BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The four Democrats vying for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District squared off in their first televised debate Wednesday, highlighting their records and backgrounds ahead of the crowded May primary.
Bob Brooks, Ryan Crosswell, Lamont McClure and Carol Obando-Derstine answered rapid-fire questions before about 120 people at Moravian College's Foy Concert Hall.
Moderator Tony Iannelli's questions uncovered little daylight between the candidates on most issues.
The candidates were in lockstep on topics such as reining in ICE enforcement, the need to lower the cost of consumer goods and their willingness to fight for the district in Washington.
The candidates also expressed their disappointment with U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania, who's offered full-throated support for Israel's war in Gaza and backed President Trump's stricter policies on border security.
Fetterman's cozier-than-expected relationship with Trump has thrilled Republicans, who once called him a dangerous socialist and infuriated many within his party.
"I have a problem with people who say one thing and do another, and that's what I'm seeing from him," Obando-Derstine said.
At no point during the 50-minute debate did the Democrats attack one another. Instead, they kept their focus on defeating U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who is running unopposed in the Republican primary.
Brooks: Blue-collar roots
Brooks, president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association and a former Bethlehem firefighter, highlighted his history of lobbying for legislation in Harrisburg and Washington to help working families and union workers.
The endorsements he's drawn from figures such as Gov. Josh Shapiro and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, show he has the chops to get things done once in office, he said.
At the same time, Brooks said his blue-collar roots will let him connect with working class voters who have abandoned the Democratic Party for the MAGA movement in recent years.
He said he knows what it's like to have to work multiple jobs to put food on the table, and those experiences will earn him support from independent and Republican voters in the fall.
"People that look like me and act like me and work like me have been leaving this party," Brooks said. "We need to bring them back, and I think I can do that."
Obando-Derstine: Connect with diverse population
Obando-Derstine pointed to her history as an energy engineer.
As a former employee at PPL, she said, it was her job to point seniors and other customers to programs to help them lower their utility bills.
She said her training and education also make her the best candidate to help Congress pass meaningful legislation to keep energy prices affordable as costs spike because of increasing demands from AI and data centers.
Obando-Derstine, a former staffer for U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, contended that as the only woman, immigrant and Spanish speaker in the race, she's best able to connect with the Lehigh Valley's diverse population.
Former U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, thought so and endorsed her, Obando-Derstine said.
"A lot of people feel like no one is listening to them, and I understand the struggles that they face," she said.
"I've lived through empty wallets, sacrifices and language barriers. But what I did is that when I climbed out, I never pulled the ladder out from under me."
McClure: Only experienced candidate
McClure pointed to his nearly two decades in Northampton County government, including two terms as Northampton County executive.
As the only Democrat who's served in office, he's the one with the clearest track record of standing up for Lehigh Valley residents, he said.
He's also proven he can win the nation's biggest bellwether; Northampton County has drawn national attention for routinely backing the winning presidential candidate.
During his tenure, McClure cut property taxes, distributed millions of dollars to aid small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic and protected LGBTQ rights, he said.
And as someone who grew up in Republican-leaning Carbon County, he'll be able to eat into the support Mackenzie needed to carry the district in 2024.
"In a general election, it's going to be very difficult for Mackenzie to demonize me as sort of a classic 'tax and spend' liberal because I want to go to D.C. and cut taxes for the middle class," McClure said.
Crosswell: Voters respect military
Crosswell, who was a registered Republican as recently as December 2024, said defended his spot by noting his votes for Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in recent presidential races.
In 2022, he protested the Supreme Court's Dobbs v Jackson decision, which overturned federal abortion rights.
However, also he underscored his history as a U.S. Marine and, more recently, a federal prosecutor. He resigned his post in the Justice Department in protest after the Trump administration dropped corruption charges against then-New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
"The bottom line is in our reddest parts of this district, they respect the military," Crosswell said. "They respect law enforcement. I have 27 years combined of both.
"That's really important because we need to win this seat back."
Iannelli peppered the candidates with questions over about 45 minutes.
However, not all candidates had opportunities to answer questions on topics such as the war in Iran, transgender rights or their support for alternative energy sources such as solar and nuclear power.
How to catch the debate, cast a ballot
The debate will air over two episodes on Ianelli's Business Matters program on TV station WFMZ.
The first half, which featured questions produced by the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, will air at 7 p.m. Monday. The second episode, featuring questions submitted by the public, will air at 7:30 p.m. April 13.
The district represents Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties plus a sliver of Monroe County.
Voter registration data shows the region has near equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats, as well as an unusually high number of independents.
It's among the few toss-up congressional seats in the nation, making it a top priority for both parties as they vie for a majority in the U.S. House.
The winner of the Democratic primary is expected to face Mackenzie in the November election.
The first-term Republican has been a vocal supporter of Trump, though he broke from his party to support renewing Affordable Care Act tax subsidies.
Pennsylvania has a closed primary system, meaning that only registered Democrats will be allowed to vote for the party's nominee on May 19.
Citizens who have lived in Pennsylvania for at least 30 days are eligible to vote in the primary if they register by May 4. That's also the last date for voters to change their party registration or update their address.
People can register to vote or update their registration either online or at their county's voter registration office.
