Dent Easily Wins Fifth Term in Congress

Early returns have Dent leading challenger Rick Daugherty by 30,000 votes.

  U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent has won his fifth term in Congress in Pennsylvania’s 15th District, easily defeating Democratic challenger Rick Daugherty. WFMZ is reporting that Dent had a better than 30,000-vote lead over Daugherty with 59 percent of the precincts reporting in the district, which covers all of Lehigh County and portions of Northampton and Berks counties. Both candidates campaigned around their vision of the best way to create jobs. Daugherty, the executive director of the Lehigh County Senior Center, said that the American jobs market is tied to its trade policy and that the United States needs to end relationships with rule-breaking countries or enforce tariffs to restore manufacturing jobs. Dent criticized Daugherty’s “…

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Live Election Coverage 2012

Long lines at the polls? Problems with Voter ID? Post info and photos here as we elect a president, lawmakers and other statewide officials. We go live at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6.

After more than a year of campaigning, hundreds of speeches and millions spent on campaign ads, the 2012 election is finally here — and Patch is covering it live in a real-time Election Day Blog. We will have a dozen editors throughout the Lehigh Valley on Tuesday, talking to voters, election officials and others — and providing updates and results in the blog from 7 a.m. until the final races are called. We also want to hear from you, so make sure you post a comment in the blog. Tell us how you voted and why; share your experiences at the polls, or just weigh in on the big election of 2012. The Election Day blog will launch at 7 a.m. Tuesday...but you can sign up now to receive an email alert once the blog goes live.  

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Watts

6:12 pm on Tuesday, November 6, 2012

PA voting machines switching Obama votes to Romney, somebody shot this video in the booth today... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdpGd74DrBM Watch your voting closely!   more ›

Charlie Dent No Longer Listed as "Vulnerable"

Four-term Republican U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent looks likely to keep his 15th District seat come Nov. 6.

  Incumbent Republican Congressman Charlie Dent is no longer listed as vulnerable by PoliticsPa in his re-election race against Democrat Rick Daugherty. The statewide politics website this week shifted Dent's rating from what had been "minimally vulnerable." Dent, who is running for his fifth term, saw the 15th legislative district he serves change under a new political map. For the last 10 years, the district consisted of all of Northampton County, most of Lehigh County and small parts of Berks and Montgomery Counties. Under a new map, the district extends across five counties from Northampton County to Dauphin County. In a controversial move, the map splits up the Lehigh Valley, putting Easton and part of the Bethlehem Area School …

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Dent, Daugherty Differ on Jobs, Health Care

In live television debate, incumbent Congressman Charlie Dent and challenger Rick Daugherty trade blows on Obamacare and job creation.

  Jobs and health care were the dominant topics of discussion in a live televised debate between Congressman Charlie Dent and challenger Rick Daugherty on Tuesday night. Following a similar script to a Tea Party forum 11 days ago, Republican Dent tore apart the Affordable Healthcare Act and blamed the country’s unemployment woes on President Obama, while Daugherty defended and praised Obamacare and blamed joblessness on free trade agreements that he said shipped jobs to China and Mexico. The two 15th Congressional District contenders also differed on deficit-reduction measures and military spending. Though very little time was devoted to women’s issues, the candidates’ differences on abortion got a brief spotlight. Dent remains one of the …

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Election 2012

Dent, Daugherty to Debate Live on PBS39 Tonight

Candidates in the 15th Congressional District will square off live from PBS39's studios at 8 p.m.

  In the Lehigh Valley, there is an undercard to the heavyweight title fight that will be the debate rematch between President Obama and Mitt Romney tonight. U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent and Democratic challenger Rick Daugherty will meet in a candidates’ forum that will be aired on television live from PBS39’s SteelStacks studios in South Bethlehem at 8 p.m. The 15th Congressional District candidates' debate, which is a joint project of the station and The Morning Call, will be a special live presentation of the station’s Tempo InDepth program. A limited number of tickets to the event were available as of Monday afternoon. If you want to reserve a seat, it is best to call the station at 610-867-4677. Dent, 52, the incumbent Republican from …

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Election 2012

Dent, Daugherty Square Off at Tea Party Forum

Candidates for 15th Congressional District seat differ on Obamacare and job creation.

  U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent and challenger Rick Daugherty differed most noticeably on Obamacare and how best to increase employment in a forum Friday night for the 15th Congressional District race, hosted by the Lehigh Valley Project 9/12 Tea Party Group. Republican Dent said he will vote to repeal the Affordable Healthcare Act, a line which drew immediate applause from a fairly full room at the Charles Chrin Community Center in Palmer Township. “The health care law is going to add costs … and it will also kill jobs,” said Dent, saying a Congressional Budget Office estimates that 800,000 jobs will be lost because of Obamacare. “It incentivizes employers to cut payroll.” Democrat Daugherty said he favors the bill because he doesn’t believe …

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15th Congressional District Race: Daugherty Focuses on Jobs

Rick Daugherty, the Democratic candidate in November's 15th Congressional District race, tells voters bringing jobs back is the area's biggest issue.

15th Congressional District Race: Daugherty Focuses on Jobs

Rick Daugherty, the Democratic candidate in November's 15th Congressional District race, tells voters bringing jobs back is the area's biggest issue.

Rick Daugherty, who is opposing Charlie Dent in the upcoming election as the  Democratic contender on the ballot for the 15th Congressional District seat, was part of a forum Tuesday sponsored by the Concered East Penn Taxpayers Association (CEPTA) at Emmaus Fire Company #1. Daugherty, chairman of the Lehigh County Democratic Party, first told the group of about 20 concerned citizens that he is happy with his job as director of the Lehigh County Senior Center. "I want to make sure the people know where I stand. I welcome a victory or a loss either way. I like my job, and I don’t think that [Congress] will be more fun," he said. He prefers that the race be a positive one, but was very clear that he differs from Dent on three issues. …

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Rick Daugherty: Democratic Candidate for 15th District Seat

Democrat Rick Daughterty is challenging Republican incumbent Charlie Dent for the 15th Congressional District seat.

Name : Mr. Rick Daughterty Age : 60 Place of residence : Lowhill Township Attended college : Yes College : Moravian Job titles held : Currently executive director, Lehigh County Senior Center Employers : Worked for former Lehigh Valley Congressman Paul McHale and also worked at New Bethany Ministries in Bethlehem. Party affiliation : Democrat Running for a: Federal office  Running for position: Congress, PA -- 15th Chamber/district: PA-15th Incumbent: No Website : http://www.daughertyforcongress.com/ Twitter : @Daugherty2012 Daugherty and his wife April have three children, Sarah, Eric and Shane. He is chair of the Lehigh County Democratic Committee.

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