United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2008
Encyclopedia
The 2008 congressional elections in Pennsylvania was held on November 4, 2008 to determine who will represent the state
of Pennsylvania
in the United States House of Representatives
. Pennsylvania has 19 seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th Congress
from January 4, 2009 until January 3, 2011. The election coincides with the 2008 U.S. presidential election
.
District 3 was the only seat which changed party (from Republican to Democratic), although CQ Politics had forecasted districts 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 15 and 18 to be at some risk for the incumbent party.
Five-term incumbent Bob Brady
(D) ran for another term after losing his bid to be mayor of Philadelphia. He was challenged by businessman Mike Muhammad (R). This race was viewed as noncompetitive, as it took place in heavily Democratic Philadelphia. Brady ran unopposed in 2006 and has generally received over 80% of the vote in his campaigns. CQ Politics had forecast the race as 'Safe Democrat'. Brady defeated Muhammed by a nearly 10 to 1 margin, winning 242,799 to 24,714, or 90.8% to 9.2%.
Seven term incumbent Chaka Fattah
(D), who was unsuccessful in his bid to be mayor of Philadelphia, ran without major party opposition. Liberal Republican law professor Michael Livington won the Republican primary, but dropped out of the race due to lack of funding. He was replaced by Adam Lang. This seat is contained in one of the most Democratic districts in the country, with Democrats often winning 90% of the vote. In 2006, Fattah was elected with 88.6% support and in 2008 he won with 88.9% of the vote. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
Seven-term Republican incumbent Phil English
faced Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper
(campaign website), director of the Erie Arboretum. Steven Porter
, the 2006 Democratic nominee, is running as an independent. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'No Clear Favorite'.
English was tested in 2008. He represented a politically balanced Erie-based district that gave George W. Bush 53% of the vote. Also, in 2006, he received just 54% of the vote against an under-funded candidate with no political experience. He has, however, been able to remain a level of popularity due to a moderate voting record and close ties to organized labor.
The DCCC recruited Erie County Councilman Kyle Foust as its top choice to run against English. Dahlkemper, Attorney Tom Meyers, and religious nonprofit program coordinator Mike Waltner also declared for the Democratic primary. Dahlkemper proved better at mobilizing support than Foust, the original front runner, and won the Democratic nomination with 45% of the vote.
Dahlkemper defeated English 146,846 to 139,787 or 51.2% to 48.8% to capture the seat. It was the only seat in Pennsylvania to change parties in 2008.
Democratic incumbent Jason Altmire
again faced Republican Melissa Hart. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Leans Democratic'.
In 2006, Altmire defeated incumbent Hart in a 52% to 48% upset. Hart had won 63% of the vote in 2004, when George W. Bush carried this suburban Pittsburgh district with 53%. In 2006, Pennsylvania was perhaps the most disastrous state for incumbent GOP House members, who lost four seats here. Hart ran unopposed for the Republican nomination in 2008 and attempted to use her public service credentials to regain her seat. She previously gained a reputation for appealing to moderate voters despite a conservative track record. She again lost to Altmire, this time by a wider margin than two years prior, with a 56–44% vote.
Altmire maintained close ties with organized labor, possessed experience with the health care issues that are important in a region with an older population, and was supported by the NRA
.
Democrat Mark McCracken, Clearfield County
commissioner is running against Republican and Centre County
GOP chair Glenn "G.T." Thompson in this open seat election. James Fryman represented the Libertarian Party. CQ Politics forecasted this largely rural district as 'Safe Republican'.
Republican John Peterson
announced his intention to retire on January 3, 2007, paving the way for a contentious open seat election. Nine Republicans were in the race for the nomination. Four men emerged as top tier candidates: Thompson, hotel developer Matt Shaner, financial consultant Derek Walker, and former Woodland Township supervisor Jeff Strohmann. Also on the Republican ballot were mortgage broker John Kupa, Clarion
mayor John Stroup, Elk County
coroner Lou Radkowski, former Centre County commissioner Chris Exarchos, and minister Keith Richardson. Thompson won this hard-fought 9-way primary with just 19% of the vote, in large part due to the late endorsement of Peterson who got involved in the primary campaign 10 days prior to election day. Walker and Shaner proved to be superior fundraisers and aired numerous television and radio commercials to counter Peterson's endorsement of Thompson. The Republican primary included many personal attacks, with Shaner targeting Walker as being political incompetent and Walker referring to a DUI incident involving Shaner. Walker and Thompson were very close in the polls on Election Day, but Thompson received a late boost because of his political track record in Centre County, the district's population center.
McCracken, Lock Haven mayor Richard Vilello, and Bill Cahir
, a journalist and Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War, battled for the Democratic nomination. McCracken won 40% in a hard-fought Democratic race that received much less attention.
Despite presenting an open seat opportunity, this race was always viewed as safe for the Republicans, who have generally won over 65% in this district. Prior to 2006, Peterson had previously ran in three straight elections without Democratic opposition.
Thompson won with 56.7% of the vote (155,513 votes) to 41.0% for McCracken (112,509). Fryman garnered 6,155 voted or 2.2%.
Three term Republican Jim Gerlach
faced Democrat Bob Roggio (campaign website), a retired businessman from Charlestown who ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination after three opponents dropped out of the race. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Republican Favored'.
Gerlach has become used to winning close elections, having survived threats from governor's assistant (and son of the former US Senator) Dan Wofford
and attorney Lois Murphy
in 2004 and 2006 with approximately 51% each year. The district is a classic swing district that went to John Kerry with 51% in 2004. However, Roggio did not have the name recognition nor the funding that Murphy had when waging her campaign, which made his candidacy more difficult than past challengers.
However, due to the tough environment in 2008 for Republicans, and the fact that Democrats outnumber Republicans this year for the first time in this district, the race was close. In addition, Gerlach has had some trouble shaking a connection to ousted Republican leader Tom Delay
, who provided contributions to Gerlach through his PAC.
However, Gerlach has a relatively moderate voting record and is seen as a tough campaigner who is knowledgeable in the suburban issues that are important in his district.
Gerlach once again held on and won the election 179,423 (52.1%) to 164,952 (47.9%).
