Block, Bond, Daubert Win Republican Nod For South Whitehall Commissioner

Political newcomers Glenn Block and David Bond and incumbent Dale Daubert won the Republican nominations for South Whitehall commissioner in Tuesday's primary, according to unofficial tallies from the Lehigh County voter registration office.

R.A. (Rene) Rodriguez, Brian Hite and Heidi McMahon fell short in their bids.

It is not yet known, however, whether there will be a contest in the fall for the three township commissioner seats.

Though several of the candidates waged write-in campaigns to also secure the Democratic nominations for township commissioner, those votes won't be counted for two to three weeks, officials said. It is possible that those who did not win the Republican nod captured the Democratic nominations.

According to unofficial tallies, vote totals are as follows: 

Block was the highest vote-getter with 804 votes; Bond received 658 votes; and Daubert received 455 votes.

Block, a certified public accountant and vice chair of the township zoning board, celebrated with family, friends and supporters at the Outback Steakhouse, where they gathered to await the count.

Bond is a divisional vice president for transportation for a department store chain and an emergency medical technician. Daubert, the only incumbent in the race, is former director of property services for Lehigh County, retiring in 1992.

Rodriquez, a retired engineer and former South Whitehall commissioner, fell just 10 votes short of winning a nomination. He received 446 votes, according to unofficial tallies.

Hite, a member of the township planning commission and a tractor trailer mechanic, received 418 votes in official tallies, and McMahon, a project management professional, received 255 votes.