Simmons Staffer Throws Hat in Ring for County Commissioners

Glenn Eckhart's old seat on the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners may have recently become vacant, but it won't be for long. 

Three applications have been received for the position, which . Among those applications is that of state  Dan Paschke.

Paschke, 25, has worked with Simmons for almost two years, first as a campaign staffer and now as a community outreach specialist. Paschke currently covers Southern Lehigh and works out of Simmons' district office, something that he doesn't plan to change.

"I'm really excited about the opportunity that opened up when [Glenn Eckhart] became county controller," said Paschke. "One of the draws for this position is the fact that I can continue my work [with Simmons] in Southern Lehigh while deepening my commitment to the community." 

Paschke recently made a move to "I honestly love the community in Coopersburg. It reminds me of where I grew up." 

Paschke hails from York, PA. He also attended York College of Pennsylvania majoring in political science and history.

Don't expect to see Paschke running against Simmons in the future. "I respect [Simmons'] values too much to run [against him]." The feeling seems to be reciprocal. Simmons wrote his letter of recommendation for the Board of Commissioners vacancy.

Also running are Norma Cusick, who ran for a commissioners seat in 2011 but lost in the general election, and Mike Schware, who has served on the Allentown Planning Commission for the past eight years.

The appointments committee will make a recommendation to the commissioners by the end of January.