The swingy 7th Congressional District in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley is a battleground for both the House and the White House in the 2024 election. The race between moderate Democrat Rep. Susan Wild and Republican state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie is seen as a bellwether for the presidential election given the district’s history of choosing the president. The district is evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, making it a microcosm of the nation with a growing Latino population. The candidates are focused on courting Latino voters, with Wild emphasizing her long-standing relationships within the community. The Republicans have attacked Wild on border security, while also trying to appeal to Latino voters.
House leaders like Pete Aguilar have joined the campaign trail in support of Wild, emphasizing her dedication to the Latino community. Key issues in the race include immigration, border security, and healthcare. While Wild has a slim lead in the polls, the race remains competitive with Mackenzie campaigning as a political outsider against the incumbent, Wild. There is growing interest in how the Latino vote will impact the election, with Republicans hoping to make inroads among this demographic. However, outreach to Latino voters has been limited on the Republican side, with concerns about appealing to both the base and Latino voters. The outcome of the race in the 7th Congressional District is expected to have national implications on the outcome of the presidential election.
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