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| Elections in Pennsylvania |
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 Government |
The 1969 Allentown mayoral election was a municipal election in Allentown, the third largest city in Pennsylvania. Republican educator Clifford S. Bartholomew would defeat Democrat Joseph S. Daddona, then a first-term city councilmen, who had beaten incumbent mayor Raymond D. Bracy in the primaries.
Democratic mayor Raymond “Ray” D. Bracy had been elected in 1966 and faced growing discontent over his urban renewal projects that 'cleared' blighted housing by demolishing large, mostly minority, communities. Bracy would refuse to meet with local NAACP leaders over urban renewal concerns, which greatly hurt his reputation within the Allentown Democratic Party. [1]
Bracy would see a concerted challenge from the Allentown Democratic Party which saw Daddona, a young fresh face who promised responsive leadership and change to the way the city was run with Bracy's age being one of the main issues. [2] Daddona would handily defeat Bracy. [3]
There would be no serious Republican primary as the party coalesced around Clifford S. “Chips” Bartholomew, a longtime educator who served as the principle of William Allen High School from the 1940s until just before the election. [4]
Bartholomew campaigned emphasizing integrity and effective administration. [4] The race quickly became similar to the democratic primary, with the main issue being the generational divide between Bartholomew and Daddona, with Daddona having been a student at William Allen when Bartholomew was principle. [5] Additionally, urban redevelopment, government responsiveness, and the city’s future direction, with Daddona campaigning as the "voice of the working people" while Bartholomew stressed the need for stability and experience. [2] Both candidates pledged to revitalize Allentown’s economy and address concerns about public safety and services. [2] Daddona, infamously, was so sure that he would win the election, that he voted for Bartholomew. [6]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Clifford S. Bartholomew | 19,275 | 57.26% | |
| Democratic | Joseph S. Daddona | 14,388 | 42.74% | |
| Total votes | 33,663 | 100.00% | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
Republican victory would end 14 years of Democratic control of city hall. [6] Alongside the election Allentown adopted a new Home Rule Charter with voters approving transitioning to a “strong mayor” form of government with Bartholomew being the first strong mayor. [4]
Following his defeat Bracy would retire from politics. [8] Much like Bracy, Bartholomew would be defeated by a primary challenge in 1973 while the Democrats re-nominated Daddona who would go on to win. [6]
Although Daddona would lose his re-election bid in 1977, he would go on to be elected in 1981, 1985 and 1989 being a major force in Allentown politics through the 1970s, 80s and early 90s. [5] During the 1977 election, a local contractor and Democratic donor, Dominic Falcone, claimed that he had illegally contributed $1,500 to Daddona’s 1969 campaign, in excess of legal limits which caused Daddona to lose the narrow election. [9] Falcone would also put up a $10,000 bounty on any politician that would run against Daddona in the 1981 primaries. [9]
