Candidates for the Lehigh Valley’s highly contested race for Congress will meet next month for an issues-focused debate that will air on WFMZ.

According to a news release from the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, Republican Ryan Mackenzie and Democrat Bob Brooks will meet at 10 a.m. Oct. 21 at WFMZ’s studios. The debate will air as part of the “Business Matters” program hosted by chamber President and CEO Tony Iannelli.

The air date of the debate will be announced during the taping, which will take place in front of a live audience.

The race between incumbent Mackenzie and political newcomer Brooks, a former Bethlehem firefighter and Pennsylvania Fire Fighters Association president, is one of the most closely watched in the country.

The 7th Congressional District is considered a “toss up” by Cook Political Report, and one of the handful of House elections that will determine which party takes control of the chamber in 2027. It includes all of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties and part of Monroe County.

The debate announcement comes as Mackenzie’s campaign accused Brooks of attempting to avoid debating his opponent. In a news release, the campaign called on Brooks to meet for a debate before counties begin sending out mail-in ballots in September.

“If October 21st — the latest possible date for a WFMZ debate — is all Bob Brooks agrees to, Congressman Mackenzie will be there. However, we still believe that voters should have opportunities to see and hear from both candidates in a debate before mail-in voting starts,” Mackenzie campaign spokesperson Arnaud Armstrong said in a statement.

Brooks’ campaign has denied that the Democrat is avoiding a debate and vowed to face Mackenzie in a public forum.

“Bob will debate Ryan Mackenzie on WFMZ on October 21 and looks forward to contrasting his record of service to his community as a 20-year Bethlehem firefighter, youth baseball coach, and snow plow driver against Mackenzie’s record of jacking up costs, ripping away health care, and supporting a reckless war of choice in Iran,” Brooks campaign spokesperson Benny Stanislawski said.

Reporter Lindsay Weber can be reached at Liweber@mcall.com.