White working-class voters in Pennsylvania's industrial Lehigh Valley, drawn by Donald Trump’s glowing promise to revitalize the region’s manufacturing prowess, powered the Republican’s 2016 upset over Hillary Clinton. But in 2020, Joe Biden — who leaned into his own modest upbringing in nearby Scranton — lured just enough blue-collar workers his way to narrowly tilt the state back into Democratic hands.
Now, with control of the House coming down to the wire, the Lehigh Valley is once again a critical region at all levels. Both parties regard Pennsylvania’s 7th District as a Toss Up with a deadlocked presidential ballot, unsurprising given Biden’s narrow 0.6-point win in the district four years ago. That means the candidates’ individual brands are extremely important, as is their ability to cut through the clamor of ads on Philadelphia’s clogged airwaves.
Rep. Susan Wild was among the four Democratic women who won seats in southeastern Pennsylvania in 2018 thanks to a court-ordered redraw of the state’s congressional map. Allies say she’s built a robust reputation in the six years since, pointing to her record on manufacturing
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