In a hotly contested race for Lehigh Valley’s 7th Congressional district, Democratic challenger Bob Brooks has toppled Republican incumbent Ryan Mackenzie. Brooks unseated the Republican congressman who has served atop the district since defeating former Democratic Congresswoman Susan Wild in 2 024. PA – House 7 97.5% expected vote in Source: NBC News Decision Desk Projected Winner Bob Brooks 56% 163,823 Ryan Mackenzie 44% 128,465 Brooks, who spent 20 years as a firefighter in Bethlehem, ran on a campaign that called for governmental reforms as, he claimed, “Washington’s a dumpster fire, and working people are the ones getting burned.” Among his campaign goals, Brooks said he would like to end stock trading for members of Congress. He’s also calling for the Commonwealth to increase its minimum wage — which has sat at $7.25 an hour since 2009 — ban corporate PAC funds from politics and ensure the ultra rich pay their fair share of taxes. In the race, Brooks defeated Mackenzie, who ran on a campaign that called for tax relief for working families, unleashing American energy resources and better control of governmental spending. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. ...read more read less