U.S. Rep Susan Wild (left) and her challenger Lisa Scheller (right) will participate in a congressional candidates forum hosted by LVEDC. (courtesy photos)

The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) will be hosting a forum with the candidates seeking to represent Pennsylvania’s 7th district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Susan Wild and her Republican challenger Lisa Scheller will participate in the forum, which will be held on Oct. 8 at 4 p.m.

The event will be streamed live on LVEDC’s Facebook page, and a digital recording will remain available for viewing after the event and through Election Day on the LVEDC website.

“This forum provides the candidates an opportunity to share their positions on issues related to the regional economy, jobs, and the workforce,” LVEDC President & CEO Don Cunningham said. “This event will be informative and enlightening for voters in the 7th District, and we appreciate the participation of both candidates.”

The forum will be open to a limited in-person audience, in accordance with all public health and safety requirements.

Scheller, an Allentown resident, is the President and Chair of Silberline Manufacturing Co., a maker of a key ingredient in paints and coatings, which recently opened a new manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania. She is also a member of the executive committee of the Aluminum Association of America, the leading advocacy group in that industry.

Scheller previously served on the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners, spending two years as board chair. During her time on the board, according to her website, she “gained a reputation as a fiscally conservative fighter who advocated for spending restraint, lower taxes, job creation and an end to special-interest giveaways.”

Wild, of South Whitehall Township, was elected to the House in 2018, becoming the first woman to represent Lehigh Valley in Congress, and the first Democrat to represent the region since 1999. She serves on the U.S. House Committees on Education and Labor, Ethics, and Foreign Affairs.

A member of the Lehigh Valley community for more than 30 years, Wild built a legal practice while raising her two children, and became the first woman appointed Allentown City Solicitor. On her website, Wild says she has been “a tough negotiator my whole career, winning battles in the courtroom and advocating for working-class families.” According to her site, she is committed to fighting for quality, affordable health care; an economy that benefits every member of our community; and reforming our political system to return government to the American people.

The event will not be structured like a debate, but rather as a discussion and a sharing of thoughts and ideas in response to questions about such topics as economic growth and job creation in the Lehigh Valley. Candidates will answer questions, and there will be no rebuttals.

Check back on the LVEDC events page at a later date for registration information and additional details.

LVEDC hosted a candidates forum in 2018 featuring the candidates seeking to represent what was then the newly-established Pennsylvania’s 7th district. That forum included Wild, Republican challenger Marty Nothstein, and Libertarian candidate Tim Silfies.