United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2012

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All 18 Pennsylvania seats to the United States House of Representatives
Majority party Minority party   Party Republican Democratic Last election 12 7 Seats won 13 5 Seat change 1 2 Popular vote 2,710,070 2,793,538 Percentage 48.77% 50.28% Swing 2.64% 2.71%

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v t e

The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, to elect the 18 U.S. Representatives from the state of Pennsylvania, a loss of one seat following the 2010 United States Census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election and an election to the U.S. Senate. Primary elections were held Tuesday, April 24.

Redistricting[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2011)

Republicans control redistricting in Pennsylvania, which lost one seat in reapportionment.^[1] A map released on December 13, 2011, effectively merged the 4th and 12th congressional districts, represented by Democrats Jason Altmire and Mark Critz.^[2] The map was passed by the Pennsylvania Senate.^[3]

Overview[edit]

District 1[edit]

Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district has been represented by Democrat Bob Brady since 1998. Jimmie Moore, a judge of the Philadelphia Municipal Court, had planned to challenge Brady in the Democratic primary^[6][7] but ended his campaign in February 2012.^[8]

John Featherman, a realtor and former unsuccessful candidate for mayor of Philadelphia, sought the Republican nomination.^[9]

Brady and Featherman ran unopposed in their respective primaries and faced each other in the general election. Brady won his ninth term with 235,394 votes to Featherman's 41,708 votes (85% to 15.1%).

General Election[edit]

District 2[edit]

Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district has been represented by Democrat Chaka Fattah since 1995. He ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. Robert Allen Mansfield, Jr. ran unopposed in the Republican primary. Independent candidate James Foster also ran creating a three-way race.

In the general election, Fattah retained his seat winning his 10th term with 318,176 votes (89.3%). His challengers, Mansfield and Foster, placed second and third respectively, each earning 33,381 (9.4%) and 4,829 (1.4%) votes.

General Election Results[edit]

District 3[edit]

Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district has been represented by Republican Mike Kelly since January 2011. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Missa Eaton, Sharon resident and president of Democrat Women of Mercer County, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. She was the first Democrat to announce a bid against Kelly, on January 19, 2012, and did so with the blessing of former Rep. Dahlkemper.^[10] Two other announced candidates, George Schroeck and Mel Marin, failed to collect enough verifiable signatures to appear on the Democratic primary ballot.^[11] Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper, who represented the district from 2009 until 2011, considered running to regain her seat,^[12] but ultimately decided not to do so. Joe Sinnott, the mayor of Erie, will not run.^[13] Ron DiNicola, a local attorney and Marine Corps veteran who narrowly lost a bid for the then-21st District in 1996, seriously considered running, but decided not to run in December 2011.^[14]

General Election Results[edit]

External links

• 
  Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
  

Missa Eaton

• Missa Eaton campaign site


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  Profile at Vote Smart
  


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  Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
  

Mike Kelly

• Mike Kelly campaign site

District 4[edit]

Republican Todd Platts, who has represented Pennsylvania's 19th congressional district since 2001 and had been expected to seek re-election in the new 4th district, will not seek re-election. State representative Scott Perry^[15] won the Republican nomination, winning over 50% of the vote in a crowded seven-man field which included York County Commissioner Chris Reilly;^[15] Sean Summers, a lawyer who represented Albert Snyder in Snyder v. Phelps;^[16] Ted Waga, a member of the York 912 Patriots;^[15] Steve Chronister, Reilly's colleague on the York County Commission;^[15] state representative Seth Grove, a former aide to Platts;^[17] Mike Smeltzer, who heads the Manufacturers' Association of South Central Pennsylvania and unsuccessfully challenged Pitts in 2010.^[15] Brock McCleary, the deputy political director of the National Republican Congressional Committee, will not run.^[18]

Harry Perkinson, who works for a Texas-based defense contractor,^[19] won the Democratic nomination, defeating Ken Lee.^[19] Matt Matsunaga, who served as co-chair of the College Republicans while at Catonsville Community College;^[20] County Commissioner Doug Hoke, and 2010 Democratic nominee Ryan Sanders decided not to run.^[15]John Brenner, a former Mayor of York,^[15] and state representative Eugene DePasquale, who will instead run for Pennsylvania Auditor General,^[21] will not run. Mike Koffenberger will run as the nominee of the Libertarian Party.^[19]

General election results[edit]

External links

Mike Koffenberger

• Mike Koffenberger campaign website


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  Profile at Vote Smart
  


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  Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
  

Harry Perkinson

• Harry Perkinson campaign website


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  Profile at Vote Smart
  


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  Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
  

Scott Perry

• Scott Perry campaign website

District 5[edit]

Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district is currently represented by Republican Glenn Thompson, who was first elected in 2008. He is being challenged by Democrat Prof. Charles Dumas, a professor at Penn State University. They each ran unopposed in their respective primaries and will face each other in the general election.

