Money may not be everything, but it sure helps if you're running for office. Based on the pre-election reports filed for NorCo Executive candidates Tara Zrinski (her report is here) and Tom Giovanni (his report is here), Tara Zrinski is well on her way to victory in November. In a county in which Democrats still maintain an edge in voter registration and in a race where the name "Trump" is nowhere to be found, she has outraised Tom Giovanni by a margin of 3 to 1, both in cash and in-kind contributions.
According to her report, Zrinski raised $93,687.00 between June 10 and October 20. She also received $64,698.14 in in-kind contributions, and I'm not talking about pizza pies. In contrast, Giovanni raised only $26,885.00 as well as $19,399.31 in in-kind contributions.
Zrinski's report demonstrates a great deal of grass roots support. She received contributions of $9612.00 from 71 individual donors of $250 or less. Giovanni had far less grass roots support. His report shows only 32 contributions of $250 or less.
Zrinski was also boosted by several large PAC contributions, the largest of which is IBEW ($15,000). She also received $10,000 from the Jane Fonda Climate PAC and $5,000 from Executive Lamont McClure's local campaign fund.
Her largest individual contributor was Nimita Kapoor Atiyeh, wife of Abe Atiyeh. He owns the work release center in West Easton being leased by the county.
Zrinski benefitted immensely from in-kind contributions made by the Democracy First PAC. That group produced mailers, campaign literature, paid people to go door-to-door and even paid rent.
Giovanni's largest PAC contributor was the Pa Future Fund ($5,000). His largest individual contribution came from Charles Baltic III ($1,500), a retired attorney who lives in Upper Mount Bethel and who has spoken out against satellite elections offices in Northampton County. His largest in-kind contribution is $17,000 from the state Republican party for both campaign literature and postage. He also reports $2,243 from a sign company called JES for banners. I believe that portion of his report is a bit misleading because it fails to explain who actually paid for these signs. I believe the person who did so was Lou Pektor and am pretty sue Tom told me that himself when we met to discuss his personal story. Tom supported a LERTA for his development in Upper Mount Bethel Tp.
(Updated 7:34).
32 comments:
I'd say turn out the lights the party's over, but I do believe that happened a long time ago.
Ir goes to show: democrats are crooks!!!
The BO blessing for TZ. Is a kiss of death. Forget the money, she is sure to lose now.
Correction: Charles Baltic lives in Upper Mount Bethel Township and is a member of the NorCo Republican’s Executive Committee.
Scott Janney
Lol, I have not said she's winning but given the disparity in campaign finance and voter registration, it's hard to argue otherwise. You can't win if people don't know who you are. I have yet to receive one mailer from Tom. I have 5 from Zrinski directly or her as part of a team.
I corrected my post to note Baltic's residence. I knew this and intended to write it and that he worked in NYC, but I know the rest is correct as I watched him complain at a Council meeting about the legality of the satellite offices in South Bethlehem and Washington Tp. By the way, his legal argument appears to be horseshit. He never filed suit, as he and Glenn suggested would happen. And you should never threaten to sue unless you actually do so. Otherwise, you are little more than a paper tiger
Ignore the politics and consider:
Tara is a proven vote-getter.
Tom is a good man but his campaign has taken “The Quiet Man” theme to extremes.
Based on mailings, signs and public appearances, the Republicans have forfeited this one.
Zrinski will win. She has sold herself as "mainstream" even though she is far from it. The stars lined up right for her also, republicans control all 3 branches in Washington. The hatred for Trump borders on mental illness. They will be out voting anything with a D next to it.
I am declining to publish an anonymous personal attack at Janney unless the author identifies himself. Janney is neither a candidate nor an elected official.
New York and NorCo are preparing to go in the communist shitter. Jane Fonda Climate Idiocy Fund? OMG. Tara Zohrinski ignored the Nazareth Halloween Parade to go to the old codgers blue hair no kings nonsense in Easton. Tom went to Nazareth and handed out trick or treat candy to the kids. No surprise as she stood with her hands in her pockets, cracking chewing gum during the national anthem at Nazareth's July 4th celebration. Choose your fighter.
This to me is the $64k question - Zrinski was a radical leftist 5yrs ago. now she's not as radical. Which one is the true Zrinski? Also, another D bought/paid for by unions. I'm all for getting dirty money out of politics, and it starts with the unions.
I received one from Tom last week.
