Bob Brooks
Candidate for Pennsylvania 7th Congressional District · Democrat
On the 2026 ballotChallenger · Pennsylvania 7th Congressional District · Nov 3 General
Ballot status source: Pennsylvania Department of State — certified 2026 General Primary · read Sep 24, 2026
Sources (3)
- Pennsylvania Department of State — certified 2026 General Primary (May 19) precinct returns: Representative in Congress District 7 (DEM), Robert R Brooks 28,232 of 68,865 votes (nominee)
- no general list published
- nominee per certified results
The District
What Pennsylvania 7th Congressional District covers
Covers all of Carbon County, Northampton County and Lehigh County; part of Monroe County.
Includes Nesquehoning, Bethlehem, Allentown, Jim Thorpe, Summit Hill, Towamensing Trails, Easton, Breinigsville, Fullerton, Indian Mountain Lake (part), Weatherly, Ancient Oaks and 63 more.
367 precincts · District lines: Congressional lines: U.S. Census Bureau (1:500,000 cartographic boundary, 119th Congress) · Precinct lines: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 TIGER/Line voting districts (VTD20); Lehigh County GIS, Precincts2 (official election precincts; feature edits through 2020-05)
Results
Certified results for Pennsylvania 7th Congressional District
U.S. House District 7
2024 Pennsylvania General Election · Nov 5, 2024| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan MackenzieRepublican | Republican | 203,688 | 50.5% |
| Susan Ellis WildDemocrat | Democrat | 199,626 | 49.5% |
Official precinct returns (PA Department of State bulk data; Philadelphia City Commissioners certified file) · Pennsylvania Department of State — official statewide precinct returns…
U.S. House District 7
2022 Pennsylvania General Election · Nov 8, 2022| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susan Ellis WildDemocrat | Democrat | 151,364 | 51.0% |
| Lisa Jane SchellerRepublican | Republican | 145,527 | 49.0% |
Official precinct returns (PA Department of State bulk data; Philadelphia City Commissioners certified file) · Pennsylvania Department of State — official statewide precinct returns…
U.S. House District 7
2020 Pennsylvania General Election · Nov 3, 2020| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susan Ellis WildDemocrat | Democrat | 195,462 | 51.9% |
| Lisa SchellerRepublican | Republican | 181,368 | 48.1% |
Official precinct returns (PA Department of State bulk data; Philadelphia City Commissioners certified file) · Pennsylvania Department of State — official statewide precinct returns…
Key Votes
The record
No public voting record
Bob Brooks has not held elected public office; he is a retired Bethlehem firefighter and president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association (a union office, not a public one). No roll-call record exists to report (checked 2026-09-24).
Official · GOTV Intel finding (absence of record)
Newest first. A close vote was decided by 5% of the votes cast or less (or 10 votes or fewer, under a fifth of the votes). Broke with party: voted against most of their party, where the record gives the party split.
Their Money
Campaign finance
- Last Change
- Profile updated · Sep 25
- Raised
- $2,393,465cycle to date through Jun 30
- Cash on Hand
- $1,018,423cycle to date through Jun 30
- Spent
- $1,374,190cycle to date through Jun 30
- Debts Owed
- $15,000cycle to date through Jun 30
- Next Report Due
- Q3 Report · Oct 15
View on FEC.govFEC, cycle to date through Jun 30, 2026
Top Payees
Who the campaign paid most, as its filing reports it.
