BETHLEHEM, Pa. — With less than two weeks until Pennsylvania’s primary election, political scientist Chris Borick said the Democratic race for the 7th Congressional District is beginning to show signs of movement, but not resolution.
Former federal prosecutor Ryan Crosswell, firefighter union boss Bob Brooks, former Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure and energy engineer Carol Obando-Derstine are seeking the party's nomination.
The primary winner is expected to challenge Republican incumbent Ryan Mackenzie, who has no primary challenger, this November.
“There seems to be a little distance between certain candidates and others."Chris Borick on the PA-7 Democratic candidates
Borick said the field is starting to sort itself based on money and endorsements, even if no candidate has clearly broken away.
“There seems to be a little distance between certain candidates and others,” he said.
He pointed in particular to the role of fundraising and advertising in helping candidates build recognition in a crowded, open-seat race.
He highlighted Brooks as a candidate benefiting from both institutional and financial advantages, including support from Gov. Josh Shapiro and national Democratic figures.
That backing, Borick said, is part of a broader effort to build a winning coalition.
Brooks' latest endorsement
This week, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also endorsed Brooks, a move Borick described as a strategic attempt to influence the race before the primary rather than after it is decided.
“I think that you have to think about the strategic decision there,” Borick said.
“Why would you do it now? You can rally around whoever your candidate is after, or you could try to put your hand on the scale a little bit and push it.”
Still, Borick cautioned against overstating the impact of endorsements in a primary environment where voters are not closely tracking party signals.
“I don't know if most people listening to this would know what the D triple C stood for,” he said, arguing that such support functions more as part of a broader campaign “package” than a decisive factor.
He also noted that the race remains fundamentally unsettled, with a significant share of voters still undecided and no dominant figure emerging.
“About four out of 10 voters or so do not have a preference right now,” Borick said, describing the contest as fluid heading into the final stretch.
While Brooks may have a modest advantage based on resources and institutional backing, Borick emphasized the race still is open — and likely to remain competitive through Election Day.