Incumbent Democratic nominee Joe Sestak defeated Republican nominee Wendell Craig Williams
, winning 59.6% of the vote.
In 2006 Sestak defeated incumbent Curt Weldon
, who was being investigated for misuse of campaign funds, by 56% to 44%. Sestak used his military credentials as a retired vice admiral to present himself as a strong leader and as an ethical alternative to a Republican Party that has faced scandal within his district. Because of his moderate voting record, reputation as a tireless worker, and military background, Sestak was expected to have a large advantage over any Republican opponent in 2008. The NRCC initially had trouble finding any top-tier candidates, and eventually settled on Iraq War veteran and attorney Craig Williams.
Democratic incumbent Patrick Murphy
, an Iraq War veteran, won against Republican nominee Tom Manion, a businessman and retired Marine, and Independent Tom Lingenfelter
. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Democrat Favored'.
Murphy narrowly won in 2006, when he unseated one-term Republican Mike Fitzpatrick
by 1,518 votes. Manion, a retired Marine Colonel and executive at Johnson and Johnson, ran unopposed in the Republican primary in April. Significant national attention has been drawn to the race because of the Iraq War connections of both candidates. Murphy is a veteran and a strong critic of the war, while Manion, whose son 1stLt Travis Manion was killed in Iraq in April 2007, supports the war.
This district contains Bucks County and a small part of Northern Philadelphia and Montgomery County. Once considered a safe Republican district, it has recently been trending more Democratic. Registered Democrats narrowly outnumber registered Republicans as of August 2008, due in large part to voter registration drives connected with the Democratic presidential primary in Pennsylvania.
Three term Bill Shuster
(R) won re-election with 64% of the vote. Shuster won 60.3% of the vote in 2006; George W. Bush
carried the district with over 67% in 2004. Shuster also held the advantage of name recognition, as he is the son of a powerful congressman. The district is also the most Republican in Pennsylvania, further giving Shuster an advantage. His Democratic opponent was again 2006 candidate educator Tony Barr (campaign website). CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Republican'.
Democratic incumbent Chris Carney
defeated Republican staffing company executive Chris Hackett by a margin of 56% to 44%. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Leans Democratic' prior to Carney's victory. The win on the part of the Democratic congressman coincided with John McCain
winning 54 percent of the vote in the district as opposed to Democrat Barack Obama
's 46 percent.
Carney was initially thought to have been facing a difficult reelection bid in this heavily Republican district, which he won after widely-publicized allegations of incumbent Republican Don Sherwood
’s extramarital affair with and alleged abuse of Cynthia Ore. Carney defeated Sherwood 53% to 47%. However, President George W. Bush
won the 10th District 60% to 40$ in 2004.
Two Republicans fought for the nomination: staffing company executive Chris Hackett, who gained the endorsement of conservative organizations and manufacturing executive Dan Meuser, who has credibility as a disabled rights activist. While battling for the nomination, Meuser accused Hackett of wavering on his pro-life stance, while Hackett painted Meuser as associated with unpopular politicians. Hackett won a tough primary with 52% of the vote, which drained many of his resources for the general election.
Carney, throughout the general election, was the favorite to retain his seat but the vote was expected to be somewhat close. The traditionally Republican leanings of the district were advantageous for Hackett, but Pennsylvania as a whole has been trending Democratic recently, having voted for the Democratic nominee for President in every election since 1992. The state ultimately backed Obama that year by a ten-point margin. Carney also has a strong military background and used his membership in the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of moderate Democrats that promote compromise, as a boost.
Carney easily beat Hackett by a twelve-point margin and was aided by a stronger than anticipated vote for the national Democratic presidential ticket in the district. Whereas John Kerry
and John Edwards
in 2004 received merely 40 percent of the vote in the 10th district, Barack Obama
and Joe Biden
received 46 percent of the vote.
Twelve term Democratic incumbent Paul Kanjorski (D) is being challenged by Republican Lou Barletta
, the mayor of Hazleton
. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'No Clear Favorite'.
Kanjorksi has generally won reelection easily, considering the Democratic leanings of the district. John Kerry
won this district in 2004 with 52% and Kanjorski was reelected with 72.5% of the vote in 2006. However, he may face one of the toughest elections of his career against Barletta, a figure who made the national spotlight for the anti-illegal immigration policies he promoted as mayor. He was unopposed for the Republican nomination, and has national name recognition for his stance which may help or hurt him with different voting groups in the election. Kanjorksi has come under scrutiny for several comments he has made during the recent Congress, including his quote that the Democrats stretched the facts on the Iraq War to provide a bigger advantage during the 2006 election cycle.
Kanjorski will have the advantage because of incumbency and his close ties to organized labor. However, Barletta, who ran for this seat in 2002 and gave Kanjorski one of his toughest campaigns, should make the race interesting. Kanjorski has proven to be a superior fundraiser and the DCCC began airing commercials against Barletta and his hard line stances beginning in July. Name recognition may help Barletta overcome some of his disadvantage in cash on hand, but Kanjorski and Democrats in general are very popular in the population centers of this district.
Sixteen term incumbent John Murtha
(D) ran against Retired Lieutenant Colonel William Russell (R), who won the Republican nomination after staging a successful write-in campaign. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat,' but the race tightened after Murtha made well-publicized comments referring to Western Pennsylvania as a "racist" and "redneck" area. Murtha's comments were spoofed in the October 25, 2008 episode of Saturday Night Live
in a segment entitled "Sen. Biden and Rep. Murtha Say Crazy Things in Johnstown, Pa." By October, Russell out-raised and outspent Murtha for a whole week. Nevertheless, Murtha secured re-election by a 16-point margin. The district has a Cook Partisan Voting Index
score of R +1.
