Key Pa. congressional races could change the direction of the country | Editorial

All 435 House congressional seats are up for election in November. Because of gerrymandering, most of the races will not be close, including many in the Philadelphia region.

That is good news for three strong Democratic women who have served the region with distinction. U.S. Reps. Madeleine Dean in the 4th District, Mary Gay Scanlon in the 5th District, and Chrissy Houlahan in the 6th District have stood firm against Donald Trump’s costly and cruel policies. They have also been fearless in calling out Democratic and Republican colleagues as well as the Trump administration for its various failures.

However, all political roads lead through Pennsylvania. As such, several contested races in the region could determine which party controls the House.

The GOP currently holds a slim majority in the House and Senate, but both chambers have consistently failed to uphold their constitutional oath to serve as a check on Trump’s failed war in Iran, and abuses of the rule of law and corruption that are harming every American.

The result has been higher costs for many families, daily chaos in Washington, and a diminishment of America’s standing around the world — along with many other disgraceful acts by Trump and his enablers.

The polls — which are not always reliable — favor many Democratic candidates. But truly, stopping Trump — who made $2.2 billion in his first year back in office while sticking Americans with higher gas, food, and housing costs — requires voting.

Here are some key congressional races that could change the direction of the country.

Bob Harvie, a Bucks County commissioner, is running against Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick in the 1st Congressional District. Polls show the two are tied in this swing district.

The Inquirer Editorial Board previously endorsed Harvie. Fitzpatrick tries to appear bipartisan, but on major issues is mostly a Trump toady.

The board also endorses Bob Brooks in Pennsylvania’s 7th District. Brooks is running against U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, a first-term Republican who has supported all of Trump’s policies, which have combined to make life unaffordable for many Americans, including costly tariffs, war in Iran, and the Big Beautiful Bill.

In the 8th Congressional District, which covers the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area, two-term GOP incumbent Rob Bresnahan, who is worth $37 million, faces challenger Paige Cognetti, a political outsider who became the first woman elected mayor of Scranton by challenging the corrupt political establishment.

The country could certainly benefit from fewer multimillionaire members of Congress who are out of touch with the financial struggles facing their constituents. Not to mention, fewer GOP members who have failed their constitutional oath to hold a corrupt president accountable.

By contrast, Cognetti has a solid track record of improving the quality of life in Scranton by boosting the city’s financial health, bolstering public safety, fostering good governance, investing in parks, attracting jobs, and working with others.

The same cannot be said of GOP incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, who is running for reelection in Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District, which includes Harrisburg and York.

Perry is a constitutional embarrassment. He was a ringleader in Trump’s plot to overturn the 2020 election. He also supported the Jan. 6, 2021, march on Washington that led to a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

The FBI seized Perry’s cell phone in 2022, but he was not charged with any wrongdoing.

Beyond supporting Trump’s coup attempt and his costly policies, Perry has been a do-nothing congressman. His “big initiative” was sponsoring a bill to repeal regulations designed to prevent drunk driving.

In Perry’s view, how dare the government try to keep drunk drivers off the road? For everyone’s health and safety, friends should not let friends vote for Perry.

Fortunately, there is an excellent alternative in Janelle Stelson, a former TV news anchor who lost to Perry two years ago by about 5,000 votes.

The Inquirer endorsed Stelson in 2024. She remains the best choice to help end the costly chaos, corruption, and incompetence in Washington.

Election Day wins by Harvie, Brooks, Cognetti, and Stelson — along with a Democratic majority — could help address the affordability issues plaguing voters while restoring some common sense, decency, and oversight in the House.