General Election Results[edit]

District 6[edit]

Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district has been represented by Republican Jim Gerlach since 2003, and he is running for re-election.

The Democratic nominee is Manan Trivedi, a physician and Iraq War veteran who unsuccessfully challenged Gerlach in 2010.^[22] Doug Pike, who unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination in 2010, decided not to run again^[23] and so Trivedi ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

General Election Results[edit]

External links

• 
  Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
  


• Jim Gerlach campaign site


• Manon Trivedi campaign site

District 7[edit]

Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district has been represented by Republican Pat Meehan since January 2011. He is running for re-election.

George Badey III, an attorney who led a campaign against budget cut-backs which would have threatened the Mummers Parade, ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination.^[24] Former U.S. Representative Joe Sestak, who represented the district from 2007 until 2011 and unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate in 2010;^[25] and Jack Stollsteimer, a former Safe Schools Advocate who also previously served as a press spokesman for Meehan,^[26] decided not to run.

General Elections Results[edit]

External links

• 
  Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
  

George Badey

• George Badey campaign site


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  Profile at Vote Smart
  


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  Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
  

Pat Meehan

• Pat Meehan campaign site

District 8[edit]

Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district has been represented by Republican Mike Fitzpatrick since January 2011. Fitzpatrick previously represented the district from 2005 until 2007. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary after Jennifer Stefano, the Pennsylvania director of policy for labor and energy for Americans for Prosperity,^[27] announced in January 2012 she would instead become Americans for Prosperity's state director.^[28]

Attorney Kathy Boockvar, who unsuccessfully ran for the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania in 2011, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.^[29]Doylestown Township Supervisor Cynthia Philo,^[30] Doylestown Borough Council President Det Ansinn^[31] and Bucks County Commissioner Diane Marseglia^[30] decided not to run.

General Election Results[edit]

External links

• 
  Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
  

Kathy Boockvar

• Kathy Boockvar campaign site


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  Profile at Vote Smart
  


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  Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
  

Mike Fitzpatrick

• Mike Fitzpatrick campaign site

District 9[edit]

Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district has been represented by Republican Bill Shuster since 2001. Businessman Travis Schooley was challenging Shuster in the primary but he was disqualified from the ballot after only 987 of his 1,045 petition signatures turned out to be valid, 13 below the required 1,000. Karen Ramsburg, a nurse from Mercersburg, had been running as an Independent, but after no Democrat filed to run, she mounted a write-in campaign for the April primary.^[32] She was successful, receiving enough write-in votes to receive the Democratic nomination.^[33]

General Election Results[edit]

District 10[edit]

Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district has been represented by Republican Tom Marino since January 2011. Chris Carney, a Democrat who represented the district from 2007 until 2011, had considered seeking a rematch but announced in February 2012 that he would not run again.^[34] Phillip Scollo was the only Democrat in the primary and will face Marino in the general election.

General Election Results[edit]

District 11[edit]

Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district has been represented by Republican Lou Barletta since January 2011. Gene Stilp, an activist who unsuccessfully ran for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2010 and for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania in 2006;^[35] and William Vinsko, a lawyer and assistant Wilkes-Barre city attorney,^[36] ran for the Democratic nomination to challenge Barletta. Chris Doherty, the mayor of Scranton;^[36] former U.S. Representative Paul Kanjorski, who represented the 11th district from 1985 until 2011 but lost re-election in 2010;^[37] and Lackawanna County Commissioner Corey O'Brien^[36] may also run for the Democratic nomination. Michael Lombardo, the former mayor of Pittston, is unlikely to seek the Democratic nomination.^[38] Former U.S. Representative Chris Carney, who represented the 10th district from 2007 until 2011 but lost re-election in 2010, had considered seeking the Democratic nomination in the 11th district but announced in February 2012 that he would not run.^[34] Stilp defeated Vinsko in the Democratic primary; there were no other candidates.