- LC MEDIA LLC · television advertising$543.2K
- ASCEND DIGITAL · digital advertising$203.6K
- ARC INITIATIVES · research services$35.0K
- TRUE BLUE DIGITAL · digital consulting services$34.8K
- NGP VAN · database services$31.7K
Campaign finance — Bob Brooks for Congress: July Quarterly 2026, through Jun 30, 2026
Jun 30, 2026 · Official · Federal Election CommissionFinance Reports
Campaign finance — Bob Brooks for Congress: July Quarterly 2026, through Jun 30, 2026
Raised $2,393,465.23 this cycle · spent $1,374,190.43 · cash on hand $1,018,422.84 · debts owed by the committee $15,000.00 — through Jun 30, 2026. Where the money came from (cycle to date, as reported): Individuals $1,942,165.53 (81%); PACs and other political committees $404,250.03 (17%); Party committees $5,000.00 (0%); Transfers from authorized committees $26,085.00 (1%); The candidate (contributions) $3,500.00 (0%). Where it went (itemized operating expenditures this cycle, FEC-processed through Sep 20, 2026): media/ad buying $757.5K; individuals (staff, contractors, reimbursements) $203.8K; digital $71.2K; other $48.0K; polling $35.0K; fundraising $32.8K.
Jun 30, 2026 · Official · Federal Election Commission
State campaign finance reports: not shown for this state.
Money shows as the filings named here report it. Payees are who the campaign paid; individual contributors are not shown.
Advertising
Who is advertising for and against Bob
Advertising summary — for and against (2026 cycle)
For: own campaign $37,700 on Google; outside Google ads $30,452–$40,634; Snap $0; broadcast TV not searched; FEC independent expenditures $76,913. Against: outside Google ads $0–$0; opponent campaign ads $34,900–$47,200; Snap $0; broadcast TV not searched; FEC independent expenditures $48,544. 2026 cycle. Broadcast TV: not yet searched. Meta not included.
Sep 24, 2026 · Official · Ads summary (2026 cycle)Google/YouTube ads — HMP (supporting)
HMP — supporting this candidate (evidence: schedule e). 5 ads since Nov 2024; spend on these ads $30,452–$40,634 (Google creative spend ranges, geo-allocated); 5 of them also linked to other candidates.
Sep 24, 2026 · Official · Google Political Ads Transparency Report (bundle updated 2026-09-23 21:37 PT) · sourceGoogle/YouTube ads — Mackenzie for Congress Committee (opposing)
Mackenzie for Congress Committee — opposing this candidate (evidence: competing campaign). 8 ads since Nov 2024; spend on these ads $34,900–$47,200 (Google creative spend ranges, geo-allocated); 8 of them also linked to other candidates.
Sep 23, 2026 · Official · Google Political Ads Transparency Report (bundle updated 2026-09-23 21:37 PT) · sourceGoogle/YouTube ads — BOB BROOKS FOR CONGRESS (supporting)
The candidate's own campaign (BOB BROOKS FOR CONGRESS). 6 ads since Nov 2024; Google-reported $37,700 since Nov 6 2024 (exact, advertiser-wide).
Sep 23, 2026 · Official · Google Political Ads Transparency Report (bundle updated 2026-09-23 21:37 PT) · source
Independent Expenditures
FEC independent expenditures on file: $891,304 supporting, $965,884 opposing, across 123 reports.
