If you did not notice that there was an election this week, you are not alone – only 32 percent of eligible Northampton County voters cast ballots on Tuesday, compared to over 58 percent in last year’s midterms. Despite the myth that low turnout benefits Republicans, it was the Democratic Party that scored major victories locally, statewide and around the country.
In Pennsylvania — a purple state — Democrats, headlined by Supreme Court candidate Daniel McCaffery, won every statewide race, an impressive result that analysts attributed to the potency of post-Roe abortion politics. In Ohio, the strength of abortion advocates was also flexed – the deep-red state approved a constitutional amendment codifying abortion rights by a 13-point margin, in addition to the ballot measure legalizing recreational marijuana that passed by similar numbers.
Democrats also ran up the margins in Pennsylvania’s commonwealth peers; the party captured Virginia’s Republican-led House of Delegates, albeit while losing a seat in the state senate. In neighboring Kentucky, popular Democratic incumbent Andy Beshear, who shepherded the state through several natural disasters, held onto the Governor’s Mansion by a larger margin than he won it by four years ago. The effect of the Jack Harlow endorsement is unclear, however.
Beshear’s opponent had been supported by both the Mitch McConnell machine and former President Donald Trump, putting the weakness of the Republican Party on full display this election cycle – a Democrat even came within striking distance of toppling Mississippi’s embattled Republican governor.
Closer to home, Republicans also suffered a series of stinging defeats. In Northampton County, where Lafayette is located, Republicans lost both contested countywide races, according to unofficial returns. In all uncontested races for which Eastonians cast their votes, the individuals that ran were Democrats, save for a trio of cross-filing school board candidates.
Northampton County voters also passed ballot measures seeking to institute term limits for county commissioners, the county executive and the county controller by lopsided margins.
Additionally, the county experienced a glitch in all of its voting machines that swapped votes in two of the judge retention races. The county assured voters that the paper ballots of voters will be reviewed to ensure an accurate count.
