ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) 鈥� Many political candidates like to talk up their r茅sum茅 in their stump speech.
Ryan Crosswell reads from his resignation letter.
A former federal prosecutor now running for Congress, he when President Donald Trump’s administration dropped corruption charges against New York City Mayor in return for his cooperation on immigration enforcement.
鈥淚 pray that the Department of Justice remains dedicated to upholding the rule of law evenly without fear or favor. Sincerely, Ryan Crosswell,” he read at a recent campaign event.
The line got applause and whoops from dozens of Democratic Party activists who had gathered to see him in the West End Taproom in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Crosswell is one of five candidates who are vying for the opportunity to unseat Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, a top target of Democrats in next year’s midterm election, when control of the U.S. House will be on the line.
Polling shows that voters prioritize economic issues, and Democrats have focused on concerns about affordability as they try to claw back power in Washington.
Crosswell is testing a different approach, relying on his law enforcement and corruption-fighting background amid fears about how Trump is reshaping the nation’s justice system.
Voters often ask him about Trump’s pardons for the politically connected, immigration enforcement officers using force, U.S. military strikes on boats in the Caribbean or prosecutions against the president’s enemies.
“I think I get asked that probably more than the average candidate, but I also lean into it,鈥� Crosswell said in an interview.
Mackenzie鈥檚 campaign said voters in Pennsylvania 鈥渁ren鈥檛 interested in a lecture, they鈥檙e interested in the issues 鈥� affordability, public safety and national security.鈥�
Running amid fears of authoritarianism
Crosswell’s background was a draw for many who came to see him at the event.
鈥淚 like that he quit his job because he was given a job that went against his moral compass,鈥� said Elisabeth Grant.
Grant and others said they believe Trump is attacking the rule of law, and many described it a top motivation.
Some described personal fears. Joe McDermott said he is outspoken on Facebook about his criticism of the Trump administration 鈥� “I refer to it as a 鈥榗rime family鈥欌�� 鈥� and people ask him if he isn鈥檛 afraid that someone will come after him.
He is, and he wouldn鈥檛 discount the Department of Justice going after someone like himself.
鈥淚 would not put anything beneath them right now,鈥� McDermott said.
Joniel Colon Rosario is thinking twice about whether he should speak his native Spanish on the street around strangers.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if some random guy in a ski mask is going to come down and tackle me because I鈥檓 speaking my native tongue,鈥� said Colon Rosario, who is originally from Puerto Rico.
Crosswell said voters are worried that the government 鈥渁ppears to do anything the president orders.鈥�
“People aren鈥檛 asking, 鈥楬ow can my government protect me?鈥� It鈥檚, 鈥楬ow can I protect myself from my government?鈥欌�� he said.
A prime swing seat in Pennsylvania
It鈥檚 no wonder Democrats are eager to challenge Mackenzie. A freshman, Mackenzie was a state lawmaker when he won his race for Congress by 1 percentage point last year, among the narrowest margins in the country.
Crosswell 鈥� also a former active-duty U.S. Marine and a current reservist 鈥� isn鈥檛 alone in leaving federal government service this year to run as a Democrat.
Zach Dembo, a former federal prosecutor and Navy lawyer who worked briefly for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, is running for an open seat in Kentucky. And John Sullivan, a former FBI intelligence official, is running for a Republican-held seat in New York鈥檚 Hudson Valley.
Crosswell, 45, will have some baggage in his primary contest.
He changed his registration from Republican to Democrat a year ago. After he resigned in February, he moved from Washington, D.C., to Allentown 鈥� about 45 miles from where he grew up in Pottsville, Pa.
Crosswell remembers thinking, 鈥淒o I want to leave public service or do I want to fight back?鈥�
Economic fears are No. 1 in polls
It’s unclear whether a corruption-fighting message will carry the day in either a primary or general election.
Polling has consistently showed that Americans are more focused on economic issues than broader concerns about how government is functioning.
A CNN poll from August found roughly 4 in 10 U.S. adults said economic concerns were the most important problems facing the country, and only about 1 in 10 named attitudes about government, including concerns about the rule of law or corruption.
The House Democrats’ campaign arm, which is officially neutral in Crosswell’s primary race, said the midterms are 鈥渟haping up to be a referendum on who is going to lower costs and help improve the lives of everyday Americans, not the wealthy and well-connected.鈥�
Crosswell acknowledges that not everybody is concerned about how Trump wields power, and that it depends on the audience.
Jon Macklin, a Crosswell supporter who goes door-to-door for Democratic candidates, told a similar story. People he meets who are less engaged with politics are most concerned about their finances and how the economy is affecting them.
But Crosswell said public corruption doesn鈥檛 have to be separate from that. And he intends to drive home that message. In other words, a corrupt government and a corrupt economy can hurt everyone.
鈥淐orruption is a kitchen table issue,鈥� Crosswell said. 鈥淏ecause public office is a public trust.鈥�
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Associated Press writer Linley Sanders contributed to this report from Washington. Follow Marc Levy on X at:
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