With three seats in the U.S. House of Representatives from the Times News coverage area up for grabs this year, the focus in the Primary Election Tuesday will be on the race for the Democratic nomination on May 19.

Four candidates are seeking for the right to face Rep. Ryan Mackenzie in November. He is unopposed in the Primary, as are two other incumbents, Rep. Dan Meuser and Rep. Rob Bresnahan, both who await a Fall challenge from Democratic candidates, who like them, are unopposed this round.

7th District

The battle for the Democratic nomination in the 7th District is between Bob Brooks, Carol Obando-Derstine, Lamont McClure and Ryan Crosswell.

Brooks is a longtime Bethlehem firefighter who retired last year. He is currently the president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association.

McClure, who grew up in Weatherly, worked as an attorney and later served two terms as Northampton County Executive, following a 10-year stint on county council.

Obando-Derstine served as a regional manager for U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, as well as a regional affairs director for PPL Electric Utilities.

Crosswell, who grew up in Pottsville, served as a federal prosecutor for 10 years but made national headlines when he resigned from the Justice Department in 2025 in protest of the Trump administration’s decision to drop corruption charges against then-New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

The one who prevails in the race will face Mackenzie, a Republican from Lower Macungie Township. He defeated three-term Congresswoman Susan Wild, a Democrat, in the 2024 election.

The district includes all of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties and parts of Monroe County, including the townships of Eldred, Polk and some of Ross.

8th District

The battle lines for a November showdown for the 8th Congressional District is already set, as the incumbent Republican, Bresnahan, and Democrat Paige Cognetti will accept complimentary votes for their nominations on Tuesday.

Bresnahan is a resident of Dallas Township who defeated incumbent Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright two years ago.

Cognetti is the current mayor of the city of Scranton.

The district includes all of Lackawanna, Pike and Wayne counties and parts of Luzerne and Monroe counties, including the townships of Barrett, Chestnuthill, Coolbaugh, Hamilton, Jackson, Middle Smithfield, Paradise, Pocono and Price and parts of Ross Township.

9th District

The situation in the 9th District is similar to that of the 8th as the incumbent, Rep. Meuser of Jackson Township, Luzerne County, and his imminent challenger, Democrat Rachel Wallace of East Brunswick Township are unchallenged for their parties’ nominations and will face each other in November.

The district includes all of Bradford, Columbia, Lebanon, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Sullivan and Wyoming counties and parts of Berks, Luzerne and Lycoming counties.

The salary of a congressman is $174,000.