SAFETY & AFFORDABILITY PAC INC.Opposing · $500,000
2 reports, newest Oct 7, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
America PACOpposing · $284,862
11 reports, newest Oct 9, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
NO GOING BACK PAC INC.Opposing · $179,022
6 reports, newest Oct 6, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
SEIU COPE (Service Employees International Union Committee On Political Education)Supporting · $164,641
4 reports, newest Oct 2, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
Relentless PACSupporting · $103,428
1 report, newest Oct 7, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
Resist Reclaim Rebuild PACSupporting · $100,000
1 report, newest Oct 6, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
AB PACSupporting · $88,417
4 reports, newest Oct 5, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
Progressive Turnout ProjectSupporting · $73,922
3 reports, newest Oct 7, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
UnidosUS Action PACSupporting · $59,950
3 reports, newest Sep 26, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
RURAL FREEDOM NETWORKSupporting · $46,010
6 reports, newest Sep 21, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
Working Families Party PACSupporting · $41,021
3 reports, newest May 16, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
HMPSupporting · $40,231
5 reports, newest Oct 6, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
Show all 23 spendersShow fewer
WORKERS VOTESupporting · $38,226
3 reports, newest Oct 5, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
Seniors Empowering an Effective DemocracySupporting · $34,684
5 reports, newest Oct 5, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
MAKE THE ROAD ACTION POLITICAL COMMITTEESupporting · $23,625
1 report, newest Sep 9, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
IN UNION USASupporting · $19,787
2 reports, newest Oct 8, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
CAMPAIGN FOR WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIESSupporting · $17,294
44 reports, newest Sep 30, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
Community Change VotersSupporting · $15,865
2 reports, newest Sep 25, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
THOMAS PAINE SOCIETY L.L.C.Supporting · $15,850
5 reports, newest Aug 23, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
Common Ground Coalition PACSupporting · $7,161
5 reports, newest Oct 1, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
CLFOpposing · $2,000
1 report, newest Sep 30, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
Field Team 6 Inc.Supporting · $662
5 reports, newest Sep 28, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
People's Action PowerSupporting · $530
1 report, newest May 8, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
Spend as each platform or filing reports it. Each line is a separate measure, and they are not added together.
In Their Words
What they have said, on the record
“I answer to the Lehigh Valley. Ryan Mackenzie answers to Trump.”
“Every day, I get to do what I love, and that’s fight for my members, fight for their healthcare, fight for their working conditions and fight for better pay.”
“We need to change who’s representing us and who’s making the rules and the laws”
“I've taken food stamps. It's not a speech, it's real.”
“It's taking on broken Washington to give working people a voice in Congress. This win is for every worker who's watched politicians in both parties make promises and let us down.”
“I spent 20 years running into burning buildings as a Bethlehem firefighter because nothing is more important to me than protecting the community I love”
Show all 12 statementsShow fewer
“If you’re a member of Congress, you shouldn’t be able to make a profit trading stocks while you’re writing laws regulating our economy or receiving classified briefings the rest of the public doesn’t have.”
“Unfortunately, our politics are being bought and paid for, and we have to stop that.”
“We are the richest country in the world, and everybody should have the right to have health care. Everybody”
“I want to restore health care cuts Ryan Mackenzie voted for. I would like to institute universal health care”
“I’m running for Congress because Washington doesn’t give a damn about working people, and it’s time for that to change”
“I’ve spent my life serving my community and living the challenges of regular people, whether it was behind the bar pouring beers or behind the wheel of the fire truck putting out fires in Bethlehem”
Interviews and Published Statements
Blue Dog Radio: The People Who Show Up
Podcast · Blue Dog Radio Excerpts from the published transcript: “So I get to go help somebody on their worst day.” “And I quite honestly think that's exactly what I'm gonna do for the constituents here of Pennsylvania 7.”
Sep 3, 2026 · Press · Blue Dog Radio (podcast) · sourceWatch: Bob Brooks on representing the working class for the Democratic Party
Video interview · The Keystone Embed/link only; no transcript obtained (audio/video not retrievable in our environment, passed on after one attempt per house rule).
