(The Center Square) – For the first time during the 2026 campaign, Democrat Bob Brooks has outraised GOP U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie in the race for the 7th Congressional District.
Brooks, a firefighters’ union leader, raised $1.22 million from April 30 to the end of June, according to campaign finance reports released on Wednesday, while Mackenzie raised just over $630,000.
The latest two-month stretch is the strongest quarter for Brooks since announcing his candidacy for the seat in the Lehigh Valley in late August and the first time he’s posted at least $1 million in a fundraising report.
Brooks’ latest haul is the third highest among congressional candidates in Pennsylvania. Fellow Democratic challengers Janelle Stelson and Paige Cognetti, running for the 10th and 8th Districts, respectively, were the only candidates to raise more than Brooks during May and June.
Mackenzie’s latest report placed him with the seventh highest among candidates running for Congress in the Keystone State. Stelson, Cognetti, Brooks, and fellow Republican incumbents Brian Fitzpatrick, Scott Perry, and Rob Bresnahan raised more than him during May and June.
The latest fundraising report is also the first released since Brooks clinched the Democratic Party nomination. Mackenzie, a freshman lawmaker, was unopposed in the GOP primary.
Although Brooks nearly doubled Mackenzie’s haul over the last two months, the GOP incumbent has raised more than the Democratic challenger throughout the entirety of the campaign and still holds a cash-on-hand advantage in the race.
Mackenzie’s campaign has raised $4.45 million since late 2024, which is the seventh highest among congressional candidates in Pennsylvania. Brooks has raised $2.39 million since he launched his campaign in August.
Mackenzie’s campaign entered July with $2.93 million on hand, while Brooks had $1.01 million.
At this point in 2024, Mackenzie was significantly trailing in the fundraising race. U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-Lehigh, had $3.85 million on hand, while Mackenzie had $365,000.
Multiple congressional races in Pennsylvania were decided by narrow margins in the previous election, but none were closer than the race for the 7th Congressional District. Mackenzie bested Wild by roughly 4,000 votes.
Mackenzie, who was endorsed by Trump in 2024, is being backed by the president in his bid for a second term. He was in attendance for Trump’s May appearance in his district.
Brooks, who secured the Democratic Party nod in a four-candidate primary election, is backed by Gov. Josh Shapiro.
A trio of national ratings outlets, the Cook Political Report, Sabato’s Crystal Ball, and Inside Elections describes the race for the 7th Congressional District as a “toss up.”
