable. He brings a lot of quiet wisdom to the table. Frank Pintabone is the first person I think of when I think about Easton. Finally, I am touched by Dave O'Connell's sincerity. 

Bethlehem City Council. -  There are three seats available. This race will continue after the primary. Devin Brunges and Tom Ginther are running unopposed on the Republican side of the ticket, and James Follweiler is waging a write-in campaign. 

On the Democratic side, there are five candidates - incumbent Michael Colon, Colleen Laird, Ricky Butler, former Council member Bryan Callahan and Celeste Dee. I started by liking Colon, but was extremely disappointed by his insipid performance during the debate hosted at the steel hall. At the same time, I was extremely impressed by Callahan, who condemned back room meetings and an unresponsive Mayor.. I liked Laird's encyclopedic knowledge of city issues. Ricky Butler is an everyman, the Frank Pintabone of Easton. So I'd go with Callahan, Laird and Butler. 

Allentown City Council (3 seats)  - Police and firefighters have sunk $22,350 into the races being waged by Santo Napoli, Candida Affa and Tino Babayan. Those would be my choices. They are the candidates who understand it's insane to have social workers respond to 9-1-1 calls. Speaking of insane, I am astonished that Ce-Ce Gerlach,, who dumped an underage boy at a tent city and participated in "Fuck the Police!" rallies, is even running. And Rodney Bushe told me he had filed his expense report when he had not. 

Lehigh County Comm'r at-large (4 seats) - Incumbent Danny Hartzell is trying very hard to lose. He raised only $150. Then he gave $300 from his own pocket, not his campaign fund, to two of the candidates running against him. He gave Sheila Alvarado and Michael Blichar $150 each.  So I'd punish Hartzell by voting him in as well as the two candidates he funded.  My fourth pick would befinitely be Victor Martine, who brings both diversity and common sense.