General Election Results[edit]

District 12[edit]

Democrats Mark Critz, who has represented Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district since 2010; and Jason Altmire, who has represented Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district since 2007, both sought re-election in the new 12th district.^[39] In the primary Critz defeated Altmire, 51-49. Altmire's opposition to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and climate change legislation are believed to have contributed to his defeat by a more liberal opponent.^[40]

Keith Rothfus, who unsuccessfully challenged Altmire as the Republican nominee in the 4th district in 2010, won the Republican nomination, and was expected to run neck-and-neck with Critz in the general election.^[41]State representative Jim Christiana^[39] and Mike Turzai, the majority leader of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives,^[41] did not run. Tim Burns, who ran unsuccessfully as the Republican nominee in the 12th district in a May 2010 special election and the November 2010 general election and unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate, ending his Senate campaign in January 2012,^[42] was a speculative candidate in the 12th district.^[43]

General Election Results[edit]

External links

• 
  Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
  

Mark Critz

• Mark Critz campaign site

Keith Rothfus

• Keith Rothfus campaign site


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  Profile at Vote Smart
  


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  Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
  

District 13[edit]

Democrat Allyson Schwartz, who has represented Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district since 2005, sought re-election. Nathan Kleinman, a member of the Occupy Philadelphia movement who worked as a field organizer for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, was expected to challenge Schwartz in the Democratic primary,^[44] but Schwartz ran unopposed. She defeated Republican Joseph James Rooney in the general election.

General Election Results[edit]

District 14[edit]

Incumbent Democrat Mike Doyle defeated challenger Janis C. Brooks in the Democratic primary. He faced Republican Hans Lessmann in the general election.

General Election Results[edit]

District 15[edit]

Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district has been represented by Republican Charlie Dent since 2005. Rick Daugherty, the chairman of the Lehigh County Democratic Party, ran for the nomination to challenge Dent.^[45] Jackson Eaton, an Army veteran and former Republican from Allentown, also ran for the Democratic nomination.^[46]John Callahan, the mayor of Bethlehem and the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for the 15th district in 2010, may run again.^[47] Daugherty defeated Eaton in the Democratic primary; there were no other candidates.

General Election Results[edit]

District 16[edit]

Incumbent Republican Joe Pitts will face Democrat Aryanna C. Strader. They each ran unopposed in their respective primaries.

General Election Results[edit]

District 17[edit]

Democrat Tim Holden, who has represented Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district since 2003, ran for re-election.^[49]Matt Cartwright, a Scranton attorney, ran against Holden in the Democratic primary;^[50]Corey O'Brien, a Lackawanna County Commissioner who unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination in 2010, said in April 2011 that if his home were drawn into Holden's district in redistricting, he would not run.^[51]

Pennsylvania Republicans, who controlled the redistricting process after the 2010 United States Census, drew this district to be much more Democratic, taking in parts of Scranton and Wilkes Barre. Holden, a Blue Dog Democrat who had represented a very Republican district for 10 years, was considered vulnerable to a primary challenge due to the bluer hue of the new district. Holden was defeated in the Democratic primary by attorney Matt Cartwright, 57-43. Holden's opposition to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and climate change legislation are believed to have contributed to his defeat by a more liberal opponent.^[40]

Scranton Tea Party Leader Laureen Cummings ran on the Republican ticket after she withdrew her bid for the Senate seat currently held by Bob Casey Jr.^[52] Cummings went on to lose the general election to Cartwright, who defeated the Republican by a 60.3%-39.7% margin on November 6.

General Election Results[edit]

District 18[edit]

Republican Tim Murphy, who has represented Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district since 2003, successfully sought re-election.^[53] Evan Feinberg, a former aide to U.S. Senators Tom Coburn and Rand Paul, unsuccessfully challenged Murphy in the Republican primary.^[54] Murphy won the primary with over 60% of the vote.

Washington County Commissioner Larry Maggi sought the Democratic nomination.^[55]Ralph Kaiser, a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, who considered seeking the Democratic nomination while Murphy was considering running for the U.S. Senate, decided not to run.^[53] Maggi ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. Demo Agoris ran under the Libertarian Party.^[56]

General Election[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• 
  Pennsylvania Secretary of State
  
  • Official election results


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  United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2012 at Ballotpedia
  


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  Pennsylvania U.S. House from OurCampaigns.com


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  Campaign contributions for U.S. Congressional races in Pennsylvania from OpenSecrets.org
  


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  Outside spending at the Sunlight Foundation