Northampton County Executive McClure will fight for working class if elected to Congress
Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure Thursday became the first Democrat to announce his candidacy to represent the 7th Congressional District, saying he has fought for the working class as a lawyer and a county official and will do that if elected to Congress in 2026.
“We must continue to fight,” he told a crowd of about 75 supporters in the rotunda of the Northampton County Government Center in Easton. “And the fight must go to Washington because I am for working people. We must defend working people. We must defend the middle class.”
McClure announced five weeks ago that he would not seek a third term as county executive, saying he was “exploring other ways to serve the public.”
After his announcement, McClure said he considered becoming a congressional candidate after the November election, when Republican Ryan Mackenzie defeated three-term incumbent Democrat Susan Wild.
Mackenzie plans to seek reelection to the seat he won with 50.5% of the vote, having filed his candidate statement with the Federal Election Commission three days after the election.
In his speech, McClure attacked President Trump, Elon Musk and Mackenzie. He said he also made the county government more efficient, contrasting his effort to what he called “chaos” in Washington, D.C.
”We did this in a sensible manner,” he said, noting he cut taxes and kept the Gracedale Nursing Home under county control. “We also didn't cut any core services. As a matter of fact, we expanded our core services. We expanded help for people struggling with mental health. We expanded help for people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction.”
McClure criticized Mackenzie and House Republicans for voting to cut Medicaid in the first vote on a new budget. In the Lehigh Valley, 117,000 low-income people could lose free health care because of the proposed budget, he said.
Asked for comment, Mackenzie said, “Mr. McClure is sadly starting his campaign with lies – the budget resolution makes no mention of Medicaid at all.”
Mackenzie was among 217 House members, all Republicans, who voted in favor of a budget resolution on Feb. 25 that media reports said calls for $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion in spending cuts over a decade and $4 trillion to $4.5 trillion in tax cuts.
The proposal includes extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and enacting new ones such as eliminating income taxes on tips. The resolution does not identify specific spending cuts but directs House committees to come up with recommendations.
With spending sectors such as Medicare and defense off the cutting table at Trump’s request, Democrats and some Republicans fear there could be wide cuts to Medicaid and SNAP benefits.
McClure is aware of the potential to cut such programs.
“At a time when people are most concerned about the cost of health care and access to health care, our current congressman, his first instinct … is to go to Washington to cut those very benefits,” he said. “We won't do that. We'll go down to Washington to strengthen the Affordable Care Act” and improve Medicaid and Medicare.
McClure also questioned why Mackenzie did not criticize Trump for pardoning 1,500 people convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
“He's always lecturing me about supporting law enforcement. And by the way, I support law enforcement. As a matter of fact, in Northampton County, since I've been county executive, we have funded the police and fire and EMS to the tune of over $2 million, despite the fact that … it's not part of our core responsibility.”
Mackenzie said in his statement to Armchair Lehigh Valley that he has “been very clear that I disagree with the broad-based approach to pardons that has been used recently for those who commit violent crimes and people like Hunter Biden.”
At his announcement, McClure showcased his support from labor, as James Irwin, president of the Lehigh Valley Labor Council, offered an endorsement along with the presence of nearly a dozen other union officials.
He also emphasized his deep connection to Carbon County, which was a deciding factor in Mackenzie’s victory as he won the Republican stronghold by 11,000 votes. Overall, his margin of victory was 4,062 votes. The 7th District comprises all of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties and a small portion of Monroe.
McClure introduced his mother, Pam, the first woman to serve as president of the Weatherly Area School board, and recalled how his father, Lamont Sr., who died in 2015, was executive director of the Carbon County Housing Authority for 40 years.
Carbon County Commissioner Rocky Ahner was among several officials who spoke, telling the crowd how McClure and his staff were helpful in providing guidance to establish Carbon’s open space preservation program.
To see a photo gallery of the McClure announcement, click here.
McClure, 54, was elected county executive in 2017 with 54% of the vote and in 2021 with 56%. Before being elected county executive, he served seven years on county council. As a lawyer for 17 years, he represented steelworkers and others seeking compensation for developing cancer after working with asbestos. His wife, Sandra, a former county assistant district attorney, is a district judge in Bethlehem Township.
McClure ended his speech by energizing the crowd.
“We need to fight like hell,” he said, raising his voice as the crowd cheered. “Are you ready to join me to repair the damage that Musk is doing? Are you ready to join me to reverse the damage that Trump's doing? Are you ready to join me?” The crowd shouted “yes” to each question.
Katherine Reinhard contributed to this story.