I would think that Tuesday's election results may give some pause to Ed Pawlowski's hopes to be a senator. Despite a virtual snow storm of mailers with his endorsement, including both a picture of him and his message of a
Renaissance, a quarter to a third of his candidates lost. In terms of his popularity beyond Allentown, his candidate in Whitehall lost; You don't get much closer to Allentown than that. Besides giving Pawlowski pause, his campaign and media manager, Mike Fleck, might need some introspection. The two top vote getters for the school board, Gerlach and Bob Smith, not part of the Pawlowski PAC, were outspent by Fleck tenfold. Even Armstrong, targeted by a separate
scare mailer, survived the primary. Here in Allentown, where money was no object for the Pawlowski machine, if he couldn't hit a grandslam, his prospects statewide seem dim. Poor guy might have to settle for being
Mayor For Life.
ADDENDUM: I opened today's Morning Call and discovered that reporter Emily Opilo and I were on the same page; We made the same points and used the same examples. Least anyone think I had seen her article prior to posting the above, I must now go one step further. Yesterday, I mentioned to Jeff Glazier, Pawlowski's big winner Tuesday night, that I thought Pawlowski failed by not hitting a grandslam. He thought that winning
most of seats was a victory. Maybe Joe Davis would agree with me.
When I was out canvassing for my campaign there were a lot of residents in the west end that said they were disgusting with the PAC and thought it was a bully tactic. I think the PAC made some voters so disgusted they decided to not vote at all but it's obvious Pawlowski isn't liked by as many voters as he may have been in the past. He tried to tell the voters who to vote for and they didn't listen to all of his picks.
ReplyDeleteOn election day when I was going from one polling station to another I rarely saw any of the PAC candidates or people handing out literature for the PAC. At one point at the east side youth center I saw a few as well as Pawlowski. I then was told that he paid volunteers to go out and go door to door to try and get the voters to come out to the polls.
So Glazier's already displaying the honesty that made him one of Pawlowski's choices?
ReplyDeleteWay to fall in line Jeff!
I'd like to hear opinions on this question: Did enough Pawlowski candidates win to empower the teachers union to negotiate with themselves during the next contract talks?
ReplyDeleteAnswer,
ReplyDeleteNot yet,but figure Thiel is a shoe in as he is now cross filed, that leaves Elizabeth martinez and Audrey Mathison on only the D side. If all three win in the fall, coupled with a Ce-Ce win that will mean there a 4 solid votes for any union demands/hopes/dreams/wishes.. on the board. David Zimmerman a Republican has been voting very pro union since his son was bullied, and Debra Lamb and Dr. Bishop very fair minded and level headed are both Liberal Democrats.
Do the math on that. Taxpayers will want to make sure Audrey Mathison, formerly Parkland's teachers union president does not get on the board. However, both Ce-Ce and Charlie are close seconds as agents of the union.
Does this sound self serving on my part? My position on this is clear. Let the voters decide.
Scott Armstrong
I am still shocked that Jeff Glazier got the most votes. The voters didn't want him elected last time but do this time? What has he done to earn a re-election?
ReplyDeleteThe voters of Allentown confuse me and make no sense.
Julian,
ReplyDeleteCompliance is rewarded in Allentown when it comes to serving on boards and commissions and the same is true for elected offices.Some years ago Allentown voters voted out the best city council person the city had in years.That was Tom Burke, by all accounts a man with leadership qualities, insights, and a vision.
Scott Armstrong
Tom ran a non campaign and paid the price.
ReplyDeleteCome on the clown beat him! He was thrown out because he was a Republican.
ReplyDeleteTom's campaign was his tireless public service, he attended countless community meetings and events, was always available to the public, and worked hard to solve the city's problems.
Scott Armstrong