There's good news for everyone sick and tired of the deluge of political attack ads. The end is nearly in sight!
Lehigh Valley voters will cast their ballots in races for governor, Congress, the state House and state Senate on Tuesday. Early indicators suggest the region's reputation as a critical swing district will one once again be in play.
This episode, host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick said they'll be closely watching the contests for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District and the 16th state Senate District.
The matchup between U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, and firefighter union boss Bob Brooks could swing control of the U.S. House. The district has routinely been among the most competitive races in the country in recent years. Recent polls show Brooks may have a 5-point lead as Mackenzie has closely associated with the increasingly unpopular President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, the 16th District pits state Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Bucks/Lehigh, against Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley. While the district favors Republicans on paper, recent elections have seen Democratic candidates overperform as voters grow frustrated with the Trump administration. If that trend holds up, it could allow Pinsley to eke out a victory and give Democrats control of the state enate for the first time in decades.
If Democrats do overperform, it could make some local House seats competitive. Voter registration statistics suggest Reps. Milou Mackenzie, R-Lehigh/Montgomery/Northampton, of the 131st state House District and Gary Day, R-Lehigh, of the 187th state House District don't face competitive general elections often.
But if Democratic challengers Meriam Sabih and Rachel Cuevas can replicate the 10 to 15 point swing Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel saw in 2025, those seats could suddenly be in play.