Three Republicans in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District have filed nominating petitions to seek their party’s nomination for the right to challenge U.S. Rep. Susan Wild in the 2024 election.

That nomination will be decided on Tuesday, April 23, when Pennsylvania holds its state and federal election.

Since the redistricting of congressional seats earlier this decade, all of Carbon County is represented by Wild, the three-term incumbent who primarily had represented the Lehigh Valley counties until Carbon County and three townships in Monroe County were added to her district following the 2020 Census.

Before being elected to the congress in 2018, Wild was a practicing attorney in the Lehigh Valley.

She became the first woman to be appointed Allentown’s City solicitor and became the first woman to be elected in the 7th District, where she succeeded Rep. Charlie Dent.

She defeated Lisa Scheller, owner and president of the Silberline Manufacturing Company, Hometown, in two straight elections.

Aspiring to the GOP nomination this time around are Pennsylvania Rep. Ryan Mackenzie of Lower Macungie Township, who represents the 187th Legislative District in the state’s House of Representatives; Kevin W. Dellicker of Heidelberg Township, who lost in the 2022 GOP primary to Scheller; and Maria Montero of Easton.

Before being elected to his state office, Mackenzie served as the director of policy at the PA Department of Labor & Industry, where he worked on issues relating to unemployment compensation reform, workers’ compensation insurance, the Uniform Construction Code and workforce development

Dellicker is a former intelligence officer in the Air National Guard. He and his wife, Susan, founded Dellicker Strategies, a company that helps organizations upgrade their telecommunications infrastructure while improving their cybersecurity posture and managing complex technology projects.

Montero, a practicing attorney in the Lehigh Valley, is a native of Summit Hill and is the former executive director of the Pennsylvania Commission for Women and the Pennsylvania Latino Commission, having worked in the administration of former Gov. Tom Corbett.

In addition to all of Carbon County, the district includes all of Lehigh and Northampton counties and parts of Monroe County, including the townships of Eldred, Polk and some of Ross.

The three Republican candidates will debate at 7 p.m. Monday, sponsored by The Lehighton 9/12 Project Inc.

The debate, to be held at American Legion Post 314, 314 Veterans Ave., Lehighton, will be televised on Blue Ridge TV-13.

The public is invited to the debate and is asked to arrive in time to be seated before airtime.

Kim Bell, general manager of BRC13, will moderate.