Bresnahan and Mackenzie talk taxes during RNC midterm convention

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(The Center Square) – U.S. Reps. Rob Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie took the stage in Texas last week for the Republican Party's first-ever midterm convention. As both lawmakers chase a second term this November, they touted tax reform legislation signed into law by President Donald Trump.

“We delivered tax relief for every American, by locking in lower rates and expanding the standard deduction,” said Mackenzie, who represents Pennsylvania’s 7th U.S. House District. “We added no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security. We fought for working families, expanding the child tax credit, making tax credits permanent for things like paid family leave and child care, and creating Trump accounts.”

Bresnahan, who represents the state’s 8th District in the U.S. House, said “when manufacturers can keep more of what they earn, they can buy equipment, hire workers, and train apprentices.”

“And the people doing the work should keep more of what they earn too,” Bresnahan said. “That's why we delivered tax relief on overtime through the Working Families Tax Cut Act.”

The tax reform legislation was made possible through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law by Trump last year. That bill passed along party lines in Pennsylvania, with every Republican voting in favor and every Democrat voting against it. 

Republicans have celebrated the multi-trillion-dollar spending plan for its focus on cutting taxes. Democrats, however, have expressed concern about the impact it would have on those expected to lose coverage through Medicaid and SNAP.

Bresnahan and Mackenzie were both elected to the U.S. House in 2024 by unseating Democrats. 

Bresnahan bested U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright by just over 6,000 votes, while Mackenzie defeated U.S. Rep. Susan Wild by roughly 4,000 votes.

Both races are expected to be close this upcoming November, with The Cook Political Report describing them as “toss-ups.” 

Bresnahan didn’t concern himself with the race in his speech, not once specifically mentioning his opponent, Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, by name.

“I am ready to keep fighting to preserve these tax cuts and stop Democrats from repealing them,” he said.

Mackenzie, however, took a different approach. He referred to Bob Brooks, a firefighters union leader challenging him for the seat in the Lehigh Valley as a “far-left nut job” that was “handpicked by the Democratic establishment.”

Brooks criticized Mackenzie for deciding to attend the convention and linked him to Trump in a social media post on Wednesday. 

“Families here in the Lehigh Valley are struggling every day with the sky-high cost of living,” Brooks wrote on X. “But where's our Congressman? Down in Texas with Donald Trump and the rest of his friends who've helped get us into this mess.”

Leading into the two-day gathering, Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters dubbed it “Trumpapalooza.”

However, the Republican Party, along with Trump, despite having a very successful 2024 election in the Keystone State, is currently unpopular in Pennsylvania, according to recent polling.

A Franklin & Marshall College poll conducted in August found that voters ranked the economy (31%) as the most important problem facing the state. Among those who mention economic problems, Democrats lead Republicans as the party that can best handle the issue (47% to 23%), a larger advantage than in F&M’s June poll (42% to 24%).

The economy is the top concern for every partisan group, according to the August poll, which shows that nearly half (44%) of respondents say they are “worse off” financially than a year ago. 

Twenty-seven percent said that Trump is doing an “excellent” or “good” job as president, while 73% believe he is doing a “fair” or “poor” job.

Although Bresnahan and Mackenzie were the only Pennsylvania Republicans set to be on the ballot this November to take the stage during the midterm convention, U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., also delivered an address promoting his party’s record since Trump won a second term in office.