While two term Democrat Allyson Schwartz
is a target for Republicans in the 2008 race, her seat is expected to be relatively safe. She did not face a serious challenge in 2006 against Raj Bhakta in this Democratic-leaning district. 2007 Philadelphia mayoral candidate Al Taubenberger and state Senator Stewart Greenleaf pondered running on the Republican ticket, but did not enter the race. Attorney Marina Kats ran unopposed for the Republican nomination. Kats is underfunded and without name recognition, while running against and incumbent with a deep warchest of funds, which presents a crucial advantage in an expensive media market. This seat is currently considered to be noncompetitive. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
Seven term incumbent Mike Doyle
(D) will run for another term. For the fourth straight election, Doyle will not face a Republican opponent, although Green Party candidate, professor Titus North, will be on the ballot for the second straight year. Doyle represents a district that gave John Kerry
69% of the vote in 2004 and his seat is considered to be noncompetitive. The congressman presents a strongly pro-union image, while avoiding hot button social issues, which allows him to remain popular and noncontroversial. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
Republican incumbent Charlie Dent
was challenged by Allentown Democratic Party Chair Sam Bennett. CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Republican Favored'.
Although Dent was targeted by the Democrats for a tough race in 2006, his seat was ultimately relatively safe in 2008. In 2004, he won only 53% of the vote against a political newcomer with no political experience, but did significantly better in his bid for a second term. His district covers the Lehigh Valley region and is politically marginal, narrowly going to John Kerry
with 50% of the vote in 2004.
Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham, and state Democratic Party Chairman T.J. Rooney declined to run for the Democratic nomination, leaving Sam Bennett as the sole member of her party's ticket. Bennett was not considered to be as strong of a candidate as Democrats would like, which helped this seat fall out of contention. Although Democrats have an advantage in registration in the district and that Pennsylvania as a whole is trending Democratic, Dent projects a moderate image. His relationship with popular liberal then-Republican Arlen Specter
also aids Dent.
Six-term Republican incumbent Joe Pitts is running for reelection against Democratic nominee Bruce Slater (campaign website),a U.S Navy veteran, historic restoration contractor, democratic committee person and community activist who ran unopposed in the primary. Green Party candidate John Murphy, a management consultant and Constitution Party candidate Dan Frank (campaign website) will also be on the ballot. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Republican'.
Pitts had the worst showing of his congressional career in 2008, winning 55.8% of the vote. However, he represents a historically conservative district which gave 61% of its votes to George W. Bush
in 2004, and has not attracted a top tier Democratic challenger.
Eight term incumbent Tim Holden
(D) is running against Toni Gilhooley (R), a retired PA State Trooper who served for 25 years. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
The 17th Congressional District gave George W. Bush
58% of its votes and has historically been dominated by Republicans. However, Holden upset the district's 10-term incumbent, George Gekas
, in 2002 after being drawn into the district (he'd previously represented a Reading-based district) and hasn't faced substantive opposition since then. He is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a moderate group that promotes compromise among the parties, and is pro-life and against gun control. Gilhooley is a fiscal conservative, pro-life and pro-Second Amendment candidate who is mounting a strong grass-roots effort. Holden has used his overwhelming support in Schuylkill County, his home county, to make up for past deficits in areas such as Lebanon County and Dauphin County.
Three term Republican Tim Murphy
is being challenged by Democrat Steve O'Donnell, a Monroeville health care executive. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Republican Favored'.
Murphy was reelected in 2006 with 58% of the vote against a little-known Democrat. He represents a suburban Pittsburgh district that George W. Bush won with 54% of the vote but that has a strong Democratic history. His campaigning skills have yet to be tested, with relatively easy wins in his three elections thus far, and he could be vulnerable.
The DCCC
tried to persuade Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato
to run, but he showed no interest in the race. Business consultant Beth Hafer, whose mother Barbara Hafer
is a longtime state official, was then expected to be the front runner for the Democratic nomination. Insurance executive Brien Wall and Monroeville health care executive Steve O'Donnell also ran. O'Donnell won an upset victory with 45% of the vote in a somewhat under the radar election. Although O'Donnell should make the race competitive, Murphy has a significant advantage because of name recognition and a moderate image.
Four term incumbent Todd Russell Platts
(R) will run for another term. His Democratic opponent will be 2006 candidate and college professor Phil Avillo (campaign website), who was unopposed in the party primary. Platts represents a highly conservative district, which gave 64% of the vote to George W. Bush in 2004. Avillo, meanwhile, has raised very little money for his campaign. This race is expected to be noncompetitive. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Republican'.
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of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. Pennsylvania has 19 seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th Congress
111th United States Congress
The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of...
from January 4, 2009 until January 3, 2011. The election coincides with the 2008 U.S. presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
.
District 3 was the only seat which changed party (from Republican to Democratic), although CQ Politics had forecasted districts 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 15 and 18 to be at some risk for the incumbent party.
