The2013 Lehigh County Executive election was held on November 5, 2013. In 2012, County ExecutiveDon Cunningham resigned and former County Commissioner Bill Hansell was appointed to serve out the remainder of his term. Muller declined to run in the regular election, and Tom Muller, the County Director of Administration, ran for the Democratic nomination to succeed Hansell.[1] On May 17, 2013, Hansell himself resigned after being diagnosed with cancer, and appointed Muller as acting Executive.[2] The County Commission ultimately selected Matt Croslis to serve as County Executive until the election concluded.[3]
Muller won the Democratic primary unopposed, and County Commissioner Scott Ott, the2009 Republican nominee, won the Republican nomination over former County Commissioner Dean Browning. In the general election, Muller, a former Republican, campaigned on his experience and attacked Ott as ideologically extreme.[4] Muller ultimately defeated tot by a narrow margin, winning 52 percent of the vote to Ott's 48 percent.
