Democrat Bob Brooks has defeated Republican incumbent Ryan Mackenzie in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, flipping a Republican-held seat in the Lehigh Valley that was among the most closely watched congressional races in the country.
Brooks had 57% of the vote when the race was called Tuesday night.
The victory is one of four Republican-held congressional seats Democrats flipped in Pennsylvania, as part of a broader national shift that saw Democrats pick up at least 20 additional seats across the country. These competitive races were key to Democrats’ push to flip control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The race drew national attention in part because of the district's political makeup. Political observers have described it as one of the most competitive districts in the country, with a combination of densely populated urban communities and more rural areas.
Brooks, a former Bethlehem firefighter, currently represents more than 8,000 firefighters statewide as president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association.
Mackenzie previously served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives before winning the congressional seat in 2024, defeating three-term Democratic incumbent Susan Wild by just one percentage point.
Brooks secured the Democratic nomination in May after winning a four-way primary.
The campaign grew increasingly contentious in its final weeks, with both sides exchanging cease-and-desist letters over political advertisements they each claimed were defamatory.
Brooks' victory returns the 7th Congressional District to Democratic control after only two years of Republican representation.
