Democrat Josh Siegel prevailed in the Lehigh County executive race, crediting his win to a robust voter turnout effort and renewed energy in the party.
“Thank you, Lehigh County,” Siegel posted on Facebook as unofficial results showed him with 56,611 votes to Republican candidate Roger MacLean’s 36,798.
“We turned out voters like never before in Lehigh County,” Siegel said in a victory speech. “There was a blue tsunami.”
Siegel, 31, a state representative and former Allentown City Council member representing the 22nd state house district, faced off against MacLean, 73, who also served as Allentown mayor after Ed Pawlowski resigned in December 2018 following Pawlowki’s conviction in a pay-to-play scheme.
In his speech, Siegel credited fellow Democratic leaders, organized labor and the advocacy group Democracy First, among others, for voter turnout that was considerable for an off-year election.
He noted the retention of three Democratic justices on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and Democratic victories in Lower Macungie and South Whitehall townships as evidence that the beleaguered party is resurgent heading into next year’s midterm elections.
MacLean did not respond Wednesday to an email seeking comment.
The candidates debated several times after sealing their party nods in the May primary. The meetings, mostly civil, underscored their sharp divides on, among other issues, the role of law enforcement, the activities of immigration enforcement agents in the county and election security.
On the latter issue, for example, Siegel preached expansion of voting opportunities, while MacLean wanted to limit the number of ballot drop boxes so they were easier to monitor.
Siegel favored teaming police with social workers when responding to calls involving people having a mental crisis; MacLean called that dangerous, given how volatile such situations can be. Siegel said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents should be barred from wearing masks; MacLean said it was necessary to protect them from threats.
Both candidates vowed to create responsible budgets and do what they can to assure responsible development in the county, especially with the looming prospect of large, resource-hungry artificial intelligence data centers opening here.
