Bob Brooks flips Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional district, defeats Ryan Mackenzie

Democrat Bob Brooks defeated Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District on Tuesday, flipping a Republican-held seat in one of the state’s most competitive congressional contests.

The Associated Press called the race for Brooks at 10:27 p.m. EST. As of 10:35 p.m. EST, Brooks led over Mackenzie by a count of 56.8% to 43.2%.

Brooks’ victory comes after Mackenzie narrowly defeated former Democratic Rep. Susan Wild in 2024, winning by roughly 4,000 votes. The Lehigh Valley district became a major Democratic target as the party worked to regain control of the U.S. House.

During the campaign, Heartland Signal examined the candidates’ sharply different positions on health care, manufacturing and rising costs. Mackenzie supported legislation containing significant Medicaid cuts and backed federal tax incentives for data center developers. Brooks, a local firefighter, campaigned on expanding health coverage, protecting local control over data center development and holding corporations accountable.

Mackenzie also faced scrutiny after reports that his communications director, Arnaud Armstrong, had participated in a college group chat where members shared racist and antisemitic memes, including fabricated quotes attributed to Adolf Hitler.

Brooks’ win gives Democrats an important pickup in Pennsylvania as they attempt to reclaim the House majority. The result also marks a setback for Republicans in a district President Donald Trump carried in 2024.