Search
Close this search box.

Wild Rules Out Senate Bid

This Lehigh Valley Democrat will not be joining the crowded field for Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race in 2022. 

In an interview with Roll Call, Rep. Susan Wild (D-Lehigh) said that she will not be running for the open statewide seat next year.  

“I love having a district I can know every corner of … I think it would be incredibly frustrating to represent 67 counties and barely ever get to some of them,” Wild said to Roll Call. “So, no, I’m solid staying where I am.” 

Although Wild won’t launch a bid for the statewide office, her 2022 reelection bid for Congress will likely be one of the closest watched races in the state again. 

Wild is one of three Democrats in the state targeted by the National Republican Campaign Committee to flip in 2022, along with Reps. Matt Cartwright (D-Lackawanna) and Conor Lamb (D-Allegheny).

She won her second term in Congress by beating Republican Lisa Scheller by just under 4 points in 2020. Wild and Joe Biden carried the 7th Congressional District by similar margins. Wild won by just under 4 points, while Biden bested Donald Trump by just under 5 points, according to Daily Kos

In 2018, Wild defeated Republican Marty Nothstein by 10 points for the open 7th Congressional District seat in the Lehigh Valley, while also winning the special election by a razor thin margin to represent the old 15th District, which was vacated by Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Lehigh). Sec. Hillary Clinton narrowly bested Trump in these boundaries in 2016

Wild may have a rematch on her hands for 2022. 

In January, Scheller, a former Lehigh County Commissioner and businesswoman, announced that she filed paperwork to run for Congress in 2022

However, Pennsylvania will lose a seat after redistricting, making it difficult for any challenger and incumbent to accurately size up their 2022 prospects.

While Wild has ruled out a run for U.S. Senate in 2022, several Democrats have already formally launched campaigns. 

Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia), former Norristown Borough Council President John McGuigan, and Dr. Kevin Baumlin have all launched their campaigns for Senate. State Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Elections Commission for U.S. Senate and formally announced his exploratory committee in April. 

According to the FEC website, Brandaun Dean, Larry Johnson, Alexandria Khalil, Kyle Norton, and Alan Shank have also filed statements of candidacy for the Democratic primary. 

Several other Democrats are reportedly weighing a run for the office as well. 

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, other potential Democratic candidates include Reps. Madeleine Dean (D-Montgomery) Chrissy Houlahan (D-Chester), Conor Lamb (D-Allegheny), and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney.

6 Responses

  1. But she already ran for Congress and lost. Doesn’t it seem silly to think she will win against the incumbent she lost to handidly already?

  2. Not Trump or Trumper is a valid qualification for Congress in many PA districts.

  3. Susan Wild is a TOTAL ZERO and no one wanted her to run for Senate, that’s why she “ruled it out.” The only reason she is in Congress is because her main competition in the Democratic Primary was Trump-loving John Morganelli (that went over well with D primary voters) and in the General she faced Marty Northstein who can A. Barely string a coherent sentence together and B. Had more baggage than the cast of Real Housewives. So yeah, people got stuck with Susan Wild – aka just another dope of a Representative. Congress, and Susan Wild, are an embarrassment.

    1. Got it all wrong, LOLZ…Susan Wild is a perfect Rep for that district and giving a seat up which she can easily win to run against Fetterman who is raising money very well would be nuts. Rep Susan Wild would at best come in second. Fetterman is perfect for Senate but would have lost for Gov. Wild will win Congress but would have lost Senate.

      1. But she already ran for Congress and lost. Doesn’t it seem silly to think she will win against the incumbent she lost to handidly already?

Email:
  • Do you agree that ByteDance should be forced to divest TikTok?


    • Yes. It's a national security risk. (60%)
    • No. It's an app used by millions and poses no threat. (40%)
    • What's ByteDance? (0%)

    Total Voters: 30

    Loading ... Loading ...
Continue to Browser

PoliticsPA

To install tap and choose
Add to Home Screen