BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Firefighter union leader Bob Brooks, a first-time candidate with no prior experience in public office, is emerging as a serious contender in the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District.
Brooks joined host Tom Shortell on this week's Political Pulse to discuss his decision to enter the race, his background in organized labor and his views on the direction of the Democratic Party and Congress.
Brooks acknowledged that he previously supported former Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure in the race, a move Shortell noted is unusual given that Brooks is now running himself.
Brooks said his thinking evolved as he spent time meeting voters and political leaders.
“I met a lot of people along the way, made relationships, you know, and, along that way I got tapped on the shoulder by Congressman Chris Deluzio (D-Allegheny/Beaver) to take a look at the race,” Brooks said.
“And knowing how important this seat is to have, I mean, if we don't flip the seat, it really doesn't look like we get the House back.”
The right person for the job?
Asked why he believes he is the right person for the job, Brooks pointed to a working-class background shaped by personal hardship and decades in labor.
“I was born and raised in North Adams, Massachusetts, and that's where I went to school, public education system, graduated high school,” he said, recounting jobs ranging from restaurant work to factory labor.
Brooks said his family moved to Pennsylvania after his home burned down when he was 18, and he entered the workforce immediately after arriving in the Lehigh Valley.
He described a string of jobs — bartending, delivering pizza and driving a beer truck as a Teamster — before becoming a firefighter.
“But then I got this job as a firefighter and I got involved with the union and that really set the course for everything I've done since,” Brooks said.
‘They forgot about the working class’
On national politics, Brooks argued Democrats have lost touch with working-class voters.
“They've gotten the label of the party of elites,” he said. “So they forgot about the working class and, and it's not necessarily they forgot, they stopped talking to us.”
Brooks said voters who felt ignored were drawn to promises that have not been fulfilled.
“I mean, (President Donald Trump) said he was gonna fix things on day one. Him and (U.S. Rep. Ryan) Mackenzie both were gonna fix things on day one, but we're pretty far past day one and things aren't fixed. Prices aren't down, we're still taking votes against the everyday person,” he said.
When asked what Congress should do to ease economic pressure on families, Brooks focused on health care costs.
“To put Americans in a position where … they don't have to make that decision between paying medical bills and paying their mortgage,” he said, adding, “I've been a supporter of Medicare for all, and I think that's where we start.”
He also cited caps on out-of-pocket costs and prescription prices, and allowing Medicaid to negotiate prices, as steps that could provide relief.
Brooks also weighed in on disaster response, drawing on his experience with the International Association of Fire Fighters disaster relief team. He said he was deployed to Fort Myers, Florida, after a hurricane and saw cooperation across lines of difference.
“When you're talking about emergency situations and what people need on the ground, there's no place for politicization,” Brooks said.
He argued Congress has contributed to polarization and stressed that aid should be delivered quickly regardless of geography or politics.
“We should get that help there as soon as possible,” he said.
Brooks is seeking the Democratic nomination in a district seen as pivotal in the fight for control of the U.S. House.
Watch the full interview in the YouTube player above, or visit the full playlist to see episodes with other PA-7 candidates.
