Mackenzie Declares Victory, Race Not Called
(Allentown, PA) -- Republican challenger Ryan Mackenzie is declaring victory in the race for Pennsylvania's Seventh Congressional District, even though the election has not been called. Mackenzie told supporters at his watch party early Wednesday morning that he has defeated incumbent Democrat Susan Wild. NBC News reports Mackenzie holds a lead of about six-thousand votes, but the race is still too close to call. Wild has not conceded the race.
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(Harrisburg, PA)-
Republican state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie declared victory in the race for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District against Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Susan Wild. The race, considered one of the most competitive in the country, could determine which party takes control of the House of Representatives. Mackenzie's declaration came early Wednesday morning, with 97% of the votes counted, leading Wild 51-49%, or by around 6,400 votes. However, the race has not yet been officially called by the Associated Press, and there is still an unknown number of outstanding provisional and mail ballots. Wild has not yet conceded the race.
Mackenzie, 42, of Lower Macungie Township, and his wife are the parents of an infant son. He currently represents the 187th Legislative District in Harrisburg, which covers parts of Lehigh County. Mackenzie addressed his supporters at his watch party in Allentown, stating, "What you did today is something that is so significant — that only probably about 2% of challengers will defeat an incumbent, and we did that right here in Pennsylvania." He also promised to be a representative for everybody and dedicated to service, starting the next day.
Wild, 67, of South Whitehall Township, is an attorney and mother of two grown children. She has served as a congresswoman in the 7th District since 2018. Addressing her supporters, Wild thanked them and said it has been the “honor and privilege” of her life to be a congresswoman in the 7th District. She also referred to the race as having gotten “ugly,” referring to attack ads against her funded by pro-Mackenzie groups like the Congressional Leadership Fund.
The 7th District was considered a key race in determining party control of the House of Representatives. The candidates raised a combined nearly $10 million, and outside groups spent nearly $27 million on ads, mailers, and other campaign materials to boost their preferred candidate.
Links
https://www.mcall.com/2024/11/05/2024-lehigh-valley-congress-election-results-susan-wild-ryan-mackenzie-face-off-in-7th-district/https://www.mcall.com/2024/11/05/2024-pa-house-election-results-in-the-lehigh-valley-a-look-at-key-races/https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/elections/2024/11/mackenzie-leads-wild-in-race-to-represent-the-lehigh-valley-in-congress.html