Winner Jim Brunell: 'Shocked, But Not Shocked'

Jim Brunell was reflective Wednesday morning about his Republican primary victory for Upper Macungie Supervisor over incumbent chairman Edward Earley on Tuesday night.

"I was shocked and I wasn't shocked," Brunell said. "It's hard trying to knock off an incumbent with a good record and a lot of community service experience."

Brunell did just that Tuesday night, according to unofficial tallies from Lehigh County. Brunell garnered 427 votes, approximately 61 percent, to Earley's 269 votes, approximately 39 percent.

Brunell will face Democrat Chris Casey, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and garnered 200 votes.

Brunell admitted he didn't know if the low turnout, which totaled 696 votes in a municipality with more than 20,000 residents, helped or hurt his cause.

"Honestly, I was very surprised that very few people turned out," he said. "It's an off-year primary, but people who are upset about what's going on in the township went out and voted."

Brunell said many people to whom he spoke by knocking on their doors were not happy with the way the township is being run.

"You go around knocking on people's doors and listening to them, but in the end, you wonder if you knocked on enough doors," he said.

Brunell said he thanks his neighbors, friends and neighborhood for the support given to him throughout the primary campaign.

Earley, a retired Kutztown Univerity professor, was appointed as an Upper Macungie Township Supervisor in 2002 to fill a vacancy. He was elected to a four-year term in 2004, and in 2008, he was re-elected to a six-year term.

He currently serves as the three-person board's chairman. His board colleagues are Sam Ashmar and Kathy Rader.