Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district
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Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district | |
---|---|
Boundaries beginning January 2019 | |
Current Representative | Keith Rothfus (R–Sewickley) |
Cook PVI | R+17[1] |
Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district is located in southwestern Pennsylvania, and included all of Beaver County, and parts of Allegheny, Cambria, Lawrence, Somerset, and Westmoreland Counties. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania redrew this and other state congressional districts in February 2018 after ruling the previous map unconstitutional, and gave its number to a district in central and northeast Pennsylvania, covering much of the old 10th district. The old 12th district will be resized to an area north and west of Pittsburgh and renamed the 17th district, for the 2018 elections and representation thereafter.[2]
The old 12th district is represented by Republican Keith Rothfus. Before the 2011 round of redistricting, the 12th District was widely considered to be gerrymandered by the Republican-controlled state legislature as a heavily Democratic district. It consisted of all of Greene County, and parts of Allegheny, Armstrong, Cambria, Fayette, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties.
Contents
1 Geography 2003–2013
2 Demographics
3 History
3.1 2006 election
3.2 2008 election
3.3 2010 special election
3.4 2010 election
3.5 2012 election
4 List of representatives
5 Historical district boundaries
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
Geography 2003–2013[edit]
Located in southwestern Pennsylvania, the 12th District consisted of all of Greene County, and parts of Allegheny, Armstrong, Cambria, Fayette, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties. A thoroughly unionized district, the 12th has historically been among the most Democratic areas of the state. However, the Democrats in this area were not as liberal as their counterparts in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Most were somewhat conservative on social issues, particularly abortion and gun control.
The 12th included all of Greene County, a highly rural region that still has a traditionally Democratic influence due to its labor leanings. In Washington county, the city of Washington, a large and Democratic edge suburb of Pittsburgh is a part of the 12th, as well as the eastern portion of the county. Most of the Monongahela Valley region, a very Democratic area that was once an important steel-making area, was also part of the 12th. However, more rural western Washington County and the suburban northern portion of the county (with towns like McDonald and Canonsburg) then belonged to the 18th. The western portion of Fayette County, including the city of Uniontown, a labor Democratic stronghold was part of this district, while the rural mountainous eastern portion is a part of the 9th.
The 12th District continued eastward, including southeastern and northeastern parts of Westmoreland County, including the labor Democratic city of Latrobe, while leaving the suburban western part of the county (with towns such as Murrysville) and the generally left-leaning city of Greensburg in the 18th. The major population base of the district was located just to the east, taking in most of Somerset and Cambria counties. This area, the heart of a large coal-mining region, includes the district's largest city, Johnstown. The 12th also contained a part of Indiana County, mainly the college town of Indiana.
The 12th completed its wrap around the metro Pittsburgh region by ending in the northeastern corner of the city's suburbs, containing middle class regions such as Lower Burrell and the working class suburb of New Kensington. A portion of Armstrong County was also included in the district, including several industrial suburbs such as Freeport and Apollo.
Demographics[edit]
[Data unknown/missing.]
History[edit]
After the 2000 census, the Republican-controlled state legislature radically altered the 12th in an effort to get more Republicans elected from traditionally heavily Democratic southwestern Pennsylvania. A large chunk of the old 20th District was incorporated into the 12th. In some parts of the western portion of the district, one side of the street is in the 12th while the other side of the street is in the 18th District (the reconfigured 20th). This led to criticism that the 12th was a gerrymander intended to pack as many of southwestern Pennsylvania's heavily Democratic areas as possible into just two districts—the 12th and the Pittsburgh-based 14th.
Prior to the 2012 redistricting, the district has a Cook Partisan Voting Index score of R+1. The district is notable as the only congressional district in the nation that voted for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004 but went for Republican John McCain in 2008. This is mainly due to the fact that since 2000 Southwestern Pennsylvania has gradually become more Republican leaning.
2006 election[edit]
In the 2006 election, Murtha was re-elected with 61% of the vote. His Republican opponent, Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey, received 39%.
2008 election[edit]
John Murtha won the 2008 election with 58% of the vote. Murtha was a United States Marine and the first Vietnam War veteran to serve in Congress. He defeated Lt. Col. William T. Russell, an army veteran.