Match-up summary
| District | Incumbent | 2008 Status | Democratic | Republican | Other Party | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district Pennsylvania's first congressional district includes primarily central and South Philadelphia, the City of Chester, the Philadelphia International Airport, and other small sections of Delaware County. The district currently has an overwhelming Democratic majority. Bob Brady, the chairman of the... |
Bob Brady Bob Brady Robert A. "Bob" Brady is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1998, and the ranking Democrat on the United States House Committee on House Administration since 2007... |
Re-election | Bob Brady Bob Brady Robert A. "Bob" Brady is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1998, and the ranking Democrat on the United States House Committee on House Administration since 2007... |
Mike Muhammad | ||
| 2 Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district Pennsylvania's second district includes predominantly African American sections of the city of Philadelphia-West Philadelphia, North Philadelphia, and Northwest Philadelphia in addition to Cheltenham Township in Montgomery County... |
Chaka Fattah Chaka Fattah Chaka Fattah is the U.S. representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party... |
Re-election | Chaka Fattah Chaka Fattah Chaka Fattah is the U.S. representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party... |
Adam Lang | Osborne Hart | |
| 3 Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district Pennsylvania's third district is located in the northwestern part of the state and includes the cities of Erie, Sharon, Hermitage, Butler and Meadville.... |
Phil English Phil English Philip Sheridan "Phil" English served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 - 2009 from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, representing the state's 3rd Congressional district.... |
Defeat | Kathy Dahlkemper Kathy Dahlkemper Kathleen Ann "Kathy" Dahlkemper is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. She is a member of the Democratic Party.The district is based in Erie and includes most of the northwestern portion of the state.... |
Phil English Phil English Philip Sheridan "Phil" English served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 - 2009 from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, representing the state's 3rd Congressional district.... |
Steven Porter Steven Porter Steven Porter, PhD was a candidate for the Third Congressional District of Pennsylvania in 2004 and 2006. He is a teacher and composer, and in 1968 he became involved with politics when he helped Robert Kennedy in his presidential election campaign. He unsuccessfully ran four times for the New... |
|
| 4 Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district Pennsylvania's fourth district is located in western Pennsylvania and includes suburbs of Pittsburgh as well as Beaver County, Lawrence County, and Mercer County.... |
Jason Altmire Jason Altmire Jason Altmire is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:... |
Re-election | Jason Altmire Jason Altmire Jason Altmire is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:... |
Melissa Hart | ||
| 5 Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district Pennsylvania's fifth district is currently the largest in area of all of Pennsylvania's congressional districts. It is Republican leaning and is currently represented by G.T... |
John Peterson John E. Peterson John E. Peterson is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. From 1997 - 2009, he represented the state's mainly rural and largely Republican 5th Congressional district in the U.S. House.-Biography:... |
Open | Mark McCracken Mark McCracken Mark McCracken is an American actor.McCracken was born in Greensboro, North Carolina and attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He appeared in the films We Were Soldiers with Mel Gibson, Joe Dante's horror/comedy Matinee, and also portrayed Pumpkinhead in Pumpkinhead II: Blood... |
Glenn "G.T." Thompson | James Fryman | |
| 6 Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District was substantially redrawn in 2002. Its strange shape brought charges of gerrymandering by Democrats who argued it "looms like a dragon descending on Philadelphia from the west, splitting up towns and communities throughout Montgomery and Berks Counties." ... |
Jim Gerlach Jim Gerlach James "Jim" Gerlach is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.- Early life, education and career :... |
Re-election | Bob Roggio | Jim Gerlach Jim Gerlach James "Jim" Gerlach is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.- Early life, education and career :... |
||
| 7 Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district incorporates parts of the Philadelphia suburbs, including most of Delaware County. It is currently represented by Republican Pat Meehan in the 112th United States Congress.... |
Joe Sestak | Re-election | Joe Sestak | Craig Williams | ||
| 8 Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district The 8th Pennsylvania Congressional District serves Bucks County, along with a small portion of Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania... |
Patrick Murphy Patrick Murphy (politician) Patrick Joseph Murphy is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2007 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.... |
Re-election | Patrick Murphy Patrick Murphy (politician) Patrick Joseph Murphy is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2007 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.... |
Tom Manion | Tom Lingenfelter Tom Lingenfelter Tom Lingenfelter is a teacher, historian, intelligence agent, businessman, and political activist from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. He is a perennial candidate for public office and was an Independent candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania in 2006.... |
|
| 9 Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district is a relatively safe seat for the Republicans. In 2004, for example, the Republican candidate, former businessman Bill Shuster, won a convincing majority over his Democratic opponent winning 70% of the vote. In 2006, he defeated teacher Tony Barr 60%-40%... |
Bill Shuster Bill Shuster William Shuster is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a son of former Congressman Bud Shuster.-Early life, education and career:... |
Re-election | Tony Barr | Bill Shuster Bill Shuster William Shuster is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a son of former Congressman Bud Shuster.-Early life, education and career:... |
||
| 10 Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district is located primarily in the northeast corner of the state. The district was one of the 12 original districts created prior to the 4th Congress. It is currently represented by Republican Tom Marino, who defeated Democratic incumbent Chris Carney during the... |
Chris Carney Chris Carney Christopher P. "Chris" Carney is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party and was a prominent member of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition.... |
Re-election | Chris Carney Chris Carney Christopher P. "Chris" Carney is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party and was a prominent member of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition.... |
Chris Hackett | ||
| 11 Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district is in the northeastern part of the state and includes Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton and most of the Poconos. Republican Lou Barletta has represented the district since 2011, the first Republican to do so in almost 30 years... |
Paul Kanjorski | Re-election | Paul Kanjorski | Lou Barletta Lou Barletta Louis J. Barletta is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He is the former Mayor of Hazleton, known for his vocal opposition to illegal immigration and his efforts to keep illegal immigrants out of the city.-Early life, education, and business career:Barletta was... |
||
| 12 Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district is represented by Congressman Mark Critz after a special election was held on May 18, 2010 following the death of Democrat John Murtha. The district has a Cook Partisan Voting Index score of R+1... |
John Murtha John Murtha John Patrick "Jack" Murtha, Jr. was an American politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Murtha, a Democrat, represented Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1974 until his death in 2010.... |
Re-election | John Murtha John Murtha John Patrick "Jack" Murtha, Jr. was an American politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Murtha, a Democrat, represented Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1974 until his death in 2010.... |
William T. Russell | ||
| 13 Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district The 13th Congressional District of Pennsylvania is located in Southeastern Pennsylvania, covering eastern Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia. The district traditionally included most of Montgomery County, but was redrawn in 2002... |
