Rachel Wallace is no stranger to the halls of Congress.
The Pottsville native has held various positions within the government. Her first job in 2010 working for former U.S. Rep. Tim Holden led to a career in public service including in the State Department from 2014 to 2017, on the staff of a U.S. Senator from 2018 to 2019 and then in the White House Office of Management and Budget, where she served as chief of staff from October 2021 to May 2023.
“I have learned so much about how the federal government works, and I have also learned so much about how the federal government does not work,” she said.
The 37-year-old said that behind-the-scenes education is the primary reason she decided to launch a campaign to represent the 9th Congressional District, which includes parts or all of 12 counties stretching from northern Berks County to the New York state line.
“I think Congress is a big part of the problem,” she said. “People are tired of seeing their representatives yell at each other and never actually get anything done. We deserve better and I think I have the experience to deliver real results for my neighbors.”
Rachel Wallace
A ninth-generation Pennsylvanian and the daughter of a nurse and a pastor, Wallace was working at the White House when she learned her mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. She decided to move back to Schuylkill County to be closer to her family.
That’s when she began to pay more attention to local leadership and was left disappointed by the voting record of Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser.
“The last straw was when he voted to take away health insurance from 18,000 people in our district and SNAP benefits from 8,000 people in our district,” she said, referring to Meuser’s support of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act this year. “I was shocked when he voted for that because I don’t think those are our values.”
As for the issues she would champion if elected, Wallace said there are a handful that are close to her heart.
She said she would focus on lowering the cost of health care, noting she would vote to extend tax credits that help people afford insurance premiums, cap the amount of premiums that go toward insurance company salaries, and ban prior authorizations — a process that requires doctors to seek advance approval from an insurance company before performing treatments or prescribing medications.
Wallace said reducing the cost of living is another critical priority. She said it has become obvious that people are feeling the impacts of President Donald Trump’s tariffs across a broad spectrum of products from food to energy.
Her third priority would be bringing federal dollars back to the 9th District to support local projects.
Wallace said her priorities have been shaped by the conversations she has had with residents over the past few months in her district.
“The best part of the campaign has been talking to people and hearing their concerns,” she said. “I think it’s very important that we have a representative that wants to hear from their constituents. I know we’re not going to agree on everything, but there is so much common ground that has nothing to do with what political party you belong to.”
Wallace’s campaign has been backed by Holden, who represented Pennsylvania’s former 6th Congressional District — which included parts of Berks and Schuylkill counties — for 10 terms. He announced Thursday his official endorsement of her candidacy.
“We need someone who’s going to go to Washington, stay away from the petty party bickering and work to bring home money to fund projects that are needed,” Holden said in a video message. “Infrastructure, our health care systems — they all need help. But you don’t accomplish that when you’re fighting with the other side all the time.
“And I know Rachel, I know that’s not her personality. I know when she gets there, she’s going to roll up her sleeves and get to work everyday.”
Wallace is the third candidate to announce a bid for the Democratic nomination. She will face Daniel Byron, a retail manager who lives in Williamsport, and Jenn Brothers, a former corrections officer who lives in Susquehanna County, in the May 19 primary.
U.S. representatives serve a two-year term and receive an annual salary of $174,000.
Meet the candidate
Candidate: Rachel Wallace, 37, Schuylkill County.
Position sought: U.S. representative for the 9th District, which stretches from Lebanon County and Berks County north to the New York state line. It includes Berks, Lebanon, Schuylkill, Carbon, Northumberland, Montour, Columbia, Luzerne, Lycoming, Sullivan, Wyoming, Susquehanna and Bradford counties.
Current salary for position: $174,000.
Background: Wallace began her career working for former U.S. Rep. Tim Holden before serving in several government roles, including positions in the U.S. Senate, the State Department and the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Website: wallaceforcongress.com