*This article will be updated throughout the night.
As voters headed to the primary polls Tuesday, eyes were trained on two fiercely contested Bucks County races. The Associated Press early in the night called one of them. Bob Harvie handily won the PA-01 Democratic congressional primary race with 65% to Lucia Simonelli’s 35%.
Harvie will now face off against incumbent Republican Brian Fitzpatrick in November’s mid-terms.
Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie logged scores of endorsements over the past several weeks, including backing from Gov. Josh Shapiro.
“A proud card-carrying union member and former public school teacher, Bob will never forget the community that raised him and will fight to restore the American Dream when voters elect him to Congress this November,” said DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene.
The second closely-watched race involved Bucks and Lehigh counties’ Pennsylvania’s Senate District 16 – currently held by Breinigsville resident and incumbent Republican Jarrett Coleman.
Pennsylvania SD-16 encompasses portions of Lehigh and Bucks counties. The district is considered “highly unusual” due to its geographic make-up; crossing county lines and including nearly 268,000 residents across roughly 548.6 square miles.
Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley defeated Bradley Merkl-Gump, a Pennridge School District board director and middle school teacher.
Common Dreams reported Friday Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders endorsed Pinsley, a nod he extended to 61 local progressive candidates across the nation.
“This November, we’re going to need a Democratic trifecta in the State Senate, State House, and Governor’s Mansion to ‘Get Shit Done’ for every Pennsylvania family that’s struggling right now,” said Pinsley on social media. “Let’s flip this seat for the people!”
Primary Election Results
