Mike Harostock

Few hotly contested races make for low voter turnout as Democrats and Republicans choose candidates for a November midterm election that will have a lot more competitive races.

State senators Lisa Baker and Marty Flynn and state Rep. Jamie Walsh face challenges from candidates within their parties as Democrats and Republicans choose nominees for November election.

Supporters of a federal crackdown on illegal immigration debated critics of the way the government has carried out the crackdown Wednesday during a Lackawanna County Commissioners meeting. The commissioners are considering passing a policy regulating the way county employees can interact with federal immigration agents.

State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, a Wilkes-Barre Democrat, announced last week he will step down after 20 years in the House. Political observers expect a battle royale between Democratic and Republican candidates and their allies to replace Pashinski.