Pa. election 2024: Your guide to this year’s congressional races
by
Spotlight PA Staff and Sarah Nicell and Trebor Maitin for Spotlight PA|
Courtesy of Architect of the Capitol
HARRISBURG — No matter where you live in Pennsylvania, you will be asked to vote for the person you want to represent you in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Pennsylvania has 17 congressional districts, five of which are considered competitive by the Cook Political Report. The commonwealth lost a congressional seat during the 2020 redistricting process because its population grew less than other states.
Below, we explain who is running in each district and the key issues in the competitive races. Not sure which district you live in? Use this tool.
District 1*
Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District includes all of Bucks County and part of Montgomery County. Voters in this district have lately voted for Democratic presidential candidates. That makes the 1st District a perennial target for Democrats, but U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who is one of the more moderate Republicans in Congress, has proved difficult to unseat. The Cook Political Report says this race is one of five in Pennsylvania that is competitive; it is “likely Republican.”
A resident of Bensalem who grew up in southeast Pennsylvania, Ehasz is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the University of Oxford. She is an Army combat veteran who was an Apache helicopter pilot. Currently, she is a government and public service sector consultant.
A native of southeast Pennsylvania, Fitzpatrick graduated from La Salle University, Pennsylvania State University, and Penn State Dickinson School of Law. Before being elected for the first time in 2016, Fitzpatrick was a federal prosecutor and an FBI special agent. He was elected to his seat after the retirement of his late brother, Mike Fitzpatrick, also a moderate Republican.
Key issues: This race has focused on abortion. Fitzpatrick voted in favor of a 20-week ban in 2017, and against bills to codify the right to abortion. Fitzpatrick declined to participate in a debate.
Pennsylvania’s 2nd Congressional District is anchored in Northeast Philadelphia. With overwhelmingly Democratic voter registration, this race is not considered competitive.
A Philadelphia native, Boyle has held his seat since 2015. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame, he received his master’s in public policy from Harvard University. Boyle served in the Pennsylvania House for six years before his election to the U.S. House. He currently serves as the ranking member of the U.S. House Budget Committee.
Bashir immigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan and became a citizen in 2006. He attended Temple University and earned his master of business administration from La Salle. He has run for public office several times, including against Boyle.
Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District includes parts of Philadelphia. The vast majority of voters in the district are registered Democrats, and the incumbent is running unopposed.
A lifelong Philadelphia resident, Evans is a graduate of the Community College of Philadelphia and La Salle University. He served in the Pennsylvania House from 1981 to 2016, when he won his congressional seat in a special election. Before entering politics, Evans previously worked as a public school teacher. He is currently a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Pennsylvania's 4th Congressional District includes some of Berks and Montgomery Counties. It is not considered a competitive district — the Democratic incumbent captured over 60% of the vote in her most recent election.
Dean, a Glenside native, earned her bachelor’s degree at La Salle University in Philadelphia and her law degree at Widener University Delaware Law School. She practiced law and was an English professor at LaSalle University. Before her election to Congress in 2018, Dean was elected as Abington Township commissioner in 2011 before a special election took her to the Pennsylvania House in 2012. She currently serves on the House Judiciary and House Foreign Affairs Committees.
Winkler was a U.S. Marine Corps infantryman and a U.S. Army air defense artilleryman. He also has experience as a Tennessee police officer. If elected, this would be Winkler’s first job in politics, campaigning as a supporter of former President Donald Trump.
Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District includes Delaware County, parts of Chester and Montgomery Counties, and a portion of South Philadelphia. The district tends to vote for Democrats by lopsided margins and is not considered competitive.
Goodwin, a teacher, retired Philadelphia police officer, and Army veteran, lists her three priorities as “Order at the Border,” Protecting Our Children,” and “Social Security Stability.”
Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District includes almost all of Chester County and southeastern Berks County. The deep blue district is not considered competitive.
Houlahan has represented the district since 2019. An Air Force veteran, business executive, and engineer, Houlahan has focused on issues such as education, health care, and veterans' affairs during her time in Congress.
Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District includes all of Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties and a portion of Monroe County. Republicans hope to pick up the perennial swing district — the incumbent Democrat has had a narrower margin of victory each election since November 2018. The district is rated a “toss-up” by the Cook Political Report.
Wild is an attorney and former Allentown solicitor. She is the top Democrat on the House Ethics Committee, chairing it briefly during the last Congress. She is a graduate of American University and the George Washington University Law School. Wild’s top issues include lowering prescription drug prices, expanding Medicare, supporting labor and education, addressing climate change, and supporting manufacturing in her district
Mackenzie holds degrees from New York University and Harvard Business School. He has represented parts of his native Lehigh Valley in Harrisburg as a state representative since 2012. He is running for Congress on his record in the state House, where he supported "America First" policies often associated with former President Donald Trump's platform. On his campaign website, Mackenzie states his goal for Congress is to "make government work for you again and focus on the priorities that will help us the most right away."
Key issues: Abortion is front and center in the 7th District, as are issues that have dogged Democrats in recent years: the economy and immigration. Wild supports abortion access, while Mackenzie voted in favor of a 20-week abortion ban vetoed by former Gov. Tom Wolf. However, Mackenzie says he does not support a federal abortion ban.
Pennsylvania’s Eighth Congressional District includes Lackawanna, Pike, and Wayne Counties, as well as parts of Luzerne and Monroe Counties. It backed Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020 yet has continually sent a Democrat to Congress. It is rated a “toss-up” by the Cook Political Report,
Cartwright, a Moosic resident, is a University of Pennsylvania-trained attorney who received a history degree from Hamilton College in New York. Cartwright serves on the House Appropriations Committee and has represented Northeast Pennsylvania in Congress since 2013.