Last night at the UMBT Board of Supervisor meeting Mr. Baltic embarrassed himself, by using public comment to blovate about a censorship vote he led at the Northampton County Republican Committee meeting against BOS Chairman John Bermingham. Mr. Baltic used his 3 minutes to tell anyone listening that because Mr. Bermingham had "endorsed candidates that were not endorsed by the NCRC and their chosen electors" and a vote of censure had been taken and he intended to file that with the township.
Mr. Bermingham promptly reminded Mr. Baltic that several years prior the NCRC had removed him for doing the same thing, to which Baltic replied... not while I was on the board. Seems like empty performative threats are kind of his "thing".
Baltic's buffoonery seems to overlook the most important thing of local government... you are elected to govern ALL of the residents, not just the partisan extremists that support you.
Giovanni's from is invalid and should be bounced from election commission. He did not enter the year and date of election on top so it is incomplete. And he wants to be Executive and on the Election Integrity committee, this is comical on so many levels.
It's hard to win when nobody knows you- Dems are all over my area, Republicans are MIA. Whoever thought the "quiet man" would be a good candidate, is dreaming.
It's a shame that TZ will win- she's incompetent and has to be the most inauthentic pol I've ever met. She got lucky running against 2 lazy campaigners the last 2 elections- Cusick & now Giovanni. Nobody knows who they are!
Giovanni and Brownpants- two R's with no personality- now we'll be stuck with an incompetent Executive!
As much as it might be hard for the knuckle-draggers on this site to believe, public officials can actually grow and alter their viewpoints as they represent our communities. It's called getting wiser and learning.
Brownpants, Lynch, and now Giovanni- and Republicans wonder why they can't win.
The Communist shitter, You are so funny. Read something for christs sake
Tara was at the Nazareth Halloween parade and also handed out candy along the parade just like Tom. I know this because I was there and spoke with both of them before it started.
Most people don’t vote based on Halloween parades.
This may surprise you.
As a candidate endorsed by Chairman Bermingham, I appreciate the bipartisan support and that he's willing to back the best candidates for the job regardless of party. But I feel badly for him that the Northampton County Republican Committee is lashing out at him for that.
We should all aspire to have elected officials that work towards the best interests of all their residents because they should be putting residents first, not party.
"Tara Zohrinski ignored the Nazareth Halloween Parade to go to the old codgers blue hair no kings nonsense in Easton. Tom went to Nazareth and handed out trick or treat candy to the kids."
Tara marched in the Nazareth parade, just as Tom did. And she handed out plenty of candy.
You didn’t receive Giovanni’s mailer “Let’s Honor Charlie Kirk with our Vote” “Charlie Kirk gave his life for our values”? Values of “denying systemic racism, calling white privilege a ‘racist idea’, embracing Christian nationalist language, praising authoritarianism, and legitimizing extremists? No thank you Republicans. Say what you want about Democrats being too far left, but Giovanni’s flyer stating to vote in honor of a pure extremist makes you all look like hypocrites.
I thik both parties, but especially the Republicans, are making a big error when they fail to send mailings to those of us registered as independents. I used to be registered Republican, but found there are persons in that party I could not abide, so I went for independent. Those of us who are registered independent tend to be more thoughtful and inquisitive than people who automatically vote for anybody from a specific party. I would have had more to go on regarding Giovanni had I received mailings, as he was in fact "a Quiet Man. BTW, he was on Gunther's niine-o'clock interview this morning on WAEB 790AM radio, and made good arguments for intelligent people to ponder before they vote.
You’re obviously anti-union and forget the dark money of the Koch.brothers et al who finance the Republicans
I thought Nixon was a Republican. The biggest crook sits in the White House now
I've tried, but I just can't get the image of Zrinski jumping around like an idiot with a bullhorn in front of the Bethlehem Post Office. I've seen her at campaign events, and its painful to see her twist & turn with the political winds- lacking any sort of confidence or conviction. She lacks both the competence and the temperament to be an Executive. This former Dem is voting for Giovanni.
Great catch! Geez, Giovanni is so critical of Tara and look at the rudimentary mistakes he made. I’m voting for proven competency and that is why I voted for Zrinski.
She wasn't there. A car with her signs rolled by quickly.
Anon 818 here - no, i said START with the unions. The move to the Koch brothers, George Soros, all of them. Neither party represents the people, they represent themselves. Quit being a D sheep and realize they're screwing you just as badly as the Rs are (and vice versa).
And while I do believe that public officials can grow, it should start with the statement, "I was wrong when I..." Then I'll believe it, and not before. She has not done that, so I have no trust she has evolved vs. learned to hide her true feelings.
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