Hey folks, Mark here. We're launching a special series on the briefing called The Bethlehem Project.

It looks at big U.S. economic and political issues through the lens of one city, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

We published a few episodes on the Swamp Nodes podcast, and this is the first episode we're publishing here.

Now, there are a few reasons why Bethlehem is a great place to understand

national trends and debates. It's a politically divided area in one of the most critical swing

states in the country. It's also a former steel town that has successfully pivoted to a post-industrial

economy, and it has a vibrant immigrant community. Bethlehem encapsulates a lot of different

stories that American politicians are telling about the U.S. and who it's for. Sonia Hudson,

whose voice you might recognize from the briefing is hosting the Bethlehem Project. Sonia

recently went on a road trip there to learn more about a congressional primary election, it tells us a lot about a debate

the Democratic Party is having nationally. It's a great episode you're going to want to listen.

And with that, I will turn it over to Sonia.

There's a buzz in the air in this museum ballroom in Easton, Pennsylvania. It's about a 20-minute

drive from Bethlehem. There are several round tables with blue tablecloths, and the room is dotted

with blue balloons. A couple dozen local Democratic Party insiders are mingling and talking about an

upcoming primary election.

One of them is Shadwick Yoder.

He's the president of the Lehigh Valley Young Democrats.

And so this is really our chance to really get to see our options, really make a careful

choice.

On Tuesday, Democrats will pick their candidate for a congressional district that's critical for the party to take back control of the House of Representatives.

Shad is standing in front of a folding table with four plastic bins on it.

...