2010 special election[edit]
Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell scheduled a special election for May 18, 2010, following the death of Representative John Murtha. On March 8, 2010, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party's Executive Committee nominated Mark Critz, Murtha's former district director.[3] On March 11, a convention of Republicans from the 12th district nominated businessman Tim Burns.[4] The Libertarian Party's candidate was Demo Agoris, who ran for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 48th district as a Libertarian in 2006.
Mark Critz won the election.
2010 election[edit]
Mark Critz was re-elected in the regularly scheduled 2010 election; again beating Republican Tim Burns (this time with 51% of the vote against 49%).
2012 election[edit]
Mark Critz ran for re-election to a second full term in the 2012 election, but was defeated by Republican challenger Keith Rothfus. Critz garnered 48.5% of the vote to Rothfus' 51.5%.[5] The 12th had absorbed a large chunk of the old 4th District, including Rothfus' home, after the 2010 census, and was significantly more Republican than its predecessor.
List of representatives[edit]
Representative | Party | Years | Electoral history | |
---|---|---|---|---|
District created in 1795 from Pennsylvania's At-large congressional district | ||||
Albert Gallatin | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1801 | Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of the Treasury | |
William Hoge | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803 | Redistricted to 10th District | |
District eliminated | 1803 | |||
District restored | 1813 | |||
Aaron Lyle | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1817 | [Data unknown/missing.] | |
Thomas Patterson | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1823 | Redistricted to 15th District | |
John Brown | Jacksonian DR | March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825 | Redistricted from 9th District | |
John Mitchell | Jacksonian | March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1829 | Lost re-election | |
John Scott | Jacksonian | March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1831 | Lost re-election | |
Robert Allison | Anti-Masonic | March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833 | Retired | |
George Chambers | Anti-Masonic | March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837 | [Data unknown/missing.] | |
Daniel Sheffer | Democratic | March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839 | Lost re-election | |
James Cooper | Whig | March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1843 | [Data unknown/missing.] | |
Almon H. Read | Democratic | March 4, 1843 – June 3, 1844 | Redistricted from 17th District Died | |
Vacant | June 3, 1844 – December 2, 1844 | |||
George Fuller | Democratic | December 2, 1844 – March 3, 1845 | [Data unknown/missing.] | |
David Wilmot | Democratic | March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1851 | Retired | |
Galusha A. Grow | Democratic | March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853 | Redistricted to the 14th District | |
Hendrick B. Wright | Democratic | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 | Lost re-election | |
Henry M. Fuller | Opposition | March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 | Retired | |
John G. Montgomery | Democratic | March 4, 1857 – April 24, 1857 | Died | |
Vacant | April 24, 1857 – December 7, 1857 | |||
Paul Leidy | Democratic | December 7, 1857 – March 3, 1859 | [Data unknown/missing.] | |
George W. Scranton | Republican | March 4, 1859 – March 24, 1861 | Died | |
Vacant | March 24, 1861 – July 4, 1861 | |||
Hendrick B. Wright | Democratic | July 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863 | [Data unknown/missing.] | |
Charles Denison | Democratic | March 4, 1863 – June 27, 1867 | Died | |
Vacant | June 27, 1867 – November 21, 1867 | |||
George W. Woodward | Democratic | November 21, 1867 – March 3, 1871 | Retired | |
Lazarus D. Shoemaker | Republican | March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1875 | Retired | |
Winthrop W. Ketcham | Republican | March 4, 1875 – July 19, 1876 | Resigned to become U.S. District Judge | |
Vacant | July 19, 1876 – November 7, 1876 | |||
William H. Stanton | Democratic | November 7, 1876 – March 3, 1877 | Retired | |
Hendrick B. Wright | Democratic | March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1879 | Lost re-election | |
Greenback | March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881 | |||
Joseph A. Scranton | Republican | March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883 | Lost re-election | |
Daniel W. Connolly | Democratic | March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885 | Lost re-election | |
Joseph A. Scranton | Republican | March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1887 | Lost re-election | |
