Polling Average
25%20%15%10%5%0%
10%
18.6%
15.4%
8.2%
7%
Democrat
Carol Obando-Derstine
Democrat
Carol Obando-Derstine
PA-07 Democratic nominee?
$58.1K
MAY 26, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleEnergy engineer
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyProgressive Democrat
GenderFemale
LocationPennsylvania
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BackgroundEnergy engineer
EducationLehigh University — M.Eng., Energy Systems Engineering
Notable personal detailsCarol Obando-Derstine is a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District. She has worked in the electric utility sector at PPL Electric Utilities and has been described as an energy engineer and educator. She previously worked on U.S. Sen. Bob Casey’s staff and has also served in nonprofit leadership roles in the Lehigh Valley region.
SourcesShowHide
fec.govengineering.lehigh.eduwomencount.org314action.orgbsky.applehighcounty.orgdeveloper.ballotpedia.orgmonroecountypa.govagencies2.monroecountypa.govcarbondem.orgtnonline.comsecure.actblue.comkyc.votecapitolhillaccess.comballotready.orglehighvalleynews.comlvpnews.comlinkedin.comjstreetpac.orglehighvalleywithlovemedia.comvotecarol.orggt.linkedin.compa.linkedin.comcarolforpa.comtsbrandelevation.comemilyslist.orginquirer.comelectdemocraticwomen.orgaldianews.comwdiy.orglatinovictory.orgourmidland.comlehighdaily.comnrcc.orgboldpac.compafamily.orgjamanetwork.commcall.comfacebook.comcityandstatepa.comwhyy.orgnbcnews.compenncapital-star.comms.nowarmchairlehighvalley.substack.comjewishinsider.comnews.ballotpedia.orgsemafor.comdisclosures-clerk.house.govdocquery.fec.gov
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
The candidate supports policies to lower costs for working families, expand access to affordable healthcare, and oppose large tax cuts for the wealthy while promoting investment in jobs, small businesses, and a just clean-energy transition. Her platform emphasizes protecting programs that aid low- and middle-income households and standing up to policies that would shift benefits toward billionaires. She also supports innovation and federal action to create jobs and retraining tied to energy and technology initiatives.
Healthcare
Supports treating health care as a right, protecting Medicaid and Medicare, strengthening the Affordable Care Act, and ensuring reproductive health care rights. Emphasizes fighting policies that would reduce coverage or access and lowering health-related costs for families.
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Immigration & Border
Supports securing the border while overhauling the immigration system with humane reforms, including a pathway to citizenship (Dignity Act), expanding immigration court capacity, fully reopening DACA applications and protecting Dreamers, and opposing administration policies that target immigrant communities.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate supports protecting the right to choose and protecting access to reproductive health care; she pledges to fight policies that restrict reproductive care and to defend women’s health and related rights. Her campaign and endorsements identify her as a pro-choice candidate who will advocate for reproductive freedom.
Climate & Energy
Supports expansion of clean energy, grid interconnection for renewables, and climate mitigation through science-based energy solutions and decarbonization while emphasizing affordability and job creation. Background and professional experience in energy systems engineering and work at PPL Electric Utilities informing policy focus on clean-energy integration and lowering utility costs. No evidence found of advocacy for Green New Deal–style wholesale fossil-fuel phase-out or explicit endorsement of carbon-pricing legislation in the cited sources.
Public Safety & Guns
The candidate supports "common-sense gun safety legislation" and emphasizes youth mental health funding and violence-prevention education as part of her approach to public safety. Her platform links modest gun-safety measures with broader violence-prevention and mental-health initiatives.
Polls
PA-07 Democratic nominee?
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Endorsements
PA-07 Democratic nominee?
Endorsers of Carol Obando-Derstine for PA-07 Democratic nominee?
EMILYs List
Public endorsement
EMILYs List endorsed Carol Obando-Derstine for election to Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District.
Latina members of Congress
Public endorsement
A slate of Latina members of Congress endorsed Carol Obando-Derstine for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District.
Elect Democratic Women
Public figure
Elect Democratic Women endorsed Carol Obando-Derstine for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District.
Congresswoman Veronica Escobar
Elected official
Congresswoman Veronica Escobar endorsed Carol Obando-Derstine for PA-07.
BOLD PAC
Political organization
BOLD PAC endorsed Carol Obando-Derstine for Congress in PA-07.
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Total raisedCash on hand
$593.3K
$445.0K
$296.6K
$148.3K
$0
2026
LatestYear
Total raised
Cash on hand
Total spent
Burn rate
Cycle 2026
$593.3K
$2.2K
$591.1K
$32.8K
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
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