The day after her convincing win for Northampton County executive, Tara Zrinski said she fielded many phone calls, including one from Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis.
Zrinski declared victory around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, becoming the first woman to capture the seat since the county converted to an executive-council form of government nearly 50 years ago.
She referenced her groundbreaking status in a social media message about not foreseeing running for executive when she first ran for county council in 2017. She later set sights on capturing seats in the state House of Representatives and state Senate, losing both times
“I didn’t win because I am a woman,” she said. “I won because of the woman I am.”
With 100% of precincts reporting, Zrinski led Republican Council member Tom Giovanni by nearly 20 percentage points, according to unofficial election results..
Democrats also swept five races for county council seats, meaning the board will have an 8-1 Democratic majority to work with Zrinski when she is sworn in to office in January.
“We are going to have to find a way to mitigate this adversarial relationship between the administration and the council that currently exists,” Zrinski said Wednesday.
Under current Executive Lamont G. McClure, council has had sometimes testy disagreements over issues, such as bonuses for workers at the Gracedale nursing home that did not get paid to employees in full.
Giovanni, who congratulated Zrinski in a social media post, said Wednesday he conceded the race about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.
“We worked hard, ran a good campaign. It was just something with the Republicans who took the fall statewide, county wall.”
It went over to New Jersey, he said, noting Democratic wins there. Whatever the issue was, he said, possibly over the state and federal budget impasses, “it was the Democrats against the Republicans. This is their get-back at Republicans.”
Zrinski, 50, a Bethlehem Democrat, who served six years on County Council before being elected Controller in 2023, faced Wind Gap Republican Giovanni, 72, who was first elected to Council in 2019 to represent portions of the Slate Belt. He was reelected four years later and said in a social media message he intends to remain on council for the remaining two years of his term.
“I remain committed to serving our community,” said Giovanni, who could not be reached for comment. “I will continue to do all I can to support Northampton County’s working families, seniors, and citizens in any way that I can be helpful.”
McClure, also a Democrat, is exiting after eight years in the post. Although the current and new executive have not always seen eye to eye on matters, Zrinski said McClure told her Tuesday night he was proud of her and the campaign she ran. He also pledged to help her with a smooth transition, she said.
Before becoming county controller, Zrinski worked in education as a teacher and as a solar-energy consultant.
The executive’s duties include managing the county’s annual budget and a large workforce, and overseeing operations that include elections, the jail and Gracedale nursing home.
The victorious council Democrats are incumbent President Lori Vargo Heffner; David Holland, Theresa Fadem, Jason Boulette and Nadeem Qayyum. They defeated two Republican incumbents, John P. Goffredo, the council vice president, and John Brown, a first-time council member and former Bangor mayor and county executive who lost to McClure in 2018. The other Republicans who lost were Sam Elias, Daniel Campo and Juan E. Martinez.
Council will have to appoint a controller to replace Zrinski to serve out the remaining years of her elective post.
The next county executive will earn $105,000 annually, a 23.5% pay hike approved by council. Zrinski will be limited to two consecutive four-year terms for the first time, thanks to a 2023 voter referendum.
It was 1977 when citizens of Northampton County voted to change from the commission form to a county executive/council form. Ever since, eight men have served as executive. Zrinski will become the first woman in the role when she is sworn into office in early January.
Contact Morning Call reporter Anthony Salamone at asalamone@mcall.com.
