McClure won't seek third term as Norco executive

Democrat Lamont McClure will not seek a third term as Northampton County executive, creating a wide open race for the county’s top job.

The race could already be shaping up. Tara Zrinski, a Democrat who is the county’s elected controller, said she is considering running in the May 20 primary.

“I’m going through my deliberation process and weighing my options,” said Zrinski, who had been a county council member when she was elected controller in 2023.

McClure’s decision means that Northampton and Lehigh counties will have county executive races where the current officeholders will not be on the ballot.

Democrat Phil Armstrong is finishing his second consecutive term as Lehigh County executive and can’t run again under the Home Rule Charter. Democrat Joshua Siegel, now a state representative in the 22nd House District, said he will run for the job in the primary.

McClure’s decision comes after he faced public outcry and calls for his resignation after the Nov. 7, 2023, election. Early on that day, it was discovered that voting machines were switching yes and no votes on a paper summary of selections in two judicial retention contests. Votes had been properly recorded on the 300-plus voting machines.

McClure, who previously indicated he would run again, told Armchair Lehigh Valley he weighed several considerations in making his decision.

“I’m exploring other ways to serve the public,” he said in a text message on Tuesday.

McClure, 54, said another factor was the 2023 Home Rule charter referendum, where more than 80% of the voters said yes to restricting the county executive and county controller to two consecutive, four-year terms and county council members to three consecutive terms.

Those limits will go into effect for those elected in November. A 2024 referendum approved by voters limits the district attorney’s term to four consecutive, four-year terms beginning in January 2028.

While he would not be precluded from running again, McClure said, “I want to respect the spirit of the term limit.”

Glenn Geissinger, chairman of the Northampton County Republican Committee, was among those calling for McClure to resign.

When asked by Armchair Lehigh Valley about McClure’s decision, Geissinger said, “I believe he was very vulnerable and chose not to run instead of being defeated.”

McClure, a lawyer, was first elected county executive in 2017, defeating incumbent Republican John Brown. In 2021, he bested Republican Steve Lynch.

McClure served on county council from 2006-13. His term on council was marked by his push to keep Gracedale Nursing Home as a county-owned facility.

Since becoming executive, McClure presented budgets that maintained the property tax and, in 2021, reduced the levy by 1 mill to 10.8 mills, where it now stands.

As county executive, McClure has made saving farmland a priority, preserving 80 farms and 4,035 acres. His 2025 budget contains $3 million for the protection of farmland, open space and environmentally sensitive areas.

“It’s been the greatest honor of my life to serve the people of Northampton County as their executive,” McClure said.