BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Carol Obando-Derstine, an engineer and nonprofit leader, began her congressional campaign today for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, setting up a Democratic primary contest ahead of a challenge against Republican incumbent Ryan Mackenzie.
Obando-Derstine’s campaign began with an announcement by Reverend Dr. Gregory Edwards, a former Democratic candidate for the district, and a raving endorsement from former Congresswoman Susan Wild, who previously represented the area before Representative Mackenzie.
“At the core of who I am, I’m a problem solver, and I bring people together,” Obando-Derstine said during her announcement. “Now that I’ve achieved the American dream, I try and pay it forward every day.”
Obando-Derstine immigrated from Colombia with her family at age three.
Her mother and father both worked as proud union members.
She later earned a master’s degree from Penn State and, at age 43, completed an engineering degree from Lehigh University.
Her career highlights her extensive involvement in the Lehigh Valley over the past two decades, including executive roles at SkillsUSA and the Children’s Coalition of the Lehigh Valley.
She also worked as a regional manager for Sen. Bob Casey, overseeing Northampton, Lehigh, and Carbon counties.
She also served on Gov. Wolf’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs and spent nine years at PPL Electric Utilities.
While not addressing McClure directly, Obando-Derstine emphasized her background outside of politics as distinguishing her candidacy.
“I’ve dedicated my career to helping others and making a difference,” she said during her announcement. “I will fight to defend working-class people in this district.”
Obando-Derstine continuously emphasized her devotion to solving economic challenges, including ensuring working-class families have proper access to healthcare and fighting to secure reproductive rights.
Mackenzie’s campaign sharply criticized the announcement, particularly Wild’s involvement in Obando-Derstine’s candidacy.
“Fresh off being rejected by the voters, Susan Wild has decided that she doesn’t want to lose again, so she has decided to recruit someone who will vote the same [as] she did and simply act as her puppet,” said Mackenzie for Congress spokesman Arnaud Armstrong in a statement.
Mackenzie continued, claiming Wild sought someone with “no record” to “fool voters” and calling Obando-Derstine’s candidacy “a poorly veiled attempt by Wild’s special interest backers and consultants to obtain a fourth Wild term.”
Obando-Derstine joins fellow Democrat Lamont McClure, Northampton County Executive, who launched his campaign in February. The primary winner will face Mackenzie in November of 2026.
The Mackenzie campaign statement also targeted McClure, saying Democratic primary voters must choose between “Lamont McClure, who sides with violent, illegal immigrant criminals as opposed to federal law enforcement, and Carol Obando-Derstine, who sides with the failed policies of Susan Wild.”
Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District — which spans Lehigh, Northampton, and parts of Monroe counties — proved to be one of the nation’s most hotly contested battlegrounds in the 2024 election, playing a pivotal role in the fight for control of the U.S. House.
Anchored in the Lehigh Valley, the third-most populous metro area in the state after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, the district reflects a near-even split in partisan values, making it a microcosm of the broader American political landscape.
With Lehigh County leading the state in population growth — fueled by thriving manufacturing, health care, finance, and professional services sectors — the region’s economic and demographic shifts carry national implications.
Against this backdrop, Obando-Derstine said she is stepping up “not as a politician, but as a problem solver focused on the everyday struggles families are facing, from rising costs to attacks on health care, education, and our basic freedoms.”
