similar to Bentz in that she’s not a Republican
but she prefers the R on the ballot in this
election. Rosamilia described herself as “not
Republican or a Democrat.”
“I’m basically in the middle,” she added. “I
guess I could be independent. I don’t know.”
According to the Bethlehem resident, “we do
need to fi x the country” because Democrats have
failed over the past couple of years. Rosamilia
believes that “everything has gone so far to the
left that the country is a mess right now.” She
thinks that a lot of her “Democrat friends” feel
the same way.

“Who’s going to fi x the economy and crime?”
Rosamilia asked. “And the energy costs have
gone up and the food is out of control.”
Th e Bethlehem resident further explained
that President Joe Biden is not looking to fi x
those problems. She said his administration is
just spending more; therefore, it’s time to give
the Republicans a chance.

Rosamilia said that when Republican
President Donald J. Trump was in offi ce, “the
The PPL Center in downtown Allentown in the heart of the
economy was excellent.” Infl ation was “2.some-
Lehigh Valley
thing; now it’s like 8.something,” she added.

Gas prices, too, have come down in recent
months but are still more expensive than they were should be unconditional and contended that Wild votes
under Trump. Rosamilia also used to go to Philadelphia for Israeli aid conditioned upon the Jewish state con-
and New York City once a month, but now she doesn’t tinuing two-state negotiations.

To combat hate crimes, Scheller called for additional
because of crime.

investments in law enforcement. Wild touted actions
“I think people want change,” she concluded. “And I
taken by
Congress, including the appointment of an
think in the midterms, maybe a lot of people are going
antisemitism ambassador
and a resolution to provide
to vote for change to see if that will fi x this country
additional funding
to houses
of worship.

because it’s really in a bad way.”
During the
Exponent’s travels
around the Lehigh
Some Lehigh Valley residents, though, do not want to
Valley two
weeks before
Election Day, most people
see change in PA-7.

preferred not
to talk
about the
race at
all, let alone about
Ajaz Quazi, an Allentown resident, is a Democrat who
Jewish issues.

But among
those who
did, fi ve people said
doesn’t love the job that Biden has done since taking
they would
vote for
Scheller against
four who preferred
offi ce. He expects Biden not to run in the 2024 presiden-
Wild. tial election and thinks that a new group of Democratic
John Briggs of Hellertown in Northampton County
leaders will emerge in the next couple of years. Quazi also
called politics “a theater act” and said he no longer
said that he likes Vice President Kamala Harris.

wanted to participate. Th e 36-year-old voted for George
But for Congress this year, he’s sticking with Wild
W. Bush
in 2004 and Barack Obama in 2008. But he
because she’s a Democrat.

described Obama as a great candidate who turned out
“I think Wild is a good candidate,” he said. “And plus,
to be
“a terrible
president.” He also said he appreciated
I’m a Democrat.”
“some things”
Trump did but that he was also “playing
Th at latest Muhlenberg/Morning Call poll that
the heel,”
a reference
to the loud and outrageous bad
showed Wild with a one-point lead also showed another
guys in
pro wrestling
matches. number that was less prominent but perhaps more
“Th ese people are maniacs. I just don’t want to be a
interesting. Only 4% of voters called themselves unde-
part of it anymore,” Briggs added. “What would be the
cided. But within that group, 31% said they leaned
best thing
is if nobody voted, and we all just took care of
toward Scheller, while 0% claimed to prefer Wild. (69%
each other.

Th at’s kind of where I’m at.”
doubled down on being undecided.)
Briggs plans
on voting for Republican Doug Mastriano
While Jewish issues aren’t a major theme in the
over Democrat
Josh Shapiro in the Pennsylvania gov-
campaign, the two candidates did discuss antisemitic
ernor’s race.

He said he likes “some of the things”
hate crimes and Middle East instability at an Oct. 13
Mastriano says
and fi nds Shapiro to be “derelict in his
forum hosted by the Lehigh Valley Jewish Federation.

duties” as
the commonwealth’s
attorney general. But he
Both reaffi rmed their support for Israel and condemned
fi nds
the race
for Pennsylvania’s
senate seat between TV
the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, Th e
doctor Republican
Mehmet Oz
and sweatshirt-wearing
Morning Call reported.

Democrat John
Fetterman to
be “ridiculous.”
At the forum, Wild called for a two-state solution to
As for Wild-Scheller, Briggs plans on writing
the Israeli-Palestinian confl ict. Scheller said aid to Israel
20 NOVEMBER 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
in a candidate.

“I’m not Republican. I’m independent,” he
said. Among the fi ve people who told the Exponent
they were voting for Scheller, two were Bentz
and Rosamilia, a Democrat and an indepen-
dent, respectively, while the other three were
conservatives. Out of the four who pledged sup-
port for Wild, one was a campaign volunteer.

Th e others were Democrats.

“I’m nervous. I think I hear it’s kind of close,”
said Chris Fowler, a Bethlehem resident and
Wild supporter. “I feel like the economic situa-
tion we’re in is not a product of just the last two
years.” Wild, a lawyer and former solicitor of
Allentown, fi rst won this House seat in 2018 by
10% of the vote against Marty Nothstein. But in
2020 against Scheller, that margin fell to about
3%. Now in 2022, the Democrat must contend
with high crime and infl ation rates under a
Democratic president, Republican momentum
and more conservative voters in her district.

As Th e Morning Call has reported and dis-
cussed, red Carbon County was not part of PA-7
two years ago. But it is in 2022, along with its
population of more than 64,000 people.

Th e Wild campaign did not respond to several
requests for comment. But the congresswoman is run-
ning like an incumbent in a very close race.

Wild’s negative TV ads portray Scheller as a CEO
more concerned with creating jobs in China than
America; her positive ad credits her for the CHIPS and
Science Act, which invests in making semiconductors
in America. Over the past week, Wild made sure to be
seen visiting small business owners in Bethlehem and
Easton and touring a construction site at the Lehigh
Valley International Airport.

Th en on Oct. 30, a Sunday morning, she brought in
House Majority WHIP Jim Clyburn to attend a ser-
vice with her at the Greater Shiloh Church in Easton.

Clyburn, a Black congressman from South Carolina
whose endorsement of Biden helped swing the 2020
Democratic primary, appeared with Wild at a church
that the congresswoman’s campaign labeled “the oldest
and largest minority congregation in the Lehigh Valley.”
It remains to be seen if all of this will be enough.

Scheller does not think that it will be. Th e Republican
called her opponent “a rubber stamp for the Biden
agenda” who supported “the reckless spending and tax
increases that have helped to give us the worst infl ation
in 40 years.”
Scheller, by contrast, promises to help “unleash
American energy, especially right here in Pennsylvania.”
She said “there are enough energy resources in PA to
power America for 200 years,” and that “it’s time we use
those to bring relief to working people.”
“I can do a better job representing the Lehigh Valley
and fi ghting for the needs of our communities,” Scheller
said. JE
jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com
Photo by Jarrad Saff ren
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