Susan Wild concedes key House race to GOP challenger in Pennsylvania

Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.), a three-term incumbent, conceded to Republican Ryan Mackenzie in the battle for her Lehigh Valley House seat, a key race for the House majority that pundits thought also might be an indicator in the White House race.

"There is no sugarcoating it: this is a bitterly disappointing outcome," Wild wrote in a statement posted on the social platform X.

She noted "it is of utmost importance that I first state what should be obvious: I lost this election, and my opponent won. I congratulate my opponent on winning this seat, and I am going to do everything to ensure a smooth transition, because the people of this district deserve nothing less."

Wild narrowly won reelection in 2022 by 2 percentage points, and polls had shown her leading Mackenzie by a slim margin — making her loss a significant upset for House Republicans.

Decision Desk HQ has not yet projected a winner in the race, though Mackenzie was leading Wild 50.7 percent to 49.3 percent, with 95 percent of the estimated vote reported.

Her seat was a top target of the National Republican Congressional Committee in the GOP’s bid to maintain its narrow majority in the House. Wild was also a part of the Democratic Congressional Coordinating Committee’s front-line member protection program. 

The 7th District, including Allentown and north of Philadelphia, is almost evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats. 

The district also has a large Latino and Puerto Rican population, which Wild had been working to reach out to, especially in the wake of comments at a rally for former President Trump at Madison Square Garden, where a comedian called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” 

The race was one of the most expensive in the nation, with both sides investing heavily. According to OpenSecrets, more than $27 million was spent, making it the seventh most expensive congressional race.

Top surrogates in both parties have stopped in the district recently to stump for Wild and Mackenzie, including House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) and House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.). On the Republican side, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) also stumped for Mackenzie. 

Trump has also campaigned in the district recently, rallying with Mackenzie to flip the seat.

Wild first won election to the seat in 2018 in a special election to succeed moderate Republican Rep. Charlie Dent, who has criticized Trump and said he was voting for Vice President Harris. Before Dent, former Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) also held the seat. 

Wild has served as the House’s Ethics Committee chair and, prior to winning the election in 2018, was Allentown’s solicitor.