- Allen Issa, a Penn State Law student, has formally entered the race for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District
- Issa is the fourth Republican who will try to oust Democratic incumbent Susan Wild in 2024
- Political observers have labeled the district as one of the nation's most competitive congressional seats
ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A Penn State Law student became the latest political hopeful to enter what's expected to be one of the nation's most bruising congressional races Thursday.
Allen Issa, who intends to graduate with his law degree next year, publicly declared his candidacy for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District. As a congressional aide for three months last year, Issa said he focused on crises in Ukraine and Afghanistan.
"We need public servants who are laser-focused on improving and protecting the quality of life of those they serve."Allentown resident Allen Issa, the fourth Republican to enter next year's race for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District
“Congress is broken. Progress is stagnated. It’s time for a new vision and energy," he said in a news release. "We need public servants who are laser-focused on improving and protecting the quality of life of those they serve – making life more affordable, creating good local jobs and career opportunities and protecting the freedoms that are critical to every American.”
Issa, a 2019 graduate of the University of California, Riverside, may have his work cut out for him. He has little name recognition in the region, and it's unclear what financial resources he has at his disposal. FEC documents show he formally declared his candidacy on Sept. 15, but he did not file a campaign finance report for the period ending Sept. 30.
While young candidates with limited government and professional experiences generally fail poorly in federal elections, some have emerged on the national stage in recent years. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, was a 28-year-old waitress when she unseated Democratic Caucus Chair Joseph Crowley in 2018.
In the Republican primary, Issa will face state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie; Kevin Dellicker, an intelligence officer in the Air Force Reserve; and Maria Montero, who served in former Gov. Tom Corbett's administration. The winner of the GOP primary will likely face three-term incumbent Susan Wild, who has not drawn any Democratic challengers to date.
PA-7, which covers all of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties and a sliver of Monroe County, is regarded as one of America's most contested congressional districts. The Cook Political Report has identified it as one of just 24 toss-up districts in the U.S. The 2022 race saw candidates and their political allies spend a record $24 million in their bids to win the district. With Congress almost evenly split, political observers expect to see similarly-sized fortunes spent in the 2024 campaigns.
In the latest campaign finance reports, Wild reported having $1.1 million in her campaign war chest. Mackenzie led the Republican field with more than $127,000 on hand.
