About the District

PA-15 is a unique district spanning from the New Jersey State line to the outer northern suburbs of Philadelphia. Following Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, the Lehigh Valley is the third most populous region in the state. The 15th District is composed of Northampton and Lehigh Counties, about 10% is in northern Montgomery County, and a small portion of northeastern Berks County.

The Valley has historically served as a major U.S. center of industrial manufacturing - known for its production of steel, cement and apparel. Today, major employers based in the region include Lehigh Valley Hospital, St. Luke's Hospital, Air Products & Chemicals Inc. and the PPL Corporation.

It is also a center of higher education, and is home to seven four-year universities and two two-year colleges. The universities and colleges in the area include Cedar Crest College, DeSales University, Lafayette College, Lehigh University, Moravian College, Muhlenberg College, Penn State Lehigh Valley, Lehigh Carbon Community College, and Northampton Community College.

The tide is turning in PA-15. Although Al Gore and John Kerry won the district by only 1 percentage point, Barack Obama won by 13 points in the last presidential election. In fact, 49% of voters in the area are registered Democrats, compared to the 36% who are registered Republicans.