Allyson Schwartz Allyson Schwartz Allyson Young Schwartz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes parts of Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia... |
Re-election | Allyson Schwartz Allyson Schwartz Allyson Young Schwartz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes parts of Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia... |
Marina Kats | ||
| 14 Pennsylvania's 14th congressional district Pennsylvania's 14th congressional district is overwhelmingly Democratic. The district includes the entire city of Pittsburgh, which is solidly Democratic because of its strong ethnic labor, liberal professional, and black voting blocks. A variety of working class and majority black suburbs located... |
Michael F. Doyle Michael F. Doyle Michael F. "Mike" Doyle is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in Pittsburgh and includes most of Allegheny County.... |
Re-election | Michael F. Doyle Michael F. Doyle Michael F. "Mike" Doyle is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in Pittsburgh and includes most of Allegheny County.... |
Titus North | ||
| 15 Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District is located in eastern Pennsylvania, comprising all of Northampton County, most of Lehigh County, and small parts of Berks and Montgomery Counties... |
Charlie Dent Charlie Dent Charles "Charlie" Dent is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district includes all of Northampton County, most of Lehigh County, and small parts of Berks and Montgomery Counties.... |
Re-election | Sam Bennett | Charlie Dent Charlie Dent Charles "Charlie" Dent is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district includes all of Northampton County, most of Lehigh County, and small parts of Berks and Montgomery Counties.... |
||
| 16 Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district Pennsylvania’s 16th congressional district is located in the southeastern part of the state, just west of Philadelphia. Created after the 2000 Census, the district is composed of a large portion of southern Chester County, all of Lancaster County, and a sliver of Berks County, including a sliver... |
Joe Pitts | Re-election | Bruce Slater | Joe Pitts | ||
| 17 Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district Pennsylvania’s 17th congressional district is located in the central part of the state, including the state capital, Harrisburg. The district was significantly redrawn after the 2000 census. It is composed of all of Dauphin County, Lebanon County, Schuylkill County, and parts of Berks County and... |
Tim Holden Tim Holden Thomas Timothy "Tim" Holden is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:... |
Re-election | Tim Holden Tim Holden Thomas Timothy "Tim" Holden is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:... |
Toni Gilhooley | ||
| 18 Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district includes parts of Washington County, Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties. Republican Tim Murphy has represented the district since 2003.... |
Tim Murphy Tim Murphy (congressman) Timothy "Tim" F. Murphy is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Pennsylvania Senate.... |
Re-election | Steve O'Donnell | Tim Murphy Tim Murphy (congressman) Timothy "Tim" F. Murphy is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Pennsylvania Senate.... |
||
| 19 Pennsylvania's 19th congressional district Pennsylvania's 19th congressional district includes all of Adams and York Counties, and parts of Cumberland County. Republican Todd Russell Platts has represented the district since 2001... |
Todd Russell Platts Todd Russell Platts Todd Russell Platts is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district is located in south-central Pennsylvania, encompassing all of York and Adams Counties, and a large portion of Cumberland County... |
Re-election | Phil Avillo | Todd Russell Platts Todd Russell Platts Todd Russell Platts is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district is located in south-central Pennsylvania, encompassing all of York and Adams Counties, and a large portion of Cumberland County... |
District 1
Five-term incumbent Bob Brady
Bob Brady
Robert A. "Bob" Brady is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1998, and the ranking Democrat on the United States House Committee on House Administration since 2007...
(D) ran for another term after losing his bid to be mayor of Philadelphia. He was challenged by businessman Mike Muhammad (R). This race was viewed as noncompetitive, as it took place in heavily Democratic Philadelphia. Brady ran unopposed in 2006 and has generally received over 80% of the vote in his campaigns. CQ Politics had forecast the race as 'Safe Democrat'. Brady defeated Muhammed by a nearly 10 to 1 margin, winning 242,799 to 24,714, or 90.8% to 9.2%.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 2
Seven term incumbent Chaka Fattah
Chaka Fattah
Chaka Fattah is the U.S. representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
(D), who was unsuccessful in his bid to be mayor of Philadelphia, ran without major party opposition. Liberal Republican law professor Michael Livington won the Republican primary, but dropped out of the race due to lack of funding. He was replaced by Adam Lang. This seat is contained in one of the most Democratic districts in the country, with Democrats often winning 90% of the vote. In 2006, Fattah was elected with 88.6% support and in 2008 he won with 88.9% of the vote. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 3
Seven-term Republican incumbent Phil English
Phil English
Philip Sheridan "Phil" English served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 - 2009 from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, representing the state's 3rd Congressional district....
faced Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper
Kathy Dahlkemper
Kathleen Ann "Kathy" Dahlkemper is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. She is a member of the Democratic Party.The district is based in Erie and includes most of the northwestern portion of the state....
(campaign website), director of the Erie Arboretum. Steven Porter
Steven Porter
Steven Porter, PhD was a candidate for the Third Congressional District of Pennsylvania in 2004 and 2006. He is a teacher and composer, and in 1968 he became involved with politics when he helped Robert Kennedy in his presidential election campaign. He unsuccessfully ran four times for the New...
, the 2006 Democratic nominee, is running as an independent. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'No Clear Favorite'.
English was tested in 2008. He represented a politically balanced Erie-based district that gave George W. Bush 53% of the vote. Also, in 2006, he received just 54% of the vote against an under-funded candidate with no political experience. He has, however, been able to remain a level of popularity due to a moderate voting record and close ties to organized labor.
The DCCC recruited Erie County Councilman Kyle Foust as its top choice to run against English. Dahlkemper, Attorney Tom Meyers, and religious nonprofit program coordinator Mike Waltner also declared for the Democratic primary. Dahlkemper proved better at mobilizing support than Foust, the original front runner, and won the Democratic nomination with 45% of the vote.
Dahlkemper defeated English 146,846 to 139,787 or 51.2% to 48.8% to capture the seat. It was the only seat in Pennsylvania to change parties in 2008.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
- English (R-i) vs Dahlkemper (D) graph of collected poll results from Pollster.com
District 4
Democratic incumbent Jason Altmire
Jason Altmire
Jason Altmire is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
again faced Republican Melissa Hart. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Leans Democratic'.
In 2006, Altmire defeated incumbent Hart in a 52% to 48% upset. Hart had won 63% of the vote in 2004, when George W. Bush carried this suburban Pittsburgh district with 53%. In 2006, Pennsylvania was perhaps the most disastrous state for incumbent GOP House members, who lost four seats here. Hart ran unopposed for the Republican nomination in 2008 and attempted to use her public service credentials to regain her seat. She previously gained a reputation for appealing to moderate voters despite a conservative track record. She again lost to Altmire, this time by a wider margin than two years prior, with a 56–44% vote.
Altmire maintained close ties with organized labor, possessed experience with the health care issues that are important in a region with an older population, and was supported by the NRA
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 5
Democrat Mark McCracken, Clearfield County
Clearfield County, Pennsylvania
Clearfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 81,642.Clearfield County was created on March 26, 1804, from parts of Huntingdon and Lycoming Counties but was administered as part of Centre County until 1812...
commissioner is running against Republican and Centre County
Centre County, Pennsylvania
Centre County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 153,990....
