Shapiro backs Brooks in primary for top Dem target
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is endorsing firefighter union head Bob Brooks in the state’s 7th Congressional District — the potential 2028 presidential contender putting his thumb on the scale in a crowded primary for a seat that’s among Democrats’ top targets to flip in the midterms.
Shapiro’s endorsement, shared first with POLITICO, comes as the governor is plotting an aggressive push to help his party wrest back control of the House by turning as many as four Pennsylvania districts blue — throwing his weight behind candidates as other governors attempt to nab seats for their parties via redistricting. It’s a strategy that will serve as a major test of Shapiro’s coattails in a critical swing state in 2026, when he’s also up for reelection. And if successful, it could give him a launchpad for a 2028 White House bid.
Shapiro helped recruit Brooks into the race and is headlining a fundraiser for Brooks’ campaign Thursday in Philadelphia. Brooks is competing in a five-way primary as Democrats attempt to unseat GOP Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who flipped the Lehigh Valley district last year by one of the narrowest margins in the country.
“[Brooks] is the fighter our friends and neighbors all across the Lehigh Valley deserve in Washington. Throughout his career, Bob has worked hard for the men and women of organized labor — standing up for higher wages, better healthcare, and safer working conditions,” Shapiro said in a statement. “Bob has always had my back — and I am proud to endorse him in this race and stand with him in the fight to make life more affordable and get stuff done for our communities.”
Brooks called Shapiro’s support “a powerful vote of confidence in our campaign.” Brooks, the head of the statewide Pennsylvania firefighters union, backed Shapiro early in his 2022 gubernatorial bid.
It’s part of a broader undertaking by Shapiro to remake the state Democratic Party and spearhead its midterms efforts. Shapiro has installed allies atop the state party and funneled cash into its coffers. He’s already endorsed Janelle Stelson in her repeat bid to unseat GOP Rep. Scott Perry in the state’s 10th District, after she lost by barely a percentage point last year. Formal endorsements of Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti and Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie against vulnerable GOP Reps. Rob Bresnahan and Brian Fitzpatrick, respectively, are expected in the new year.
Brooks has racked up endorsements from across the political spectrum — from the moderate Shapiro to progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).
But Shapiro’s endorsement is unlikely to clear a field that has divided Democratic special interest groups and where another candidate, Ryan Crosswell, has so far been the fundraising leader.
