Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District is home to one of the most competitive races in these midterms. Incumbent Republican Ryan Mackenzie is facing off against Democrat Bob Brooks, and the outcome of this election could determine who controls the House after November.
Bob Brooks' campaign has painted Brooks as a working-class everyman, one who is running on a platform of "ending the affordability crisis." Brooks' platform also includes making the rich pay their taxes.
When Brooks announced his run for Congress, he was endorsed by California Congressman and mega-millionaire Ro Khanna. Khanna praised Brooks' plans to "fight for progressive policies that help working families." In return, Brooks praised Khanna—whose children own private golf courses—as a "champion for working class people."
My friend (and PA native) @RoKhanna has been a champion for working class people. Grateful to have him on board. pic.twitter.com/3BHzssjWl5
— Bob Brooks (@VoteBobBrooks) September 12, 2025
Khanna is currently in Pennsylvania on his "New Economic Patriotism" tour, which will take Khanna around the state. Yesterday, Khanna was in the Lehigh Valley, and has said the purpose of his tour was to "hear from workers and communities about building an economy that works for everyone. Like Brooks, Khanna's tour champions a ban on members of Congress trading stocks. Khanna has pushed for such a ban for years.
For years, I have been working to pass legislation that tackles corrupt practices that members of both parties have abused.
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) May 8, 2026
I do not own or trade stocks and have led the fight to ban stock trading. My household's only investments are in a trust that my in-laws set up before…
Brooks endorses this ban, and has made it part of his campaign platform, too.
If you want to get rich, don’t run for office.
— Bob Brooks (@VoteBobBrooks) November 19, 2025
I fully support banning stock trading in Congress.
Can't start cleaning up Washington's corruption unless we get this done.
Brooks himself is a prolific stock trader. In an article published in February, it was revealed that Brooks and his wife continued to personally invest in individual stocks worth at least tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars.
But as Brooks seeks to win his seven-way Democratic primary on May 19 and advance to challenge incumbent Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, he and his wife continue to personally invest in several dozen individual stocks together worth well into the tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to a NOTUS review of a financial disclosure document he filed with Congress.
Some stock investments held by Brooks or his wife, Jen, stand in contrast to his blue-collar image and congressional campaign’s generally center-left agenda, which for the local labor leader and retired firefighter includes strengthening unions, raising the minimum wage, fighting “billionaires and huge companies” and making “the rich pay their taxes.”
The stock trading comes as Brooks remains embroiled in a lawsuit for refusing to pay his former in-laws a $130,000 debt.
Meanwhile, Khanna himself has a net worth of up to $232 million and, according to the New York Post, he's the most active stock trader in the House.
The median household income in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District is $82,166.
Voters in Pennsylvania deserve representation that honors their working-class roots, and the bottom line is that Khanna and Brooks' brand of working-class economic populism doesn't hold up to scrutiny. Nor does it represent the people and values of Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District. Brooks is getting rich by trading stocks while promising to ban the practice for members of Congress, and Khanna—also a prolific stock trader—pretends to fight for an "economy that works for everyone" while he's worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
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