Lehigh Valley for All canvasses Northampton County

Kathy Harrington grabbed a fold-out table, a piece of paper and a pen before leaving for Easton’s Centre Square on Nov. 12, 2016. 

The square was boisterous that morning. Two political parties held simultaneous rallies, one supporting and the other opposing the policies of Donald Trump, who had won the presidential election four days earlier. 

Having campaigned for Hillary Clinton, Harrington posted on Facebook announcing her plans to attend the rally and called on others to join her. 

At the rally, she spoke to attendees and collected 150 signatures from individuals interested in joining a group opposing Trump.

From there, she created Lehigh Valley for All — a grassroots political action committee promoting voter education, progressive policies and democratic candidates. 

The group’s first meeting was held in the back of a real estate office and had 10 attendees. From that day, the organization quickly grew. 

Today, about 500 active members fill the Steelworkers Union Hall in North Bethlehem for their monthly meetings and events. 

Many of Lehigh Valley for All’s members share similar experiences to Harrington. They, too, are retired residents of the Lehigh Valley who were inspired to take action after Trump’s 2016 victory.  

Despite being a registered Republican, Lehigh Valley resident Bill Bekkenhuis joined the group in 2016.

“I had never done anything with politics other than vote, but I became convinced that Donald Trump was just dangerous,” Bekkenhuis said.

On Sept. 28, Bekkenhuis watched as Harrington buzzed around Union Hall. As president, she was in charge of the day’s operations, managing assembly lines of volunteers putting together informational packets while simultaneously  organizing a steady flow of button-wearing canvassers into carpools.

The committee began its weekend canvassing efforts for the 2024 election in August. By late September, the operation was a well-oiled machine. 

Some members stayed in the Hall throughout the day to organize and send out election mail, while others piled into cars, planned their routes and performed their pitches across Northampton County.

Before canvassers headed out, Harrington took the stage to welcome State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who’s running for Pennsylvania Auditor General.

Kenyatta is one of six Democratic candidates endorsed by Lehigh Valley for All at the federal and state levels for the 2024 election. The committee has endorsed Susan Wild for Congress, Bob Casey for Senate and Kamala Harris for President.

Volunteers knock on doors across Northampton County with the goal of convincing residents to vote for the candidates they support. 

“What you are doing makes all the difference in the world,” Kenyatta said. “This is as American as it gets, people getting together, going to doors and talking to neighbors about what is at stake for working and middle-class families.” 

If someone answers, they ask about the resident’s political interests, answer their questions and inform them about the endorsed candidates.

Most of the time, however, no one answers.

Lehigh Valley for All member Mary Vernon said this is one of the many challenges she’s faced while canvassing. She said Trump supporters in branded trucks have followed her , and the effort has left her car dirty and her fuel tank empty.

Despite these obstacles, Vernon said she continues to canvas because the thought of another Trump presidency scares her. 

She said she understands the importance of her work, especially since she thinks Northampton County is the “swingiest county in the swingiest state in the United States.”

According to LehighValleyNews.com, Northampton County often represents the broader dynamics of Pennsylvania within its 370 square miles, due to its demographics. 

Barack Obama won Northampton County twice. In 2016, Trump captured 50% of the local vote to take the county, while Joe Biden flipped it back to blue in 2020 by less than one percent.

“It’s like a loose cannon,” Harrington said. “Focus here, get this county on board and you’ve got it made.” 

Some individuals drive over an hour and a half to support Lehigh Valley for All’s canvassing efforts from neighboring areas in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Harrington said she has even hosted supporters from as far as Massachusetts and Canada who came to contribute to the campaign.

“There’s a lot of pressure on our backs because of that,” Harrington said. “We feel a very awesome responsibility to do the best we can.” 

Harrington said the committee’s efforts begin at the local level. 

For local or state elections, Lehigh Valley for All invites candidates to speak at their meetings and endorses the winner of an internal vote before the primary election. 

Prior to the Pennsylvania Attorney General primary election in April 2024, all five Democratic candidates attended the committee’s meeting and spoke to a crowd of about 150 people, after which the group endorsed Joe Khan. 

Lehigh Valley for All prints these endorsements on yellow sheets, which are distributed throughout the area. Harrington said many locals wait for the release of this list to decide who to vote for.

She said she hopes the group’s canvassing efforts will have a similar effect.

As the presidential election approaches, Harrington said she’s confident Harris will win. 

She doesn’t expect election results will be clear until Nov. 6th, at which point she’ll be hosting a pizza party at her house with Lehigh Valley for All members. 

“That’s where I’m going to be — in my pajamas with all my friends and all the people that were supporting Kamala,” Harrington said.