Longtime fire fighter and IAFF leader Bob Brooks is heading to Washington, D.C.
Brooks defeated incumbent Rep. Ryan Mackenzie for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, winning 55% of the vote. The race was one of the most closely contested House districts in this election cycle.
“For 20 years, I ran into burning buildings without ever asking who somebody voted for. That’s how I’m going to do this job,” said Brooks. “If you voted for me, I now work for you. If you voted for the other guy, I’m going to work just as hard for you. That is my promise.”
The IAFF and FIREPAC supported Brooks’ campaign, with many IAFF members volunteering their time to phone bank for the campaign and travel to Bethlehem and Allentown to knock on doors for their union brother.
“Bob Brooks earned the IAFF’s support because he understands our issues firsthand. He’s one of us – a 20-year IAFF fire fighter and union leader who has stepped up to run for Congress. It’s not about a politician’s party; it’s about whether they’ll stand up for fire fighters, our families, and the communities we took an oath to protect,” said General President Edward Kelly. “That’s why he earned the IAFF’s support, and it’s the same commitment he’ll bring to Washington as a newly elected member of the House of Representatives.”
Brooks became deeply involved in IAFF Local 735 early in his career, serving as roster duty chairman, trustee, vice president, secretary-treasurer, and ultimately, president over his 20-year career of service.
He has also served as president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association (PPFFA) since 2021, making him the first statewide IAFF leader to be elected to federal office.
Throughout the campaign, Brooks earned endorsements from prominent federal, state, and local leaders – including Gov. Josh Shapiro, Lt. Governor Austin Davis, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and multiple members of Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation.
Brooks ran on a platform focused on lowering costs for families, ensuring access to universal healthcare, and prioritizing the needs of workers. He’ll now take his decades of union leadership experience into the halls of Congress.
“Tonight, we celebrate,” Brooks told supporters. “Tomorrow, we get to work building something better from the ashes.”
