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| Elections in Pennsylvania |
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The 2001 mayoral election in Allentown, Pennsylvania was held on November 6, 2001, and resulted in the Democrat and former state senator Roy Afflerbach, being elected over Republican challenger and businessman, Bob Lovett. [1] Since this election there has never been a Republican mayor of Allentown.
Two term mayor William L. Heydt announced on December 22, 2000, that he would not be seeking re-election to a third term. Heydt who had been re-elected in 1997 with 54.42% stated that it was time for him to move on and spend more time with his family. [2] He would go on to run as the Republican candidate again in 2005. [3]
The Democratic primary in 2001 was one of the most competitive elections in the city's history with the second thinnest margin, coming just behind the 1997 Democratic primary which was decided by a single vote. The front-runner was Siobhan "Sam" Bennett, former CEO of both the Women's Campaign Fund and She Should Run PAC, as well as being the former first vice chair of the Lehigh County Democratic Party. Despite outspending her opponents by almost 3 times, she was upset by former state senator Roy Afflerbach by just 43 individual votes. After a recount Afflerbach's lead increased to 46 votes and his victory was confirmed as he went on to the general election. [4] [5] There was also another Democratic candidate, used furniture salesmen and perennial candidate, David A. Clark who acted as a spoiler for Bennett. [6]
The Republican primary had two front runners, Bob Lovett, former executive vice president of Air Products and Pamela D. Varkony, a city councilwomen who ran a tough on crime platform and promised to increase tech jobs in Allentown. [7] [8] Additionally, Robert Daday, a community organizer and activist and Robert E. Smith Jr, a former interim city councilor for 13 months in 1998 and 1999, also ran for the nomination. [9] [10] Lovett would go on to win the primary with 40.38% of the vote and a comfortable margin. [11]
In the general election Lovett spent $283,000 on his campaign with $121,500 coming out of his own pocket compared to Afflerbach's $80,000. Additionally Lovett was mostly financed by PACs while Afflerbach raised most of his money through donations from locals in Allentown. [12] Despite this Afflerbach would go on to win the general election with 52.69% compared to Lovett's 47.31%. [1] Two main reasons where given for Lovett's defeat, the first being that his policies where too similar to incumbent mayor Bill Heydt, and secondly a last minute endorsement of Afflerbach by The Morning Call , Allentown and the Lehigh Valley's most popular newspaper. [13]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Roy Afflerbach | 3,361 | 47.30% | |
| Democratic | Siobhan Sam Bennett | 3,315 | 46.66% | |
| Democratic | David A. Clark | 429 | 6.04% | |
| Total votes | 7,105 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Bob Lovett | 1,948 | 40.38% | |
| Republican | Pamela D. Varkony | 1,632 | 33.83% | |
| Republican | Bob Daday | 925 | 19.17% | |
| Republican | Robert E. Smith Jr | 319 | 6.62% | |
| Total votes | 4,824 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Roy Afflerbach | 8,947 | 52.69% | |
| Republican | Bob Lovett | 8,034 | 47.31% | |
| Total votes | 16,981 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
The Morning Call is a daily newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1883, it is the second-longest continuously published newspaper in the Lehigh Valley, after The Express-Times. The newspaper is owned by Alden Global Capital, a New York City–based hedge fund.
Roy C. Afflerbach is an American lobbyist and former Pennsylvania State Senator and Representative. He was mayor of Allentown, Pennsylvania, the third largest city in Pennsylvania, from 2002 to 2006. In December 2004, after a difficult year, Afflerbach announced that he would not run for another term.
The city of Allentown, Pennsylvania was founded in 1762 as Northampton Towne by William Allen, a wealthy shipping merchant. During its first 50 years of existence, Northampton Towne was a small unincorporated settlement, consisting of a few homes, stores, and taverns.
Edwin Everett Pawlowski is an American politician who served as the 41st Mayor of Allentown, Pennsylvania. He held the office from 2006 until his resignation in 2018, following his election to a fourth term in 2017. He resigned after being convicted on 47 federal charges related to corruption as mayor of Allentown.
