Democrats
Rev. Greg Edwards has raised the most money - $357,571.78 - of the five top candidates. But only $43,116.86, or 12% of his total, actually comes from individual contributions in Pennsylvania. He received y more money from the West coast. He reports that $69,155.30 (19% of his total) in individual contributions are from California.
Of the $286,977.20 raised by insurance defense attorney Susan Wild, only $125,123.00 (44% of her total) comes in the form of individual contributions from the Keystone State. She has also lent herself $35,000.
District Attorney John Morganelli trails both Edwards and Wild in fundraising. His latest figures show him at $233,570.00. But $164.010 (70%) of this sum comes in the form of individual contributions here in Pa.
Republicans
Lehigh County Comm'r Marty Nothstein has raised $307,619.65, but only $107,608.19 ($35%) comes from individual contributions here in Pa. As disturbing as this is, Browning's finance is worse. Only $16,550 (8%) of his $208,550.00 total is from individual Pennsylvania donors.
Both Republicans have actually lent themselves huge sums. Nothstein has lent his campaign $145,000, and Browning has sunk $162,500 into his race.
Morganelli Leads Money Race in Pa
Of the five top Congressional candidates, Morganelli has the most money in the form of individual contributions from Pa.:
Morganelli - $164.010
Wild - $125,123
Nothstein - $107,608.19
Edwards - $43,116.86
Browning - $16,550
This is consistent with a recently reported Morning Call - Muhlenberg College poll, which shows that Morganelli, is the most well known of the five candidates and has both the highest positives and negatives. The outside money is an attempt to impose the will of outsiders, both conservative and liberal, on a local decision that has national significance.
45 comments:
Surprised to see Edward's individual local contributions are so low considering he has a lot of grassroots supporters out there knocking doors and making calls. Off topic, are you going to do a piece on Chrin's middle finger to the TIF? Remember he also promised 5000 jobs and NOT mostly warehouses...fat chance! Now he is welching on the 2 million promised for open space too.
Nothstein not Browning has more out of state money—$50,000 to $30,000.
Angle cut the deal with Chrin...let him go get the promised money!
10:59, It was part of my story on Friday and you are OT.
Until we get serious about finance reform for elections..nothing will surprise me. And not one of these candidates has said a word about such reforms being needed. In one way or another..for whatever reason..they all take money wherever it comes from.
Your statement is simply untrue. At nearly every debate, the Dems condemned the use of outside money.
John's the best know, and the front runner. I question whether he'll complete a full term or accept a Trump administration position, if offered. Is he still seeking a job with the Trump team?
You make a donation in the amount of $60 to one of the candidate ?..Idential amount Bethlehem Steel offered as a payout ,you communicated to one of your clients for a settlement.
11:35, I know this much about John. When he gives his word, he keeps it. I know this about Wild. When she gives her word, she breaks it. She broke herword to run a clean campaign, has run an ugly and dirty race, and the mud is splashing on her face.
Why isn`t Ric Dougherty mentioned? He is the most honest of the bunch1
11:48, Tricia Mezzacappa, aka Tricia Phillips, just make sure you show up in court on 5/11 and do not thumb your nose at the judges as you have done or you will be picked up again.
Bernie you need therapy to get over Tricia, or else get a new girlfriend.
Everyone complains about outside money, then go begging all over the country. No one is going to refuse outside money.
wait till the fall.. you see money spent-
11:50, I have covered Dougherty, who is incidentally more conservative than Morganelli, in several debates. He claims he does not want the job. He has spent no money. I believe his candidacy is nothing more than an exercise of pure ego. Also, this is the guy who stood by Fed Ed’s side when he resigned. Had he raised any real money, I would have included him in this story. But he did not I question your assessment that he is honest, given his association with Fed Ed.
Control of the house has national implications - namely the Trump resistance. This is alarming to you? Edwards receiving much bank is the obvious outcome of the Sanders effort to help progressive candidates. You need to get out of local pothole politics for a bit and see the big picture.
And not one of these candidates has said a word about such reforms being needed.
Because its a waste of breath. I meam really? We had a bipartisan bill thats been shat on for 16 years, McCain Feingold. Then, Repubs sat back and cheered Citizens United. Still do.
11:35, I know this much about John. When he gives his word, he keeps it. I know this about Wild. When she gives her word, she breaks it. She broke herword to run a clean campaign, has run an ugly and dirty race, and the mud is splashing on her face.
Putting Morganelli in a Trump hat is not "dirty". The flyer Morganelli sent out implying that Wild is dirty and implicated in federal crimes IS dirty.
It's an important district that was written about extensively following Trump's win. It's not surprising to see money from around the country pour in. Just look at the special elections over the last 18 months. John is facing a purity test. The only surprise is that it didn't begin sooner. Both parties have tacked toward their extremes. The one that makes a pragmatic big boy decision in the primary will win this race. The LV loves mushy moderate congressional reps.
Its more than a purity test. People would get over differences on issues. It's the Trump adoration and then the whitewashing of the tweets that has soured people paying attention on JM.
