‘Historic’ spending on Lehigh Valley midterms as 2 winners tabs exceeded $1M | Armchair Lehigh Valley

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In what is being called historically exceptional, two Lehigh Valley candidates for state Senate each had victories that were boosted by more than $1 million in cash and in-kind donations.

Republican Jarrett Coleman raised $1,229,214 to capture the 16th Senate District seat. The bulk – $807,275 – came from in-kind donations, and the rest – $421,939 – in cash, according to state campaign finance reports that cover Jan. 1 through Nov. 28.

When cash and in-kind donations from Coleman’s opponent, Democrat Mark Pinsley, are factored in, the 16th Senate race drew $1,414,308 in cash and in-kind donations.

Democrat Nick Miller, who won in the 14th Senate District, raised $860,853 in cash and benefited from $204,122 in in-kind donations, for a total of about $1,064,975, data shows.

When cash and in-kind donations from his opponent Republican Dean Browning are factored in, the two 14th candidates raised a combined $1,601,815.

Chris Borick, director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, described the amounts raised in the senate races as consequential.

“Those finance figures for the PA Senate races are exceptional by historic standards and certainly signal we are in a new era in terms of the costs of state legislative races,” Borick said in an email.

Borick said the influx of money and services signals that “both parties have increasingly recognized the key role of state government, especially in swing states such as Pennsylvania.”

He said, “Thus, it’s likely that the amount of money coming into these races will continue to rise in upcoming cycles.”

Both the 14th and 16th seats had no incumbent going into the Nov. 8 election, the 14th from redistricting and 16th from a primary defeat—making them must-wins for both parties.

Adding to the need for large campaign coffers was that Coleman and Miller faced tough primaries.

Coleman, who had been elected to office for the first time in November 2021 as a Parkland School Board member, defeated longtime incumbent Republican Pat Browne by 24 votes.

Miller, an Allentown School Board member, defeated Democrat Tara Zrinski, a Northampton County commissioner, by 42 votes in a race whose outcome was delayed by a lawsuit filed by voters over uncounted ballots.

Meanwhile, in the 137th House District, incumbent Republican Joe Emrick, who was first elected in 2010, and Democrat Anna B. Thomas, a political newcomer, together generated at least $1 million in cash and in-kind donations.

Emrick, who saw his district become evenly split due to redistricting, beat Thomas by 766 votes.

Across the Lehigh Valley, candidates were lifted by donations from political action committees and elected state lawmakers.

In another show of how fiercely political powers were looking for wins, Democratic, Republican and special-interest groups contributed more than $2.2 million of in-kind donations for media buys, polling, mailings and staffing for candidates running for state House and Senate in the Lehigh Valley.

Here’s a look at what Lehigh Valley candidates raised and spent.

All filings are through Nov. 28 except where noted. This post will be updated when they are available.

A final campaign report is due Jan 31.

14th Senate

Democrat Nick Miller, WINNER

Money raised: $860,853

Total spent: $829,590

Ending balance: $31,263

In-kind contributions: $204,122

Unpaid debt: $45,000 loaned by Miller.

Highlights: Miller raised a combined $1,064,975 in cash and in-kind contributions. He raised the most cash of any candidate running for the state Senate or House in the Lehigh Valley. The bulk of his cash came from political action committees, including unions and incumbent democratic lawmakers. The political campaign committee of state Sen. Vincent Hughes, the minority chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, gave $162,750. Most of Miller’s in-kind contributions came from Democratic Party-related PACs and $4,200 coming from Planned Parenthood’s PAC.

Republican Dean Browning

Money raised: $447,115

Total spent: $446,947

Ending balance: $168

In kind contributions: $89,725

Unpaid debt: $107,500 in loans from Browning.

Highlights: Monetary donations include $55,000 from the For-Ward PAC and $45,000 from the Senate Republican Campaign Committee. Browning had the most in personal loans of the Lehigh Valley candidates running for the state House or Senate.

16th Senate

Republican Jarrett Coleman, WINNER

Money raised: $421,939

Total spent: $396,121

Ending balance: $25,818

In-kind contributions: $807,275

Unpaid debts and obligations: $106,500

Highlights: Coleman raised a combined $1,229,214. The bulk came from in-kind contributions to help him defeat longtime incumbent Sen. Pat Browne in the spring and Democrat Mark Pinsley in the fall. Much of the in-kind contributions – $520,087 – came from Citizens Alliance, which is linked to Jeffrey Yass’ Students First PAC. Yass is co-founder of the Susquehanna International Group and is Pennsylvania’s richest resident.

Coleman’s debt breaks down to $31,500 in loans from William Bachenberg and $75,000 from his wife, Laura. The Bachenbergs are owners of Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays in North Whitehall Township. William Bachenberg drew headlines earlier this year after the US House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection subpoenaed him to testify about his involvement in the effort to overturn the 2020 election. The committee said it learned Bachenberg chaired a meeting of Republicans who prepared a signed list of alternate electors to be appointed to the Electoral College in the event that Trump won his court challenges.

