Four individuals, including a write-in candidate, are seeking to represent the 15th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Democrat Rick Daugherty, Libertarian Paul Rizzo and write-in candidate Dennis Atiyeh, who identifies himself as an Independent Christian, are challenging Republican incumbent Charles W. Dent in the Nov. 8 general election.

The 15th Congressional District includes all of Lehigh County. In Northampton County, it includes the City of Bethlehem (except parts of Ward 17); the Townships of Allen, Bushkill, East Allen, Hanover, Lehigh, Lower Nazareth, Lower Saucon, Moore, Plainfield (Belfast, Kesslersville and Plainfield Church districts), Upper Nazareth (west district) and Williams; and the Boroughs of Bath, Chapman, Hellertown, North Catasauqua, Northampton and Walnutport.

The Press asked the candidates the following question: Why are you the best candidate for this office?

Their responses follow.

Rick Daugherty:

I will end bad trade deals that send our jobs to Communist China and Mexico. I will get manufacturing jobs back. I will work with Republicans and Democrats and whoever is president to bring prosperity back for everyone.

I will serve one term and not take a pension. I will never be a Washington insider. Charlie Dent spent a million dollars in 2014 to get reelected and did not even have an opponent. I will never do anything so ridiculous.

I will only do what is best for America and working families and not listen to party leaders or lobbyists.

Charles W. Dent:

I consistently work to find common-sense solutions to problems facing the people of the 15th District of Pennsylvania. I will continue to focus on policies that will create jobs - good-paying, family-sustaining jobs. Additionally, I will continue to work on behalf of our veterans and military families in my role as the chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, where I was able to increase resources for veterans’ health care and increase oversight and transparency of the VA. As your representative, I remain committed to advancing policies that support our community, our commonwealth and our country.

Paul Rizzo:

I am running as a third-party candidate because I don’t want to be part of the broken system in D.C. I am self-funding my campaign because I believe we need to keep money out of politics to reassure the people that their elected officials are not compromised. As an independent, I would have the ability to cross party lines in whichever direction works best to serve the people of my district with common-sense solutions.

Dennis Atiyeh:

I’m Christ-centered. As with early congressmen who ran for office, their main goal was to better our country for the good of God.