GOP chair Glenn "G.T." Thompson in this open seat election. James Fryman represented the Libertarian Party. CQ Politics forecasted this largely rural district as 'Safe Republican'.
Republican John Peterson
John E. Peterson
John E. Peterson is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. From 1997 - 2009, he represented the state's mainly rural and largely Republican 5th Congressional district in the U.S. House.-Biography:...
announced his intention to retire on January 3, 2007, paving the way for a contentious open seat election. Nine Republicans were in the race for the nomination. Four men emerged as top tier candidates: Thompson, hotel developer Matt Shaner, financial consultant Derek Walker, and former Woodland Township supervisor Jeff Strohmann. Also on the Republican ballot were mortgage broker John Kupa, Clarion
Clarion, Pennsylvania
Clarion is a borough in Clarion County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, about 100 miles north-northeast of Pittsburgh and part of the Pittsburgh DMA. Clarion was settled in 1839 and incorporated in 1841. In the past, the surrounding area produced natural gas, oil, lumber and coal. Merely 2,004...
mayor John Stroup, Elk County
Elk County, Pennsylvania
Elk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 31,946.Elk County was created on April 18, 1843, from parts of Jefferson, Clearfield and McKean Counties, and is named for the Eastern elk that historically inhabited the region. Its county...
coroner Lou Radkowski, former Centre County commissioner Chris Exarchos, and minister Keith Richardson. Thompson won this hard-fought 9-way primary with just 19% of the vote, in large part due to the late endorsement of Peterson who got involved in the primary campaign 10 days prior to election day. Walker and Shaner proved to be superior fundraisers and aired numerous television and radio commercials to counter Peterson's endorsement of Thompson. The Republican primary included many personal attacks, with Shaner targeting Walker as being political incompetent and Walker referring to a DUI incident involving Shaner. Walker and Thompson were very close in the polls on Election Day, but Thompson received a late boost because of his political track record in Centre County, the district's population center.
McCracken, Lock Haven mayor Richard Vilello, and Bill Cahir
Bill Cahir
Bill Cahir , 40, was a former newspaper correspondent for Newhouse Newspapers; a Congressional committee staffer for U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy ; and a 2008 Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania's 5th District, when he was killed by a single enemy gunshot August 13, 2009 while on...
, a journalist and Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War, battled for the Democratic nomination. McCracken won 40% in a hard-fought Democratic race that received much less attention.
Despite presenting an open seat opportunity, this race was always viewed as safe for the Republicans, who have generally won over 65% in this district. Prior to 2006, Peterson had previously ran in three straight elections without Democratic opposition.
Thompson won with 56.7% of the vote (155,513 votes) to 41.0% for McCracken (112,509). Fryman garnered 6,155 voted or 2.2%.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 6
Three term Republican Jim Gerlach
Jim Gerlach
James "Jim" Gerlach is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.- Early life, education and career :...
faced Democrat Bob Roggio (campaign website), a retired businessman from Charlestown who ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination after three opponents dropped out of the race. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Republican Favored'.
Gerlach has become used to winning close elections, having survived threats from governor's assistant (and son of the former US Senator) Dan Wofford
Dan Wofford
Dan Wofford is a Democrat from the state of Pennsylvania. He lost a close congressional race in the 6th district to Jim Gerlach in 2002.Wofford is the son of Pennsylvania senator Harris Wofford...
and attorney Lois Murphy
Lois Murphy
Lois Murphy is a Democrat from the state of Pennsylvania, who unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House in Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district against the Republican incumbent, Jim Gerlach in 2004 and 2006....
in 2004 and 2006 with approximately 51% each year. The district is a classic swing district that went to John Kerry with 51% in 2004. However, Roggio did not have the name recognition nor the funding that Murphy had when waging her campaign, which made his candidacy more difficult than past challengers.
However, due to the tough environment in 2008 for Republicans, and the fact that Democrats outnumber Republicans this year for the first time in this district, the race was close. In addition, Gerlach has had some trouble shaking a connection to ousted Republican leader Tom Delay
Tom DeLay
Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
, who provided contributions to Gerlach through his PAC.
However, Gerlach has a relatively moderate voting record and is seen as a tough campaigner who is knowledgeable in the suburban issues that are important in his district.
Gerlach once again held on and won the election 179,423 (52.1%) to 164,952 (47.9%).
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
- Gerlach (R-i) vs Roggio (D) graph of collected poll results from Pollster.com
District 7
Incumbent Democratic nominee Joe Sestak defeated Republican nominee Wendell Craig Williams
Wendell Craig Williams
Craig Williams is a former Federal Prosecutor, Assistant United States Attorney, and member of the United States Marine Corps. He received his bachelor's degree from Duke University in 1987, his law degree from the University of Florida in 1997 and his master's degree from Columbia University in...
, winning 59.6% of the vote.
In 2006 Sestak defeated incumbent Curt Weldon
Curt Weldon
Wayne Curtis "Curt" Weldon is an American politician. He served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 2007, representing the 7th district of Pennsylvania. He was defeated in November 2006 for reelection by Joe Sestak. Weldon was vice-chair of the Armed...
, who was being investigated for misuse of campaign funds, by 56% to 44%. Sestak used his military credentials as a retired vice admiral to present himself as a strong leader and as an ethical alternative to a Republican Party that has faced scandal within his district. Because of his moderate voting record, reputation as a tireless worker, and military background, Sestak was expected to have a large advantage over any Republican opponent in 2008. The NRCC initially had trouble finding any top-tier candidates, and eventually settled on Iraq War veteran and attorney Craig Williams.
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 8
Democratic incumbent Patrick Murphy
Patrick Murphy (politician)
Patrick Joseph Murphy is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2007 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, an Iraq War veteran, won against Republican nominee Tom Manion, a businessman and retired Marine, and Independent Tom Lingenfelter
Tom Lingenfelter
Tom Lingenfelter is a teacher, historian, intelligence agent, businessman, and political activist from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. He is a perennial candidate for public office and was an Independent candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania in 2006....
. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Democrat Favored'.