Democrat Mark Pinsley

Money carried over: $3,602

Money raised: $113,402

Total spent: $158,614

Ending balance: -$41,610

In-kind contributions: $71,692

Unpaid debts: $18,382 in loans from candidate

Highlights: Pinsley spent more than he brought in, leaving him with a negative fund balance and personal loans.

18th Senate

Democrat Lisa Boscola, incumbent WINNER

Money carried over: $379,685

Total raised: $293,851

Total spent: $385,145

Ending balance: $288,391

Value of in-kind donations: $171,200

Unpaid debt: 0

Highlights: The bulk of her donations came from political action committees representing political and business groups. She also received support from Lehigh Valley business leaders, including developers JB Reilly ($8,000), Lou Pector ($5,000) and Michael Perucci ($10,000).

Republican John Merhotein

Total raised: $48,286

Total spent: $40,028

Ending balance: $8,258

In-kind donations: $117,934

Unpaid Debt: $11,233 in loans from Merhottein

Highlights: Merhottein’s in-kind donations came from Republican-related groups.

22nd House District

Democrat Joshua Siegel, WINNER (Filing through Cycle 5, which ended Oct. 24)

Total raised: $54,060

Total spent: $42,239

Ending balance: $11,821

In-kind contributions: $5,002

Unpaid debt: $4,010 in loans from candidate

Highlights: Siegel saw strong union support. Most of his in-kind contributions came from the Progressive Turnout Project Victory Fund

Republican Robert E. Smith Jr. (Filing through Cycle 5, which ended Oct. 24)

Money carried over: $579

Total raised: $18,903

Total spent: $16,844

Ending balance: $2,638

Unpaid debt: 0

131st House District

Republican Milou Mackenzie, incumbent WINNER

Money carried over: $12,330

Amount raised: $61,390

Amount spent: $69,760

Ending balance: $3,960

In-kind contributions: $28,964

Unpaid Debt: $25,100 in loans from candidate

Highlights: Most of her contributions came from the Republican Party of Pennsylvania.

Democrat Kevin Branco

Money carried over: $16,413

Amount raised: $24,166

Amount spent: $29,447

Ending balance: $11,132

In-kind contributions: 0

Unpaid Debt: 0

132nd House District

Democrat Mike Schlossberg, incumbent WINNER

Money carried over: $60,717

Money raised: $112,364

Total spent: $180,166

Ending balance: -$7,085

In-kind contributions: $30,184

Unpaid debt: 0

Highlights: Most of Schlossberg’s contributions were of $1,000 or less, including political action committees. Schlossberg had a negative balance on Nov. 28.

Republican Bethney Q. Finch (Also filed under Bethney Quinn Finch)

Filing for Cycle 2 from March 29-May 2: Raised: 0; spent: $2,223; $60 for in-kind contribution from Lehigh County Republican Committee

Filing for Cycle 5 from Oct. 25-Nov. 28: 0 raised and 0 spent. No in-kind contributions.

Libertarian Matthew Schutter

No reports filed

134th House District

Democrat Peter Schweyer, incumbent WINNER

Money carried over: $82,203

Monday raised: $99,465

Total spent: $158,532

Ending balance: $23,136

In kind donations: $2,600

Unpaid debt: 0

Highlights: The bulk of Schweyer’s contributions came in at under $1,000, including PACs.

Republican Brent Labenberg

Money raised: $6,110

Total spent: $6,110

Ending balance: 0

In-kind donations: $441

Unpaid debts: 0

137th House District

Republican Joe Emrick, incumbent WINNER

Money carried over: $179,895

Money raised: $107,607

Total spent: $223,467

Ending balance: $64,035

In-kind contributions: $371,379

Unpaid debts: 0

Highlights: Emrick spent $594,846 in cash and in-kind donations; $187,369 of his in-kind contributions came from the Commonwealth Leaders Fund, which is heavily funded by the Commonwealth Children’s Choice Fund, which supports parental choice and, in turn, is funded largely by Student’s First PAC, which gave him $10,000. Commonwealth Children’s Choice also donated at least $10,000.

Democrat Anna B. Thomas (Filing through Cycle 5, which ended Oct. 24)

Money raised: $290,483

Total spent: $225,145

Ending balance: $65,338

In-kind contributions: $309,124

Unpaid debt: 0

Highlights: Thomas had $599,607 in cash and in-kind donations through Cycle 5, which helped her come within 766 votes of defeating Emrick. The Democratic Party kicked in the bulk of her in-kind contributions. She also received strong financial support from unions and democratic PACs.

138th House District

Republican Ann Flood, incumbent WINNER

Money brought forward: $31,201

Money raised: $35,985

Total spent: $45,274

Ending balance: $21,912

In-kind donations: $31,856

Unpaid debt: 0

Highlight: The bulk of her in-kind contributions came from PA GOP.

Democrat Eugene Hunter

Money raised: $3,721

Money spent: $1,309

Ending balance: $2,412

In-kind donations: 0

Unpaid debt: 0