He then worked as a history teacher in the Allentown School District from September 2009 until his mayoral campaign in 2021.

He was known for his activism for civil rights and equality, and his push for financial accountability for economic development programs.

[5] Due to the Republican Party not fielding any candidates, besides a write-in, the Democratic primary was treated as the election proper.

[10] Reynolds has promoted cooperation with Allentown's mayor Matthew Tuerk, and Easton's mayor Salvatore J. Panto, Jr. All three are Democrats and together lead the Three City Coalition of the major cities of the Lehigh Valley cooperating on issues of housing, homelessness and sustainability.

Reynolds has touted the city's Bond credit rating and having the maximum legal earned income tax.

Despite this being against his and the city's initial wishes, Reynolds has welcomed the prospect of a new World Heritage Site in Bethlehem.

[22] In 2020, IQE announced that they were shuttering their American headquarters in Bethlehem due to the building be "dilapidated" and moving their office to North Carolina.

In order to do so the property would need to be rezoned from commercial to residential use, and Reynolds led a push to block this change.

Citing the CHIPS and Science Act, and the desire for the city to retain a semi-conductor manufacturer, the building is to remain as it is, until a new tenant can be found.

[23] Around the same time, Reynolds and the city council rejected a partnership with the United States Department of Homeland Security to join the national anti-human trafficking task force.

[25] Reynolds faced backlash on June 22, when he and Edward Boscola rewrote the permit for discharge points which would allow forever chemicals to be dumped into the Lehigh River.