Pennsylvania’s top Democrat, Gov. Josh Shapiro, has endorsed Bob Brooks, a former Bethlehem firefighter running to be the Democratic nominee for Congress in the Lehigh Valley next year.
In a news release, Shapiro called Brooks “the fighter our friends and neighbors all across the Lehigh Valley deserve in Washington.”
“We need Bob in Congress to be my partner in delivering for Pennsylvanians,” Shapiro said in a written statement. “Bob has always had my back — and I am proud to endorse him in this race and stand with him in the fight to make life more affordable and get stuff done for our communities.”
Brooks is one of five Democrats seeking the nomination in 2026. Northampton County Executive Lamont G. McClure, former PPL executive Carol Obando-Derstine, former federal prosecutor Ryan Crosswell and Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley also are running in the May Democratic primary.
The Democrats all are vying to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who ousted Susan Wild from office last year and is running for a second term.
Brooks, president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association, announced his bid for the seat in August. On the campaign trail, he has drawn upon his working class background and career in firefighting to make the case that he would advocate for working people if elected.
Brooks also has also secured endorsements from national progressive figures including U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-17th District; and Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis. The International Association of Fire Fighters’ president and state director of the Service Employees International Union also have endorsed him.
However, not all local Democrats have thrown their support behind Brooks, shaping up what will likely be a competitive Democratic primary.
Obando-Derstine is backed by Wild, and was endorsed this month by a slate of Latina politicians. McClure, who did not seek reelection as executive, has the backing of other prominent elected officials including Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong.
Crosswell has received endorsements from national veterans groups but few locally; however, he’s raised the most money out of all of the Democratic candidates. Pinsley has secured endorsements from progressive political groups including Progressive Democrats of America.
The 7th District, which includes all of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, and parts of Monroe, is one of a few competitive races nationwide that determines which party controls the House of Representatives. Mackenzie won last year by about 4,000 votes; Wild’s margin of victory in the 2022 race was about 6,000 votes.
