Republican Write-In Candidate Drops Out of Mayoral Race

New Nazareth Mayor Carl Strye Jr. has one less opponent to worry about in the May 21 primary election for mayor.

Deb Miller, a self-employed counselor and mother of six, has ended her bid as a Republican write-in candidate in the primary election, the Easton Express-Times is reporting.

Miller had announced her candidacy less than a month ago, following the recent resignation of former Nazareth mayor Fred Daugherty Jr.

Miller started a write-in campaign for mayor, but decided to drop it because of Strye's appointment as mayor by Borough Council Monday night.

"Right now, I don't see any point. My goal was to prohibit [Jack] Herbst from running unopposed," Miller told the Express-Times. "Now that Carl is in, that has been accomplished."

Herbst, a Democrat who has been a Nazareth Borough Council fixture for 12 years, is the only mayoral candidate running in the May 21 primary.

However, anyone who gets 10 or more write-in votes in the Republican primary could face Herbst in the November general election.

The news surprised Strye when reached by the Nazareth Patch Thursday afternoon.

"I didn't hear that," he said. "Yeah, it does impact the primary race. It was me against her. But that's her choice."

And that includes Strye, who has posted signs around the borough announcing he is a GOP write-in candidate.

"Anyone else can do a write-in," said Strye, the longtime president of Vigilance Hose Co. No. 1."I still have to forge ahead. I want 410 votes."