Murphy narrowly won in 2006, when he unseated one-term Republican Mike Fitzpatrick
Mike Fitzpatrick
Michael G. "Mike" Fitzpatrick is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He was reelected to Congress in 2010, and previously represented the district from 2005 to 2007, but lost to Patrick Murphy in 2006....
by 1,518 votes. Manion, a retired Marine Colonel and executive at Johnson and Johnson, ran unopposed in the Republican primary in April. Significant national attention has been drawn to the race because of the Iraq War connections of both candidates. Murphy is a veteran and a strong critic of the war, while Manion, whose son 1stLt Travis Manion was killed in Iraq in April 2007, supports the war.
This district contains Bucks County and a small part of Northern Philadelphia and Montgomery County. Once considered a safe Republican district, it has recently been trending more Democratic. Registered Democrats narrowly outnumber registered Republicans as of August 2008, due in large part to voter registration drives connected with the Democratic presidential primary in Pennsylvania.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 9
Three term Bill Shuster
Bill Shuster
William Shuster is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a son of former Congressman Bud Shuster.-Early life, education and career:...
(R) won re-election with 64% of the vote. Shuster won 60.3% of the vote in 2006; George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
carried the district with over 67% in 2004. Shuster also held the advantage of name recognition, as he is the son of a powerful congressman. The district is also the most Republican in Pennsylvania, further giving Shuster an advantage. His Democratic opponent was again 2006 candidate educator Tony Barr (campaign website). CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Republican'.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 10
Democratic incumbent Chris Carney
Chris Carney
Christopher P. "Chris" Carney is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party and was a prominent member of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition....
defeated Republican staffing company executive Chris Hackett by a margin of 56% to 44%. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Leans Democratic' prior to Carney's victory. The win on the part of the Democratic congressman coincided with John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
winning 54 percent of the vote in the district as opposed to Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's 46 percent.
Carney was initially thought to have been facing a difficult reelection bid in this heavily Republican district, which he won after widely-publicized allegations of incumbent Republican Don Sherwood
Don Sherwood
Donald L. "Don" Sherwood is an American politician. He served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district, from 1999 to 2007...
’s extramarital affair with and alleged abuse of Cynthia Ore. Carney defeated Sherwood 53% to 47%. However, President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
won the 10th District 60% to 40$ in 2004.
Two Republicans fought for the nomination: staffing company executive Chris Hackett, who gained the endorsement of conservative organizations and manufacturing executive Dan Meuser, who has credibility as a disabled rights activist. While battling for the nomination, Meuser accused Hackett of wavering on his pro-life stance, while Hackett painted Meuser as associated with unpopular politicians. Hackett won a tough primary with 52% of the vote, which drained many of his resources for the general election.
Carney, throughout the general election, was the favorite to retain his seat but the vote was expected to be somewhat close. The traditionally Republican leanings of the district were advantageous for Hackett, but Pennsylvania as a whole has been trending Democratic recently, having voted for the Democratic nominee for President in every election since 1992. The state ultimately backed Obama that year by a ten-point margin. Carney also has a strong military background and used his membership in the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of moderate Democrats that promote compromise, as a boost.
Carney easily beat Hackett by a twelve-point margin and was aided by a stronger than anticipated vote for the national Democratic presidential ticket in the district. Whereas John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
and John Edwards
John Edwards
Johnny Reid "John" Edwards is an American politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004, and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008.He defeated incumbent Republican Lauch Faircloth in...
in 2004 received merely 40 percent of the vote in the 10th district, Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
received 46 percent of the vote.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
- Hackett (R) vs Carney (D-i) graph of collected poll results from Pollster.com
District 11
Twelve term Democratic incumbent Paul Kanjorski (D) is being challenged by Republican Lou Barletta
Lou Barletta
Louis J. Barletta is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He is the former Mayor of Hazleton, known for his vocal opposition to illegal immigration and his efforts to keep illegal immigrants out of the city.-Early life, education, and business career:Barletta was...
, the mayor of Hazleton
Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Hazleton is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census, an increase of 8.6% from the 2000 census count .-Greater Hazleton:...
. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'No Clear Favorite'.
Kanjorksi has generally won reelection easily, considering the Democratic leanings of the district. John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
won this district in 2004 with 52% and Kanjorski was reelected with 72.5% of the vote in 2006. However, he may face one of the toughest elections of his career against Barletta, a figure who made the national spotlight for the anti-illegal immigration policies he promoted as mayor. He was unopposed for the Republican nomination, and has national name recognition for his stance which may help or hurt him with different voting groups in the election. Kanjorksi has come under scrutiny for several comments he has made during the recent Congress, including his quote that the Democrats stretched the facts on the Iraq War to provide a bigger advantage during the 2006 election cycle.
Kanjorski will have the advantage because of incumbency and his close ties to organized labor. However, Barletta, who ran for this seat in 2002 and gave Kanjorski one of his toughest campaigns, should make the race interesting. Kanjorski has proven to be a superior fundraiser and the DCCC began airing commercials against Barletta and his hard line stances beginning in July. Name recognition may help Barletta overcome some of his disadvantage in cash on hand, but Kanjorski and Democrats in general are very popular in the population centers of this district.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
- Barletta (R) vs Kanjorski (D-i) graph of collected poll results from Pollster.com
District 12
Sixteen term incumbent John Murtha
John Murtha
John Patrick "Jack" Murtha, Jr. was an American politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Murtha, a Democrat, represented Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1974 until his death in 2010....
(D) ran against Retired Lieutenant Colonel William Russell (R), who won the Republican nomination after staging a successful write-in campaign. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat,' but the race tightened after Murtha made well-publicized comments referring to Western Pennsylvania as a "racist" and "redneck" area. Murtha's comments were spoofed in the October 25, 2008 episode of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
in a segment entitled "Sen. Biden and Rep. Murtha Say Crazy Things in Johnstown, Pa." By October, Russell out-raised and outspent Murtha for a whole week. Nevertheless, Murtha secured re-election by a 16-point margin. The district has a Cook Partisan Voting Index
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
score of R +1.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 13
While two term Democrat Allyson Schwartz
Allyson Schwartz
Allyson Young Schwartz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes parts of Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia...
is a target for Republicans in the 2008 race, her seat is expected to be relatively safe. She did not face a serious challenge in 2006 against Raj Bhakta in this Democratic-leaning district. 2007 Philadelphia mayoral candidate Al Taubenberger and state Senator Stewart Greenleaf pondered running on the Republican ticket, but did not enter the race. Attorney Marina Kats ran unopposed for the Republican nomination. Kats is underfunded and without name recognition, while running against and incumbent with a deep warchest of funds, which presents a crucial advantage in an expensive media market. This seat is currently considered to be noncompetitive. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 14
Seven term incumbent Mike Doyle
Michael F. Doyle
Michael F. "Mike" Doyle is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in Pittsburgh and includes most of Allegheny County....