Patrick M. Browne is an American accountant, lawyer, and politician. A Republican, he served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (1995–2005) and Pennsylvania Senate (2005–2022). On January 12, 2023, Democratic Governor-elect Josh Shapiro nominated Browne to serve as Secretary of Revenue.
John Fallon Pressmann was a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Roger MacLean is an American police officer and politician who was president of the Allentown, Pennsylvania City Council and served as acting Allentown mayor until March 29, 2018. MacLean became the acting mayor on March 9, 2018 following the resignation of Ed Pawlowski, who was convicted on March 1, 2018 on 47 felony charges related to a pay-to-play scheme involving his asking for campaign donations in exchange for city contracts and favors.
Susan Wild is an American attorney and politician from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A Democrat, she is a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district. The district is in the heart of the Lehigh Valley, and includes Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, and Bangor. Wild spent the last two months of 2018 as the member for Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district after Charlie Dent resigned in 2018. From September 2022 to January 2023, she was chair of the House Ethics Committee. She continues to sit on the committee as ranking member. She also co-chairs the New Democrat Coalition Climate Change Task Force and is vice chair of both the Congressional Labor and Working Families Caucus and the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations. Wild is the first woman to represent the Lehigh Valley in Congress.
The 2021 mayoral election in Allentown, Pennsylvania was held on November 2, 2021. The primary election was held on May 18, 2021.
Matthew Tuerk is an American politician and economic development official serving as the mayor of Allentown, Pennsylvania since January 2022. Despite entering a crowded field with low name recognition, he was the first candidate to defeat an incumbent mayor in an Allentown primary since 1973, becoming the city's first Latino mayor.
Gregory James Edwards is an American minister, clergyman, community activist, progressive politician, and author.
J. William "Willie" Reynolds is an American politician. He served as a city councilman of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania from 2008 until 2022 and is currently the city's 12th and incumbent mayor. His term began in 2022 which is set to expire in 2026. He is eligible to stand for re-election.
The Allentown 2019 special mayoral election was held on May 19, 2019 following the resignation of Democratic mayor Ed Pawlowski. Incumbent interim Democratic mayor Ray O'Connell defeated Republican challenger Timothy Ramos.
Salvatore J. Panto Jr. is an American politician from Pennsylvania who is the current mayor of Easton, Pennsylvania, and has served for seven non-consecutive terms. First for two terms from 1984-1992, and another four terms from 2008 to present.
The 2009 mayoral election in Allentown, Pennsylvania was held on November 3, 2009, and resulted in the incumbent mayor Ed Pawlowski, a member of the Democratic Party, being re-elected to a second term over Republican Party candidate Tony Phillips.
The 2005 mayoral election in Allentown, Pennsylvania was held on November 8, 2005, and resulted in the Democrat Ed Pawlowski, being elected to his first of four terms over Republican challenger and former mayor, William L Heydt.
George Smith was an American politician who served as a Democratic mayor of Easton, Pennsylvania for two terms between 1960 and 1968. He also served on the Easton City Council from 1975 until his death in 1986 at the age of 79.
Thomas Fredric Goldsmith was an American politician who served as Republican mayor of Easton, Pennsylvania from 1993 until his resignation in 2003 to serve on the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board until 2011.
The 1997 mayoral election in Allentown, Pennsylvania was held on November 4, 1997, and resulted in the Republican incumbent mayor William L. Heydt defeating Democratic challenger and city councilmen Martin Velazquez III. This election is remembered for its razor thin margin for the Democratic primary which saw Velazquez win by a singular vote against Emma Tropiano after a lengthy and hotly contested recount.
The 1993 Allentown mayoral election was a municipal election to determine a new mayor of Allentown, Pennsylvania. Incumbent 16-year Democratic mayor Joseph S. Daddona refused to run for re-election, retiring from politics allowing for a new slate of Democratic candidates to try and succeed him, but Republican William L. Heydt won the election to become, to date, the most recent Republican mayor of Allentown.
