The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added two Pennsylvania candidates to its 'Red to Blue' program on Monday, bringing the state's total to four—more than any other state. Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie and Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association President Bob Brooks joined Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti and former television anchor Janelle Stelson, who were announced in February for their respective bids in the 8th and 10th congressional districts.
DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene characterized both Harvie and Brooks as the strongest candidates in their races, despite both running against other Democrats for the party nomination. DelBene praised Harvie as someone with "an undeniable record of showing up and serving the community" and positioned him as the candidate best equipped to challenge incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick in the 1st District. She described Brooks, a 20-year Bethlehem firefighter and union president, as having lived experience with the struggles facing working families in the Lehigh Valley and as the candidate most capable of flipping the 7th District seat currently held by freshman GOP U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie.
Pennsylvania's prominence in the DCCC's strategy reflects Democrats' shift toward offense following Republican gains in 2024. Donald Trump won the state's 19 electoral votes, Republicans swept statewide races, and the GOP flipped two congressional seats from Democratic to Republican control last cycle.
Among the four Pennsylvania candidates, Cognetti faces the clearest path to the Democratic nomination. She will compete directly against Republican U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan in the 8th District. Stelson, challenging U.S. Rep. Scott Perry for the 10th District, faces Dauphin County Commissioner Justin Douglas in the primary. The races for the 1st and 7th Districts remain more contested on the Democratic side. In the 1st, Harvie competes against scientist Lucia Simonelli. The 7th District primary includes Brooks, former federal prosecutor Ryan Crosswell, former U.S. Sen. Bob Casey aide Carol Obando-Derstine, and Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure.
The DCCC's endorsements have drawn criticism from some candidates. Simonelli's campaign argued that "hand-picking a party loyalist did not work for the Democratic establishment during the Harris campaign," contending that voters in the district deserve a candidate committed to working people rather than establishment politics. Obando-Derstine's campaign similarly objected to what they called Washington insiders attempting to "handpick our next Representative and buy this seat," and criticized Brooks for allegedly endorsing election deniers and downplaying attacks on the Latino community.
All four candidates have secured significant backing beyond the DCCC. Brooks is supported by Gov. Josh Shapiro, U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, and multiple unions. Harvie has endorsements from a majority of local elected Democrats in Bucks and Montgomery Counties and multiple U.S. House members. Stelson and Cognetti both count Shapiro and various state and national lawmakers among their supporters. The BOLD PAC, the campaign committee of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, is backing Obando-Derstine.
Cook Political Report rates three of Pennsylvania's House races as toss-ups—more than any other state—involving the seats held by Bresnahan, Mackenzie, and Perry. The 1st District contest is rated as likely Republican. With Republicans holding a narrow House majority, these Pennsylvania battlegrounds are expected to receive substantial national attention heading into November's midterm elections. The primary election is scheduled for May 19.
