The LuLac Edition #5, 648, May 5th, 2026

 

ARE WE MAGA RED?

OR TRADITIONAL MAROON?

 

Jones And Baker 

Vs. 

 Tyler Meyers & 

Jamie Walsh 

During the Cold War when the Soviets were threatening to use nukes against the Unfired States, my father tongue in cheek said, “Don’t worry, we’ll have a three-year window until, it gets to NEPA”. I thought of that the other day when I see that in two key Republican primary races, one for State Senate and one for a House seat, might be a glimpse into what the future of the Luzerne Republican party’s direction will be for the future. 

For the first time since late Charles Lemmond retired, Lisa Baker has opposition in a primary.  Baker is serving her fifth term representing the 20th Senatorial District, which includes substantial parts of Luzerne and Wayne counties, and all of Pike, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties. Her opponent is Tyler Myers who is running as a Christian Conservative Republican (aren’t they all??) implying that maybe Baker isn’t.

The far right MAGAs in the County are lining up behind him to defeat Baker.  Baker in turn hasn’t been a shrinking violet and has come after him big time in advertising and has been extremely visible. Myers though has received the endorsement of 117^th district Representative Jamie Walsh who won a race in ’24 by 3 votes. He spent a lot of time litigating his victory.

Walsh in the meantime is being opposed by Bill Jones who has been thinking about running since the right wing MAGA Walsh won in ’24. Jones is a conservative Republican but brings with him a lifetime of community service at the United Way of Wyoming Valley as well as other service related agencies. The race between Jones and Walsh will be telling. Will Walsh’s MAGA troops follow him again? Will Walsh’s votes against female veterans, African Americans and Irish culture lose him votes or will that voting record represent a district once served honorably and without drama by Karen Bobeck? 

Walsh of course has done a 180 on the no votes claiming that the negative votes were technical errors in the House system. Now I can’t decide which is worse. Him voting against veterans, blacks and Irish or not knowing how to cast a vote in his second year in office.

 

 Jones has obtained services of Bob Harper, no stranger to campaigns in LuLac land.  Harper is one of the most creative and inventive purveyors of political messaging I have ever seen or heard of in my career. Any politician that doesn’t consider hiring him is shortchanging their own careers.

 More than other elections, turnout will be the key. Right now it appears Walsh and Myers are running as a team and Jones and Baker are also doing the same thing. Who will prevail in both races will tell you all you need to know about the Luzerne County Republican party.

Then there are the bad actors, T.J. Fitzgerald who made an ass out of himself on Super Bowl Sunday with racist comments, then apologized, then reneged on it. Benny Herring who has proven himself to be a true MAGA and one Cory John Dunn who runs the Luzerne County Independent News Network in which he attacks Lisa Baker not with facts but AI. We understand that he has plead guilty to a few felonies.   This fringe is one of the reasons why the Pribula Valenti team took a hike as well as their replacement, Gene Zaremba.

Getting back to the first paragraph, has MAGA enthusiasm reduced in enthusiasm due to the actions of Trump on the national stage or are they going to be stronger than ever?

Or,..................

Will traditional Republicans maintain the levers of power that is the norm?

Is politics primarily about reasonable alternatives? Are the challengers Jones and Myers reasonable alternatives to Walsh and Baker?

The answer most likely will be yes, no or a split decision.