Phenomenon that has been happening nationally. I'm sure many of your readers, like me, have received solicitations from politicians running in other states (I never give). Case in point, I've always liked Dent, but even looking at his most recent "itemized individual contributions", of the most recent 100 in the 2017-18 period (which ends 9/7/2017, around time he announced he was out) 42/100 were VotesanePAC out of VA, which contribution LOTS of money. Of the others, actual individuals, only 9/100 were from PA, and 49/100 were from out of state.
Looking at 2015-16 period, the most recent 100 when he was actually running for the General, 86/100 were individuals from PA.
Maybe it wasn't just the Trumpers, but the money sources too, that provided the writing on the wall he saw?
Back to your post, though, the point of referencing Dent, is with the hyper-polarization that has evolved in recent years, our elections are becoming almost more akin to parliamentary in that individual Congressmen/women increasingly don't matter as to the body in the seat in the seat anymore, just the party. Partisans are expecting litmus-test loyalty, or you get primaried; no individual thinking or compromise allowed. And national money is being dumped into these so-called "local" campaigns. The system in the big pictures is weakening the ideal of "one person-one vote".... "one person" is being replaced with dollar signs.
ugh, I should have proofed that for typos.
2:31, you obviously attach less importance to honesty than I bc your accusation is a lie. Morganelli has not attacked Wild over Fed Ed, and has only pointed out that this supposed champion of the people represents the insurance companies trying to screw them. The Fed Ed attacks on Wild come from a No Labels spin off over which John has no control. Susan gave her word to John and broke it. She is a liar. If she lied to him, she will lie to her constituents. That may not matter to you, but it explains why her campaign is failing.
2:27, over the years, I have seen numerous national “experts” come into this district and tell people what they need to do. They invariably give bad advice and move on until their nonsense is rejected. Anyone who thinks that locals here don’t resent this outside influence is nuts.
People attack moderates. What is wrong with trying to work with people you may not agree with on all things? Bernie, I just don't get this anger towards moderates by the extremes of both parties. Nothing gets done because the extremes on both sides want their way or the highway, so nothing gets done.
I prefer people who are willing to listen and consider other viewpoints while still working for solutions.
Are there any moderates left in any level of government in the Lehigh Valley?
4:20, There are still moderates, though they are increasingly rare. John Morganelli, Bob Donchez, Pat Browne, Ray O’Connell are some names that immediately come to mind.
Tricia Mezzacappa aka Tricia Phillips, do us a favor and stay off this blog. You have to be in court Friday for your trial on criminal contempt.
Tricia Phillips?? Did she marry that other tea party whacko and RAT member Hayden Phillips. It would make sense.
Mc cain -feingold was the deep states attempt to control who the candidates would be. money had to be given to the party in any amount, limit on individual contributions. talk about individual contributions, trump received lots of money from individuals as did sanders. The Dem establishment rigged their primary and republicans tried to rig theirs. Wether you like Trump or not , he is the peoples candidate.
Cuckoo
anon 6:29, careful the deep sate has listening devices in your walls!!
Love the article and comments on the morning call article (Shared Grief over Trump's election gives rise to new political group in the Lehigh Valley).
Google=theuglytruthonbernieohaire,btw Bernie you look half Jewish (all good).
I don't entirely get the outrage here over outside money. Of course legislators should represent their districts, and it is bad if a candidate has exclusively outside support, but because congressmen work to make laws for the whole country, donors outside the district absolutely have a stake in who we elect.
People who live in one locality react poorly when people from another locality try to tell them how to vote. FDR lost both houses of Congress when he tried it.
Bernie: The Dems lost many seats in the 1938 election, but the Dems still controlled both houses of Congress during all of FDR's years.
Then I stand corrected. FDR made a blunder in trying ti jam his candidates down everyone's throats and in telling people from Washington how they should vote, and it cost him heavily. I was under the impression that the party lost control, but regardless whether dems had a majority, hhe himself lost a lot of influence in that election.
Anonymous @ May 7, 2018 at 5:58 PM
Hayden Phillips is not a whacko. He is a principled, conservative man of great integrity. He is happily married and has a wonderful family. He also proudly served his country for many years. The only fact you have proven with your flippant comment is that you do not know Hayden Phillips.
Well said, Jeff
You don’t get to post your vitriol here unless you have the courage to ID yourself.
How is this news in any political race, especially since the Citizens United SCOTUS decision?
It’s always important to know who is buying votes. As a labor guy, you should understand this instead of being such a dick.
History tends to repeat, and partisanship and polarization is not immune from that maxim.
Watching RFK doc on Netflix, and one line jumped out making me look up the original source. Its origin was written during post WWI/fight of Irish independence, but like all good poetry, future generations can attach their own context and meaning. Adding one word (when)...
"Things fall apart (when) the center cannot hold... The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity" seems eerily contemporary to the larger American political climate today, sucking in our "local" congressional race.
(W.B. Yeats quote)
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