Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) has endorsed Bob Brooks, the head of the state's largest firefighters union, in a four-way Democratic primary for the 7th Congressional District. The winner of the May 19 primary is scheduled to face Republican Representative Ryan Mackenzie in the November general election. Brooks, a first-time candidate, has featured the governor’s endorsement prominently on his campaign website, handouts, and television advertisements.
Governor Shapiro reportedly recruited Brooks for the race and has provided significant financial and organizational support. The governor has seeded the Pennsylvania Democratic Party with $925,000 to support candidates and held a fundraiser for Brooks shortly after formalizing his endorsement in December. Brooks has also received support from Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s "Red to Blue" program.
The primary field includes Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure, former federal prosecutor Ryan Crosswell, and engineer Carol Obando-Derstine. A mid-April survey sponsored by the Congressional Progressive Caucus showed Brooks leading McClure by 7 percentage points, with 24% support, while more than one-third of likely voters remained undecided. Crosswell has led the field in fundraising, while an allied super PAC supporting Brooks has raised over $1 million, primarily from labor unions.
Brooks recently addressed comments he made to college Democrats regarding the governor's past political interactions. Brooks had stated that Shapiro requested the firefighters union support Republican State Treasurer Stacy Garrity in 2024 because her Democratic opponent, Erin McClelland, had criticized Shapiro. Brooks and a spokesperson for the governor later stated that Brooks "misspoke" and that no such request was made. McClelland, however, maintained her belief that Shapiro had worked against her campaign.
The result will impact the Democratic Party's effort to flip up to four House seats in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state. For residents of the district, the choice of nominee determines the platform and background—ranging from a union leader to a former prosecutor or county executive—that will represent the party in a high-stakes general election. A victory for Brooks would validate Shapiro's strategy of backing blue-collar, union-aligned candidates to appeal to working-class voters who have moved away from the party in recent years.
Conversely, a loss for Brooks would highlight the limitations of gubernatorial influence in local primaries and could embolden internal party critics who have questioned Shapiro's involvement in crowded fields. Local leaders remain divided, with some expressing frustration that the governor intervened rather than allowing the local primary process to unfold without state-level pressure. Following the May 19 primary, the focus will shift to the November general election, which will determine representation for the district in the U.S. House of Representatives.