Bresnahan is a businessman and developer from Dallas Township. He attended the University of Scranton, founded RPB Ventures, which buys and rehabs properties, and ran Kuharchik Construction, a commercial electrical contractor started by his grandfather.
Key issues: Cartwright supports codifying abortion rights into federal law, while Bresnahan favors state referendums that let voters decide policy. Bresnahan has criticized Cartwright for regularly voting alongside Democrats, while Cartwright has condemned Bresnahan for selling his family’s company to Midwestern Electric, which is owned by a private equity firm (Bresnahan says he is still an owner and on the board).
Pennsylvania’s 9th Congressional District includes all of Bradford, Columbia, Lebanon, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Wyoming Counties, plus portions of Berks, Luzerne, and Lycoming Counties. It is heavily Republican and not considered competitive.
Waldman is a Lycoming County native and Bloomsburg University graduate who works as an appeals representative in the Medicare industry. This is her second consecutive run for Congress — she lost her last by nearly 39 points.
Meuser is a businessman and former Pennsylvania revenue secretary who has served in Congress since 2019. He lives in Luzerne County and is a graduate of Cornell University.
Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District includes all of Dauphin County and portions of Cumberland and York Counties. Rated a “toss-up” by the Cook Political Report, the district supported Democrat Josh Shapiro in the 2022 gubernatorial election.
Stelson is a former television news anchor, retiring from the profession in the leadup to her candidacy. She does not live in the 10th District — she lives in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, but has pledged to move if she wins. She was, until recently, a registered Republican.
Perry, of York County, has served in the House since 2013, including two years as the chair of the far-right House Freedom Caucus. He is an Army veteran, former businessman, and former three-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He holds degrees from Harrisburg Area Community College, Pennsylvania State University, and the United States Army War College.
Key issues: Perry’s involvement in attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election has been a focal point in the race — the FBI seized Perry’s correspondence as part of the probe. Stelson’s residency outside the 10th District has also been a point of contention, and she reneged on a commitment to move to the district if she won the primary, instead promising to move if she won the general election. Stelson supports abortion access and wants to codify protections into federal law, while Perry has backed a nationwide ban.
Pennsylvania’s 11th Congressional District includes all of Lancaster County and portions of York County. The district routinely votes for Republicans by wide margins and is not considered competitive.
Smucker has represented the district since 2017. Before his election to Congress, he served in the state Senate. He currently serves on the Committee on Ways and Means.
Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District is anchored by Pittsburgh and contains portions of Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties. The district is strongly Democratic and is not considered competitive.
Elected in 2022, Lee is known for her progressive stances on issues such as social justice, labor rights, and environmental protection. Before her election, Lee was a state representative backed by the Democratic Socialists of America.
Hayes, who worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and has a background in business, says the murder of his son inspired him to run. He has made support of Israel central to his campaign.
Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District includes all of Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin, and Perry Counties, as well as portions of Cumberland and Somerset Counties. The deep red district is not considered competitive.
Farnham is a resident of Adams County and served on the Conewago Valley School District board. She is running to support abortion access and reproductive rights.
Pennsylvania’s 14th Congressional District contains all of Fayette, Greene, and Washington Counties, as well as parts of Indiana, Westmoreland, and Somerset Counties. The district is a Republican stronghold and not considered competitive.
Dziados is an Indiana County native and Army combat veteran who was deployed to Iraq. He supports reproductive rights, skilled jobs training, and maintaining health care protections.
Reschenthaler is a Navy veteran who was deployed to Iraq and an attorney who has been in office since 2019. He was previously a state senator. He currently serves on the Committee on Appropriations.
Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District includes all of Armstrong, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, Snyder, Tioga, Union, and Warren Counties and portions of Indiana, Lycoming, and Venango Counties. The overwhelmingly Republican district is not considered competitive.
Womer attended Denison University and law school, and is the first person in his family to earn a college diploma. He served on the Centre County Mental Health, Intellectual Disability, and Early Intervention Advisory Board. His Methodist faith played a role in his decision to run for office.
Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District includes all of Butler, Crawford, Erie, Lawrence, and Mercer Counties, as well as part of Venango County. The district supports Republicans by strong margins and is not considered competitive.
Nouri, of Erie, was most recently a legislative analyst for the U.S. Department of Defense. A University of Pittsburgh graduate, he started and operates a convenience store and has held a number of short-term jobs in the federal government.
Kelly has been in office since 2011 and is currently leading a bipartisan panel investigating the July assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump. He owns car dealerships that received Paycheck Protection Program loans.
Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District includes Beaver County and northwestern Allegheny County. The Cook Political Report considers it one of Pennsylvania’s five competitive districts and rates it “lean Democrat.”
An Allegheny County native, Deluzio attended the United States Naval Academy and Georgetown University Law Center. The Navy veteran was deployed to Iraq before working as a lawyer and winning his first term in Congress. He is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which supports universal health care and raising the minimum wage.
A West Point graduate with a master’s from the University of Massachusetts Amherst who was raised in Allegheny County, Mercuri is an Army combat veteran who was deployed to Iraq. He is a two-term state representative and small business owner.
Key issues: The candidates have different views on abortion. Deluzio supports abortion access and wants to codify protections into law. Mercuri co-sponsored a state bill that would effectively ban abortions, though he says he would oppose a federal ban.
