EASTON, Pa. — This week, we’re profiling the Republican candidates vying to represent their party in the race for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District.
Attorney and self-described “person from a humble background,” Maria Montero is one of three Republicans running in the district this year.
“I am a person from a humble background that because of America [had] opportunities that gave me unlimited options,” Montero said.
Montero, 47, was born into a family of Irish, Italian and Peruvian ancestry in Pennsylvania’s Coal Region. She spent her time growing up between Allentown and Summit Hill, Carbon County, and currently resides in Easton.
Having obtained her bachelor’s and law degrees after having a son at age 18, Montero says her story reflects the “American Dream” — something she’s concerned about for younger generations in today’s economy.
“When I graduated college, jobs were plentiful,” said Montero. “I was able to buy a home when I was 26 and put 20% down, and that’s not a reality today. People are struggling.”
A newcomer to running for elected office, Montero’s has extensive experience in the nonprofit world — most notably with the Lehigh Valley Power of Women, a networking group to help women start and manage their own businesses. She’s also been an advocate for conservation efforts, as she raised private funds for the Pennsylvania Parks and Forest Foundation to help keep all 221 state parks free.
A Spanish speaker, Montero has held several appointed positions in Pennsylvania, including as executive director for both the Pennsylvania Commission for Women and of Gov. Tom Corbett’s Latino Commission.
Montero says her record of service is her way of giving back to her community because she is not independently wealthy. She hopes this experience and her own personal triumphs will convince voters she’s the right candidate to defeat Wild this fall.
On the issues
During our interview, Montero articulated her positions on some of the important issues that are likely to decide this fall's elections up and down the ballot.
During our interview, Montero articulated her positions on some of the important issues that are likely to decide this fall's elections up and down the ballot.
Economy: According to Montero, recent metrics showing that the inflation rate has fallen are “forgetting compound interest rate,” which she says means the impact of inflation has only steepened for families over time. Tackling inflation and unleashing America’s domestic energy supply would be priorities for Montero, as she says doing so would have positive impacts for the economy as a whole — including the housing market in the Lehigh Valley.
Abortion: As a “constitutionalist,” Montero believes the federal government’s role in abortion should generally be limited — though she did express support for the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Noting that having a child so young motivated her to succeed through college and law school, Montero said women should have “real options” like those previously supported by Real Alternatives and similar programs in Pennsylvania.
War in Ukraine: Montero says the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia is “tragic,” and that the government often fails to consider both the human and taxpayer perspectives of addressing it. Her family has volunteered time and money to help Ukraine, and she contends that nonprofits and other private sources are a better way to provide aid when the government already has $34 trillion in debt.
War in Gaza: Montero expressed her support for maintaining Israel as an ally for “regional stability.” She says continued diplomacy is the best way to solve the ongoing issues — a belief she attributes to her previous service with the U.S. Global Leadership Commission.
Border security: To help secure the U.S.-Mexico border, Montero proposes boosting technology infrastructure and empowering U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to carry out its functions. Doing so would allow a crackdown on fentanyl trafficking, as the drug has become the No. 1 “killer” of Pennsylvanians under 40 and Lehigh County’s designation as a high-trafficking area has impacted the rest of the area, according to Montero.
Donald Trump: With a laugh, Montero said Trump probably “has no clue” who she is. She is more concerned about addressing safety, cost of living and “election systems” issues rather than any loyalty to the former president as a party leader. The best way to handle these issues is by listening to people, according to Montero.
2020 election: Asked if Joe Biden legitimately defeated Trump in the 2020 presidential election, Montero responded, “Joe Biden is our president” without taking a specific position on the question. She criticized the passing of Pennsylvania’s Act 77 as the “single worst” act of electoral fraud in that election, as it allowed citizens to “vote by mail for any reason.” Voting anomalies like those that occurred in Northampton County in 2023 build “misinformation” among voters, and Montero feels that paper ballots are a more “trackable” way to restore faith in the electoral process.
In Pennsylvania’s GOP primary on April 23, Montero will face candidates Kevin Dellicker and Ryan Mackenzie. The winner of that race will face Wild, a Democrat seeking her fourth term in Congress, in the general election this November.
Stay tuned to WFMZ.com for a profile of Mackenzie, which will be published Wednesday.
A profile of Dellicker was published Monday.
