Voters in Allentown, Pennsylvania, are confronting steep everyday costs and economic anxiety ahead of the 2026 midterms, testing political loyalties among Latino residents who formed a key part of the winning coalition in the 7th Congressional District two years prior.
Victor Martinez and the Lehigh Valley Radio Broadcast
Victor Martinez operates his control board like an orchestra conductor. He has hosted his Spanish-language talk show for nearly a decade on La Mega 101.7 in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. Where the local population once counted Latinos as about a fifth of the community, that share has grown to nearly a quarter over the same span.
Now, at the halfway mark of Trump’s second term, Martinez reports that the mood remains deeply unsettled. Listeners flood the studio lines with anger over stubbornly high prices for groceries and fuel, creating potential consequences for Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections.
“It’s the economy, stupid. That’s what it is. I mean, things have gotten so bad. People didn’t think Biden did a good job. Everything was expensive and now it’s worse.”
During a recent broadcast, Martinez asked listeners for just one positive thing
about President Trump. Callers instead shared frustrations. One listener mentioned a $5,000 payout promised by Trump if Republicans retain control of Congress—a claim Martinez greeted with a laugh track. Another caller, a truck driver, offered a bleak silver lining regarding high diesel prices: he expected to take an unplanned vacation simply because he could no longer afford to fuel his rig.
The 7th Congressional District Race and Voter Reactions
The radio studio sits inside Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, one of the most closely watched political battles in the nation. Freshman incumbent Ryan Mackenzie faces a challenge from Democrat Bob Brooks, a retired firefighter and union official. Both campaigns have stepped up outreach to Latino voters, who represent approximately a quarter of the district’s population.
Brooks campaigns under the nickname Bombero Bob
and has recently made stops at a Mexican restaurant and a barbershop displaying a Dominican flag. Meanwhile, Mackenzie’s campaign has highlighted support from Latino voters and officials, alongside a newly opened downtown Allentown district office staffed by Spanish speakers.
Among local business owners, expectations have collided with difficult economic realities. Alberto Pena and his wife have operated Las Palmas Restaurant, a Dominican eatery in Allentown, for nearly two decades. The dining room fills with the aroma of crispy pastelillos and savory rice. Pena voted for Trump hoping for a turnaround following the high inflation experienced under Biden, but his household is still living day by day,
leading him to lean toward Brooks in the current race.
Republicans Target Latino Voters Through Faith and Family
Both political parties recognize the stakes surrounding Latino voter alignment in the region. Jackie Rivera, vice chair of Lehigh County Republicans, stated that her party aims to preserve the voter support Trump secured two years ago by concentrating on foundational issues such as faith and family.
While President Trump frequently highlights the state of the economy under his leadership, Rivera acknowledged that local organizers are taking a direct approach rather than sugarcoating conditions.
“We’re not pretending everything is great right now. You have to be honest with them so that they can believe in you and actually trust in what you’re stating to them.”
On the Democratic side, Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk observed that the prevailing sentiment among residents mirrors the economic frustrations of two years ago, when Biden was trying to convince people that the economy was strong. Voters report that higher monthly mortgage notes, increased childcare expenses, and soaring grocery bills outweigh broad economic claims from Washington.
Martinez continues to urge political engagement despite widespread voter fatigue. He noted a recent call from a listener who vowed to sit out the election entirely, responding with a direct warning about the cost of disengagement.
“I understand that feeling of frustration, but not doing nothing is not the answer.”