Susan Wild

Susan Wild is an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district from 2018 until 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, Wild was the first woman to represent the Lehigh Valley in Congress. Her tenure included significant involvement in various legislative initiatives and committee roles, reflecting her commitment to issues such as climate change, labor rights, and international human rights.

Early life and career

Susan Wild was born on June 7, 1957, in Wiesbaden Air Force Base, West Germany, to a Jewish family. Her father, Norman Leith, served in the U.S. Air Force, while her mother, Susan Stimus Ellis, was a journalist. Due to her father's military career, Wild spent her early years living in various locations, including France, California, New Mexico, and Washington, D.C. This diverse upbringing provided her with a unique perspective on American life and governance.

Wild's political engagement began early; she volunteered for Jimmy Carter's presidential campaign in 1976. She pursued higher education at American University, where she earned her undergraduate degree in 1978. Following this, she attended George Washington University Law School, obtaining her Juris Doctor in 1982. During her time in law school, she studied under noted legal scholar John Banzhaf.

After completing her education, Wild joined the law firm Gross McGinley in 1999, where she became a partner. Her legal career included a significant role as the solicitor for Allentown, Pennsylvania, a position she was appointed to in 2015, making her the first woman to hold that office. In 2013, she ran for county commissioner in Lehigh County but was unsuccessful in that bid.

House tenure

Wild's political career took a significant turn when she decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives. In December 2017, she resigned from her position as City Solicitor to campaign for the seat vacated by retiring Republican U.S. Representative Charlie Dent. In the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district, she emerged victorious, securing approximately 33% of the vote in a competitive six-candidate field. In the general election held in November 2018, Wild defeated Republican candidate Marty Nothstein, garnering 54.5% of the vote.

On the same day as the general election, Wild also participated in a special election to complete Dent's term. She won this election with a narrow margin, receiving 130,353 votes compared to Nothstein's 129,593. This special election was held under the previous district boundaries, which had been deemed unconstitutional by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, leading to the establishment of a new congressional map.

In 2020, Wild sought reelection and faced no opposition in the Democratic primary. In the general election, she competed against former Lehigh County commissioner Lisa Scheller and won with 51.9% of the vote, a result that was closer than anticipated. Following the 2020 census, Wild's district was redrawn, placing her in a more competitive congressional seat. In the 2022 election, she faced Scheller again and narrowly secured her seat with 51% of the vote.

In the 2024 election, Wild sought another term but was defeated by Republican Ryan Mackenzie, a Pennsylvania State Representative. Following her loss, she was implicated in media leaks related to the House Committee on Ethics, which investigated former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz.

Legislative focus and committees

During her time in Congress, Wild was actively involved in several legislative initiatives and committees, reflecting her priorities and areas of focus. She co-chaired the New Democrat Coalition Climate Change Task Force, emphasizing her commitment to addressing climate-related issues. Additionally, she served as vice chair of both the Congressional Labor and Working Families Caucus and the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations.

Wild's legislative actions included co-sponsoring a resolution in March 2021 to expel U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from Congress, citing Greene's advocacy for violence against fellow lawmakers and government officials. Throughout her tenure, Wild maintained a voting record that aligned closely with President Joe Biden's positions, reportedly voting in agreement with him 100% of the time as of November 2022. She also voted in line with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's stance on issues during the 117th Congress.

In terms of specific policy areas, Wild demonstrated a strong commitment to elder care. In March 2020, she co-sponsored legislation to reauthorize the Older Americans Act for five years, which included a significant funding increase. This bill was later signed into law by then-President Donald Trump.

Wild also took a firm stance on gun control, voting in favor of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022, which aimed to prohibit the sale of certain firearms, including AR-15s. Her foreign policy positions included vocal criticism of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, whom she described as far-right and harmful to various marginalized communities. In March 2019, she and a group of other Democratic lawmakers expressed their concerns in a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo regarding Bolsonaro's impact on human rights in Brazil.

Throughout her congressional career, Wild's legislative focus and committee roles underscored her commitment to addressing pressing issues facing her constituents and the nation at large. Her tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives was marked by active participation in key policy discussions and a dedication to representing the interests of her district.