The May 2013 Republican Primary was a political earthquake in Bucks Co.  Michelle Christian, the Party endorsed candidate for Prothonotary, a key Row Office lost to an outlaw candidate. Northampton Republican Voters provided the highest losing percent of all Bucks County.

Pat Bachtle was a seasoned candidate but until this election Pat always ran with the support and backing of the County Republican Executive Committee. The endorsed candidate, Christian, lost by a very narrow but decisive margin, 807 votes county-wide but Christian won in Northampton by 675 votes. If Christian had received another 133 votes she would have won and no one would have been surprised.

The re-election of Bachtle was a big surprise. Northampton was the only township to vote entirely for the endorsed candidate in every one of the 18 districts. Northampton had the highest percentage of voters who voted for Christian in the entire county thereby proving the local Northampton Republican Committee was the furthest off base. This was not a contest between opposites but between Republicans. Why was Northampton so out of touch with the rest of Bucks?

Was it Blind Loyalty? A Political Tone Deafness? An out of touch Republican Committee? Or did the dissenters know Northampton would not support Bachtle so the Bachtle people just ignored Northampton?  

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