Pennsylvania's 17-person U.S. House delegation gains two Republican members Friday.

Republicans rode a red wave to win all three of the state's most competitive House races, with U.S. Rep. Scott Perry holding onto his Central Pennsylvania seat and Ryan Mackenzie and Rob Bresnahan ousting two Democratic incumbents — U.S. Reps. Susan Wild, who served three terms, and Matt Cartwright, who served six terms.

Mackenzie and Bresnahan take the oath Friday and will raise the number of Pennsylvania Republicans in the House to 10. There are seven Democrats in the U.S. House.

The chamber is narrowly controlled by Republicans this year by the slimmest margin in history. Republicans enter the new Congress with 219 House seats to Democrats' 215 (one seat in Florida is currently vacant after former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz's resignation).

"With a razor-thin majority in the House, those two seats that came out of Pennsylvania are critical," GOP strategist Charlie Gerow said, predicting Bresnahan and Mackenzie will be "key players," in Washington.

The two men represent some of the most purple parts of the state. Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania voters shifted rightward in the presidential election and, more narrowly, in their votes for Congress electing Mackenzie, 44, and Bresnahan, 34.

"It's indicative of the direction of this region," GOP political consultant Vince Galko said of his party's victories there. "And they'll both lower the average age of Congress which is a good thing."

Both races were extremely tight with the Democrats outperforming Vice President Kamala Harris. Bresnahan won by just 1.6 percentage points and Mackenzie by about one point.

With a slim majority, Republicans will need to vote in lockstep or bring in Democrats to move legislation.

"They're coming from areas that are swing areas so hopefully they'll be able to bring a little compromise to the House as well," Galko said.

Bresnahan to join Problem Solvers Caucus

Bresnahan, a businessman, defeated Cartwright in Northeast Pennsylvania's the 8th Congressional District, which includes Wayne, Pike, and Lackawanna Counties, as well as part of Luzerne County.

Bresnahan, 34, is a fifth-generation Northeast Pennsylvanian. He lives in Dallas in Luzerne County and touted his connections to the area during his campaign — even mentioning he has a plot reserved in a local cemetery. He is the CEO of his family's electrical contracting company and founded RPB Ventures to rehabilitate downtown Pittston buildings.

The first-time candidate campaigned on border security, lowering government spending, and cutting taxes. He said he will not support cuts to Social Security or Medicare benefits, or raising the retirement age.

Bresnahan said in an interview last month he is ready to deliver Trump's agenda but wants to "weigh it case by case," with border security being his top priority. He supports finishing the border wall and wants to make sure border patrol agents have the necessary resources to stop fentanyl from coming into the country.

He said he would join the House's bipartisan Problem Solver Caucus, which is co-chaired by U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa. U.S. Reps. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and Dan Meuser, R-Pa., are also members.

Bresnahan said "there's not an R or a D next to my name; the letters are NEPA," referencing the acronym for Northeast Pennsylvania.

Mackenzie zeroes in on border issues

Mackenzie, who served 12 years in the state House, ousted Wild in the Lehigh Valley's 7th Congressional District, which includes Lehigh, Northampton, and Carbon counties, as well as a small portion of southwestern Monroe County.

Mackenzie, 44, traces his lineage in the region back nine generations to when his ancestors joined the Northampton County Militia to fight in the Revolutionary War. He was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2012, and he lives in Lower Macungie Township in Lehigh County.

Mackenzie said last month after his win that he is determined to pass legislation on immigration, the economy, and foreign policy but is mindful of obstacles that may stand in Republicans' way. He said he hopes Trump will take action through executive order on issues like immigration.

Mackenzie, who has an MBA from Harvard Business School, emphasized discontent with inflation and security at the U.S.-Mexico border during his campaign. He said he wants to "expand the required use" of E-Verify to make sure only those with legal documentation are employed. He said he will encourage energy production and oppose plans "that prioritize a radical climate agenda over the realities of safe, clean, affordable American energy."

Mackenzie in October announced a package of bills in the state House including ones he sponsored to create a paid family and medical leave tax credit, require the use of E-Verify, and protect health care workers reporting workplace violence.

He also said in his campaign he wants to fund the hiring of more officers for U.S. Customs and Border protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement and punish doctors who overprescribe opioids.

His campaign platform said that only organizations and nonprofits "that share our American values" should be supported by Congress, with "no more tax dollars to people who hate our country and what we stand for." He said he supports the REINS Act, which requires Congress to approve major agency rules and has already passed the House.

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