Incumbent Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon faces a new GOP contender as Republicans target suburban districts with moderate policies and fiscal responsibility.
Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District, anchored in Delaware County and parts of South Philadelphia, is emerging as a closely watched contest as Republicans look to chip away at Democrats’ dominance in suburban southeastern Pennsylvania.
Incumbent Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, first elected in 2018, is seeking reelection in 2026. A former civil rights attorney, Scanlon has built her tenure around issues such as gun regulation and immigration policy. According to her official congressional biography, she has emphasized “access to justice” and “women’s rights.”
Scanlon has also drawn national attention for her stance on immigration enforcement and criticism of the Trump administration. Reporting has highlighted her criticism of federal detention practices, including claims about conditions faced by detainees in facilities serving the Philadelphia region.
“It was made clear every step of the way that the detainees in ICE custody are treated the same as federal prisoners,” Scanlon told reporters, adding that she believes the nation is “seeing a surge of deaths of people who are being detained by ICE.”
🚨 Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon: "11% of my district is foreign-born…some undocumented, but they have families!"
"Their entire communities are terrified…!" pic.twitter.com/fjaLGQd4J7
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 30, 2025
Republicans, meanwhile, are rallying behind new candidate Nicholas Manganaro, a Delaware County-based contender aiming to present a contrast in both tone and policy. In an interview, Manganaro pushed back against Scanlon’s immigration perspective, calling it “destructive.”
“ICE is a program that was created by Congress, funded by Congress, and she should have some respect for a program that’s trying to keep citizens from being killed and hurt,” he stated.
An MIT graduate with decades of finance experience, Manganaro has positioned himself as a candidate focused on fiscal responsibility and local control, issues that have gained traction among suburban voters uneasy with rising costs of living. Manganaro’s messaging focuses on the need to rein in federal spending and prioritize law enforcement, arguing that these concerns resonate strongly in communities across Delaware County.
“People’s lives being unaffordable is either making them fall into despair or look for more (benefits) from the government, which is what leads to more government spending and higher deficits,” Manganaro explained. “And eventually a default for the nation. So, I want to be the doorstop and stop the failure of the economy, in my own small way.”
Despite best efforts, the regional political landscape remains challenging for Republicans. The district has consistently favored Democratic candidates by comfortable margins. Still, GOP strategists believe that evolving voter concerns, particularly around hot button issues like inflation and public safety, could narrow the gap.