John Lynch | Democratic | March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889 | Lost re-election | |
Edwin S. Osborne | Republican | March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891 | Redistricted from At-large District Retired | |
George W. Shonk | Republican | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893 | Declined to be a candidate for renomination | |
William H. Hines | Democratic | March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895 | Lost re-election | |
John Leisenring | Republican | March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897 | Declined to be a candidate for re-election | |
Morgan B. Williams | Republican | March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1899 | Lost re-election | |
Stanley W. Davenport | Democratic | March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1901 | Lost renomination | |
Henry W. Palmer | Republican | March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1903 | Redistricted to 11th District | |
George R. Patterson | Republican | March 4, 1903 – March 21, 1906 | Died | |
Vacant | January 21, 1906 – November 6, 1906 | |||
Charles N. Brumm | Republican | November 6, 1906 – January 4, 1909 | Resigned when he was elected judge of the court of common pleas of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania | |
Vacant | January 4, 1909 – March 3, 1909 | |||
Alfred B. Garner | Republican | March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1911 | Unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1910 | |
Robert E. Lee | Democratic | March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1915 | Lost re-election | |
Robert D. Heaton | Republican | March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1919 | Retired | |
John Reber | Republican | March 4, 1919 – March 3, 1923 | Retired | |
John J. Casey | Democratic | March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1925 | Lost re-election | |
Edmund N. Carpenter | Republican | March 4, 1925 – March 3, 1927 | Lost re-election | |
John J. Casey | Democratic | March 4, 1927 – May 5, 1929 | Died | |
Vacant | May 5, 1929 – June 4, 1929 | |||
C. Murray Turpin | Republican | June 4, 1929 – January 3, 1937 | Lost re-election | |
J. Harold Flannery | Democratic | January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1942 | Resigned to become judge of the common pleas court of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania | |
Vacant | January 3, 1942 – May 19, 1942 | |||
Thomas B. Miller | Republican | May 19, 1942 – January 3, 1945 | Lost re-election | |
Ivor D. Fenton | Republican | January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1963 | Redistricted from 13th District Lost re-election | |
J. Irving Whalley | Republican | January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1973 | Redistricted from 18th District Retired | |
John P. Saylor | Republican | January 3, 1973 – October 28, 1973 | Redistricted from 22nd District Died | |
Vacant | October 28, 1973 – February 5, 1974 | |||
John Murtha | Democratic | February 5, 1974 – February 8, 2010 | Died | |
Vacant | February 8, 2010 – May 18, 2010 | |||
Mark Critz | Democratic | May 18, 2010 – January 3, 2013 | Elected to finish Murtha's term Re-elected in 2010 Lost re-election | |
Keith Rothfus | Republican | January 3, 2013 – Present | Incumbent Redistricted to 17th District |
Historical district boundaries[edit]
See also[edit]
- List of United States congressional districts
- Pennsylvania's congressional districts
References[edit]
^ "New Pennsylvania Map Is a Major Boost for Democrats". The Cook Political Report. February 20, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
^ Cohn, Nate; Bloch, Matthew; Quealy, Kevin (February 19, 2018). "The New Pennsylvania House Districts Are In. We Review the Mapmakers' Choices". The Upshot. The New York Times. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
^ Becker, Bernie (March 8, 2010). "Dems Choose Nominee for Murtha Seat". The New York Times. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
^ Faher, Mike (March 12, 2010). "GOP chooses Burns for special election in 12th". The Tribune-Democratic. Retrieved March 12, 2010.
^ "2012 General Election: Representative in Congress, District 12". Pennsylvania Department of State. Archived from the original on 16 November 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.- Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present
External links[edit]
- Congressional redistricting in Pennsylvania
Coordinates: 40°25′42″N 79°29′11″W / 40.42833°N 79.48639°W / 40.42833; -79.48639
Categories:
- Congressional districts of Pennsylvania
- Constituencies established in 1795
- 1795 establishments in Pennsylvania
- Constituencies disestablished in 1803
- 1803 disestablishments in Pennsylvania
- Constituencies established in 1813
- 1813 establishments in Pennsylvania
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