Mar 6, 2026 · Press · The Keystone · sourceCongressional Candidate Conversations: Bob Brooks, PA-07 (2026)
Podcast · Lehigh Valley with Love Excerpts from GOTV Intel's transcription: [04:32] “Sure. So I 100% support the extending the ACA tax credits.” [08:41] “So, I always side on the side of workers. So if these things are bringing in thousands of jobs and we're getting workers out of it, great. If they're not, then I'm not for them”
Feb 25, 2026 · Press · Lehigh Valley with Love (podcast) · source
In the News
Press coverage
- US Rep. Ryan Mackenzie speaks at RNC midterm conventionSep 10, 2026 · Press · WFMZ-TV 69 News
- ‘I’m tired of getting kicked in the teeth’: firefighting union leader seeks to shake up CongressJun 8, 2026 · Press · The Guardian
- Bob Brooks wins Democratic nomination for U.S. House in Pennsylvania 7th Congressional DistrictMay 20, 2026 · Press · 6abc Philadelphia
- Firefighter Bob Brooks wins Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. Ryan MackenzieMay 20, 2026 · Press · Pennsylvania Capital-Star
- Bob Brooks pulls away in Lehigh Valley's crowded congressional primaryMay 20, 2026 · Press · Lehigh Valley Public Media (LehighValleyNews.com)
- Brooks wins hotly contested 7th District Democratic Congressional race, Bresnahan and Cognetti to square off in 8thMay 19, 2026 · Press · WVIA / LehighValleyNews.com
- Democrats tap blue‑collar firefighter to take on Trump‑aligned GOP congressman in Pa.’s 7th DistrictMay 19, 2026 · Press · lehighvalleylive.com (PennLive)
- Bob Brooks running for Congress to fix people’s problemsMay 12, 2026 · Press · Armchair Lehigh Valley
- PA-07: Brooks Unveils His 'Put Out The Fire' AgendaApr 30, 2026 · Press · PoliticsPA
- In PA-7 Dem primary, Bob Brooks is going from pole to pollApr 17, 2026 · Press · City & State Pennsylvania
Show all 15 articlesShow fewer
- Josh Shapiro appears in six-figure ad buy for Bob Brooks, a firefighter running for Congress in the Lehigh ValleyApr 9, 2026 · Press · The Philadelphia Inquirer
- A working-class candidate: Bob Brooks sets progressive agendaMar 3, 2026 · Press · The Keystone
- Former Bethlehem firefighter enters Democratic primary race for congressional seat representing Lehigh ValleyAug 26, 2025 · Press · WFMZ-TV 69 News
- PA-07: Brooks Enters Lehigh Valley Democratic ContestAug 26, 2025 · Press · PoliticsPA
- A firefighter running for Congress in the Lehigh Valley has backing from Bernie Sanders and Josh ShapiroAug 26, 2025 · Press · The Philadelphia Inquirer
Headlines link to the original reporting, captured on the date shown.
Reach Them
Websites and accounts
- Campaign Websitebrooksforcongress.comFull-page capture of the campaign website at 2026-09-24T09:30:17Z.Sep 24, 2026 · Self-published · Public accounts posted by the subjectSelf-published
- Xx.com/VoteBobBrooksFull-page capture of the public X profile (logged-out view) at 2026-09-24T09:30:16Z. Public metrics as displayed: 2,783 followers, 152 following.Sep 24, 2026 · Self-published · Public accounts posted by the subjectSelf-published
- Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61579956682086Self-published
- Instagraminstagram.com/votebobbrooksSelf-published
Social share cards (1200x630 and 1080x1080)
Share images for this profile.
Sep 24, 2026 · Self-published · GOTV Intel
Polls
Public polls
Franklin & Marshall College Center for Opinion ResearchGeneral election · U.S. House
Bob Brooks 45% · Ryan Mackenzie 40% · Undecided 16%
Sep 9, 2026 to Sep 20, 2026 · 357 RV · ±5.8 pts · phone/online · Franklin & Marshall College Poll
Released public polls of this race, as each pollster reported them. A poll is a snapshot, not a forecast.
The 2026 Field
Who else is running for Pennsylvania 7th Congressional District
- Ryan MackenzieRepublican · Incumbent · On the 2026 ballot
The Paper Trail
Filings, results and exhibits
U.S. Representative · PA-07
Democrat · Candidate · On the 2026 ballot
Sep 4, 2026 · Official · Pennsylvania Department of State
File read Sep 25, 2026. Each item names its source. Record ID p_g26v5e4vv.
GOTV Intel reports are sourced, cited research leads your campaign confirms against the primary record before use. They are never a consumer report and never for employment, credit, insurance, housing or licensure.