(D) will run for another term. For the fourth straight election, Doyle will not face a Republican opponent, although Green Party candidate, professor Titus North, will be on the ballot for the second straight year. Doyle represents a district that gave John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
69% of the vote in 2004 and his seat is considered to be noncompetitive. The congressman presents a strongly pro-union image, while avoiding hot button social issues, which allows him to remain popular and noncontroversial. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 15
Republican incumbent Charlie Dent
Charlie Dent
Charles "Charlie" Dent is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district includes all of Northampton County, most of Lehigh County, and small parts of Berks and Montgomery Counties....
was challenged by Allentown Democratic Party Chair Sam Bennett. CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Republican Favored'.
Although Dent was targeted by the Democrats for a tough race in 2006, his seat was ultimately relatively safe in 2008. In 2004, he won only 53% of the vote against a political newcomer with no political experience, but did significantly better in his bid for a second term. His district covers the Lehigh Valley region and is politically marginal, narrowly going to John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
with 50% of the vote in 2004.
Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham, and state Democratic Party Chairman T.J. Rooney declined to run for the Democratic nomination, leaving Sam Bennett as the sole member of her party's ticket. Bennett was not considered to be as strong of a candidate as Democrats would like, which helped this seat fall out of contention. Although Democrats have an advantage in registration in the district and that Pennsylvania as a whole is trending Democratic, Dent projects a moderate image. His relationship with popular liberal then-Republican Arlen Specter
Arlen Specter
Arlen Specter is a former United States Senator from Pennsylvania. Specter is a Democrat, but was a Republican from 1965 until switching to the Democratic Party in 2009...
also aids Dent.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 16
Six-term Republican incumbent Joe Pitts is running for reelection against Democratic nominee Bruce Slater (campaign website),a U.S Navy veteran, historic restoration contractor, democratic committee person and community activist who ran unopposed in the primary. Green Party candidate John Murphy, a management consultant and Constitution Party candidate Dan Frank (campaign website) will also be on the ballot. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Republican'.
Pitts had the worst showing of his congressional career in 2008, winning 55.8% of the vote. However, he represents a historically conservative district which gave 61% of its votes to George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
in 2004, and has not attracted a top tier Democratic challenger.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 17
Eight term incumbent Tim Holden
Tim Holden
Thomas Timothy "Tim" Holden is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
(D) is running against Toni Gilhooley (R), a retired PA State Trooper who served for 25 years. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
The 17th Congressional District gave George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
58% of its votes and has historically been dominated by Republicans. However, Holden upset the district's 10-term incumbent, George Gekas
George Gekas
George William Gekas is a Republican politician from Pennsylvania. He represented the state's 17th Congressional district from 1983 to 2003, when he was unseated in a major upset.-Early life:...
, in 2002 after being drawn into the district (he'd previously represented a Reading-based district) and hasn't faced substantive opposition since then. He is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a moderate group that promotes compromise among the parties, and is pro-life and against gun control. Gilhooley is a fiscal conservative, pro-life and pro-Second Amendment candidate who is mounting a strong grass-roots effort. Holden has used his overwhelming support in Schuylkill County, his home county, to make up for past deficits in areas such as Lebanon County and Dauphin County.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 18
Three term Republican Tim Murphy
Tim Murphy (congressman)
Timothy "Tim" F. Murphy is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Pennsylvania Senate....
is being challenged by Democrat Steve O'Donnell, a Monroeville health care executive. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Republican Favored'.
Murphy was reelected in 2006 with 58% of the vote against a little-known Democrat. He represents a suburban Pittsburgh district that George W. Bush won with 54% of the vote but that has a strong Democratic history. His campaigning skills have yet to be tested, with relatively easy wins in his three elections thus far, and he could be vulnerable.
The DCCC
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives, working to elect Democrats to that body. They play a critical role in recruiting candidates, raising funds, and organizing races in districts that are expected to yield...
tried to persuade Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato
Dan Onorato
Daniel "Dan" Onorato is the current Chief Executive of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. On Tuesday, May 18, 2010, Onorato won a crowded four-way primary to become the Democratic nominee for governor...
to run, but he showed no interest in the race. Business consultant Beth Hafer, whose mother Barbara Hafer
Barbara Hafer
Barbara Hafer is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.-Early political career:...
is a longtime state official, was then expected to be the front runner for the Democratic nomination. Insurance executive Brien Wall and Monroeville health care executive Steve O'Donnell also ran. O'Donnell won an upset victory with 45% of the vote in a somewhat under the radar election. Although O'Donnell should make the race competitive, Murphy has a significant advantage because of name recognition and a moderate image.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 19
Four term incumbent Todd Russell Platts
Todd Russell Platts
Todd Russell Platts is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district is located in south-central Pennsylvania, encompassing all of York and Adams Counties, and a large portion of Cumberland County...
(R) will run for another term. His Democratic opponent will be 2006 candidate and college professor Phil Avillo (campaign website), who was unopposed in the party primary. Platts represents a highly conservative district, which gave 64% of the vote to George W. Bush in 2004. Avillo, meanwhile, has raised very little money for his campaign. This race is expected to be noncompetitive. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Republican'.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
External links
- Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation from the Pennsylvania Department of State
- U.S. Congress candidates for Pennsylvania at Project Vote SmartProject Vote SmartProject Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
- Pennsylvania U.S. House Races from 2008 Race Tracker
- Campaign contributions for Pennsylvania congressional races from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
- Candidates for Elections in Pennsylvania