Bob Brooks

Bob Brooks is a retired Bethlehem firefighter and president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association, running in his first race for office. He won the May 19 Democratic primary and faces first-term Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie in the Lehigh Valley.

On the ballot against Ryan Mackenzie (R)

Why it matters: Republican Ryan Mackenzie flipped this Lehigh Valley seat in 2024 by about one point, and it is one of four competitive Pennsylvania seats that could help decide control of the House, where Democrats need a net gain of three seats.

Give to Bob directly Volunteer Campaign site Your voting plan

Direct gifts go 100% to the campaign through its own official page. We never see or handle them.

The race at a glance

Race ratingLean DCook Political Report, Oct 16 source

Latest poll Brooks 45% 40% Mackenzie 15% undecided or other Brooks +5Franklin & Marshall, Sep 24. Checked Today, 9:52 PM ET. Every poll

Money raised (through Sep 30) Brooks$4,991,635 Mackenzie$5,167,023 $1,286,155 cash on hand. source

Every poll in this race

Pollster	Date	Sample	Brooks	Mackenzie	Margin
Franklin & Marshall	Sep 24	357 RV · Margin of error ±5.8%	45%	40%	D +5

LV = likely voters, RV = registered voters. Polls listed by 270toWin. Each pollster name links to its own release.

In Bob's own words

It's time we had somebody representing the Lehigh Valley in Congress who actually understands the challenges working people are facing

Bob Brooks, at a rally with Gov. Josh Shapiro and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries at the United Steelworkers union hall in Bethlehem, Jul 26 source

I’m fighting to make life better for people, and I have personal experience that gives me the drive

Bob Brooks, in an interview with City & State Pennsylvania, Oct 16 source

Where Bob stands

Health care: He supports Medicare for All, restoring Medicaid cuts and lowering prices for drugs such as insulin. source
Social Security: He pledges to defend Social Security and back the Medicare and Social Security Fair Share Act, which removes the cap on Social Security payroll taxes. source
Minimum wage: He wants to raise the federal minimum wage, last raised in 2006, and tie it to inflation. source
Corruption: He wants to ban members of Congress from trading stocks, ban corporate PAC money, set term limits and overturn Citizens United. source
Housing: He wants more starter homes, a crackdown on corporate landlords and rent gouging, and the HELPER Act to offer VA-style home loans to teachers, nurses and first responders. source

The record

Worked as a firefighter in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, from 2005 to 2025.
Elected president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association in 2021.
Started Brooks Lawn Care, a snow removal and lawn care business, in 2013.

ConfidentialThe GOP File

The file on Ryan Mackenzie

In May 2025 Mackenzie voted for the House version of President Trump's tax and spending bill, which the liberal Center for American Progress estimated would cost 20,000 people in the district their health coverage. source
Mackenzie is campaigning on tax relief, saying ideas from his first bills, including Child Tax Credit and childcare tax credit proposals, were included in the Working Families Tax Cuts. source
In October 2026 Mackenzie repeated an accusation that Brooks lied on a COVID-19 grant application for his lawn care business; the Brooks campaign calls Mackenzie's claims defamatory lies. source

Endorsed by

Gov. Josh Shapiro Sen. Bernie Sanders Sen. Elizabeth Warren House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries International Association of Fire Fighters

Profile sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

Race data checked Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Quotes on this page were matched word for word against their sources.