Spending in Lehigh judicial race surpasses $67,000 in
Editor’s note: This post has been updated to reflect candidate Mark Stanziola’s refiled campaign finance report.
Spending on the primary race for a new seat on the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas has exceeded $67,000, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Department of State.
Patricia Fuentes Mulqueen and Jenna Fliszar are Republicans who cross-filed to compete in both the Republican and Democratic primaries on Tuesday. Mark Stanziola is a Democrat and is running only in the Democratic primary.
Three in running for new judicial seat in Lehigh County Court
As of May 5, Fliszar’s campaign spent $38,574, Mulqueen tallied $29,167 in expenditures. Stanziola’s report lists $978 in expenditures.
Here is a closer look at their campaign expense reports.
Mulqueen: Her campaign committee carried over $963 from an unsuccessful run for county judge in 2021 and raised $49,213 between Jan. 1 and May 5 for a total of $50,176. She spent $29,167, leaving a balance of $21,009. She received $2,210 worth of in-kind contributions. She loaned her campaign $25,000. Her biggest contributors were Julia Alrich of Cincinnati, Ohio, Allentown attorney Joseph Zator and funeral home owner Robert Heintzelman, each of whom gave $2,500. She received support from area attorneys, including Kevin Orlorski and Robert Daday, each of whom gave $500. Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan and former District Attorney Jim Martin’s Committee to Elect Jim Martin each gave $500. Philip Lentini, owner of Villa Lentini Restaurant in Coplay, provided $1,000 worth of in-kind donations for a fundraising event. Mulqueen’s largest expense was $22,861 paid to Communications Concept, Palmer Township, for campaign fliers, advertising and printing. She received a $1,000 contribution from Joshua Karoly on May 13.
Jenna Fliszar
Fliszar’s committee Jenna for Judge raised $28,434 between Jan. 1 and May 8. She raised $3,515 in cash contributions between April 1 and May 5, the end of the campaign reporting period, and spent $277. During that time, Fliszar received $35,059 worth of in-kind contributions, the bulk of which came from her husband Gred Ludell for yard signs, postage mailers, T-shirts and radio spots. Ludell then gave the campaign $24,919 on May 8.
Mark Stanziola
Stanziola’s report for April 1 to May 5 listed $2,250 in donations. The largest donors were attorneys Alyssa Lopiano-Reilly and Lauren Sorrentino, each of whom gave $500, and Jake Olsson, who gave $1,000. It listed $$978 in expenditures, leaving him with $1,271 on May 5. Expenses listed were mostly for walk cards and photos.