Wild apologizes for expressing ‘dismay’ over Carbon's addition to 7th Congressional District
Apology follows release of video clip, criticism from Republican candidates
A video of U.S. Rep. Susan Wild expressing “dismay” over having the Republican-leaning Carbon County added to the 7th Congressional District in 2022 has drawn criticism from Republican contenders running in the April 23 primary and led to an apology from the three-term lawmaker.
The video is of a Zoom call featuring Wild and fellow Democrats U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, U.S. Rep. Chris DiLuzio and former U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb. It is unclear when it occurred.
In the 41-second video clip, which was making its rounds on Fox News and in Republican circles last week, Wild is heard saying:
“I acquired Carbon County as part of my district last year. And Matt [Cartwright] did not then represent it. Matt actually had represented Carbon County in the past and so was very valuable to me in terms of talking to him. It was then represented by Dan Meuser. After Trump came along, it went from sort of a working-class blue district to a … they drank the Trump Kool-Aid, and it really became a red county. So, I was dismayed, frankly, when I got that as part of my district.”
The version does not contain the end of her remark where she went on to say, “But what I have learned is since then – is they were sorely neglected at the federal level under their last representative, who was a Republican.”
Wild of South Whitehall is seeking her fourth, two-year term in Congress.
Maria Montero, who is among four Republicans running in the 7th’s primary, drew attention to the video, holding a press conference on Thursday outside Wild’s office in Lehighton where she was accompanied by a man wearing a Kool-Aid costume.
“As a native of Carbon County, I am appalled that Susan Wild would make such insulting comments about the people she was elected to represent in Congress,” said Montero, a lawyer who lives in Easton, in a press release. “These types of statements attacking and belittling people of different beliefs are symptomatic of the growing political divide in our country. Rather than attempt to build bridges and find common ground, Wild is contributing to the political polarization in our country.”
State Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, also a candidate in the GOP congressional primary, called Wild's remarks “offensive” in a Facebook post.
“If she can’t support our district the way she is supposed to do, she should resign from office,” Mackenzie said.
Wild issued an apology.
“Unfortunately, much of what I said has been taken out of context in a very partisan way by people vying to run against me. Regardless, I regret what I said and I apologize deeply to anyone I may have offended. I can assure you what people are reading is entirely inconsistent with my true feelings and not at all reflective of the enormous respect that I have for the people of Carbon County and the commitment I have to delivering for them in Washington.”
Wild went on to say that one of her first moves after her 2022 reelection was to open an office in Lehighton to help residents deal with federal agencies.
“I’m extremely proud to have delivered $400,000 in federal assistance to the Palmerton Fire Department and to have allocated more than $8,000,000 in federal funding for critical projects that are vital to Carbon communities. I look forward to continue working with the folks in Carbon County to bring as much assistance to the area as possible."
Dellicker out raises three GOP challengers in 7th Congressional District race
This is the second time that Wild has drawn criticism for remarks about Carbon County.
In another Zoom in July 2022, she said that Carbon County residents are exactly the kind of people who should not be voting for former President Donald Trump. “I might have to school them on that a little bit,” she said.
Republican Lisa Scheller, who was Wild’s opponent in 2022 and is a Montero supporter, raised that Zoom video as a campaign issue as well, eliciting an apology from Wild.
In general, Carbon County is a tough sell for a Democrat.
Currently, there are 21,840 registered Republicans versus 14,588 Democrats in the county.
In 2020, Trump, a Republican, garnered nearly twice as many votes as now President Joe Biden in Carbon while losing in Pennsylvania.
Two years later, the county was added to the 7th Congressional District as part of mandated redistricting, turning the district from one that leaned Democrat to one labeled by political analysts as a toss-up as far as elections go.
Carbon County could determine outcome of Wild, Scheller race
The 7th had comprised all of Lehigh and Northampton counties as well as eight Monroe County municipalities.The new map kept Lehigh and Northampton, eliminated all but a small piece of Monroe County while adding all of Carbon.
In November 2022, Wild defeated Republican Lisa Scheller with nearly 51% of the vote. But Scheller won Carbon with 64% of the vote.
Kevin Dellicker and Allen Issa are the other Republicans seeking the nomination in the 7th.
Democrat Jenna Alwalah of Allentown declared her candidacy last month, but has not made a formal announcement. Lewis Shupe of Allentown filed paperwork with the FEC to indicate his candidacy as an independent in November.