2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania

The 2006 United States House elections in Pennsylvania was an election for Pennsylvania's delegation to the United States House of Representatives, which occurred as part of the general election of the House of Representatives on November 7, 2006.

Overview United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2006PartyVotesPercentageSeats BeforeSeats After+/– Democratic 2,229,091 55.57% 7 11 +4 Republican 1,732,163 43.18% 12 8 -4 Green 33,287 0.83% 0 0 0 Constitution 8,706 0.22% 0 0 0 Independent 7,958 0.20% 0 0 0 Totals 4,011,205 100.00% 19 19 —

Match-up summary DistrictDemocraticRepublicanOthersTotalResult Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % 137,987 100.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 137,987 100.00% Democratic hold 165,867 88.57% 17,291 9.23% 4,125 2.20% 187,283 100.00% Democratic hold 85,110 42.06% 108,525 53.64% 8,706 4.30% 202,341 100.00% Republican hold 131,847 51.93% 122,049 48.07% 0 0.00% 253,896 100.00% Democratic gain 76,456 39.91% 115,126 60.09% 0 0.00% 191,582 100.00% Republican hold 117,892 49.34% 121,047 50.66% 0 0.00% 238,939 100.00% Republican hold 147,898 56.38% 114,426 43.62% 0 0.00% 262,324 100.00% Democratic gain 125,656 50.30% 124,138 49.70% 0 0.00% 249,794 100.00% Democratic gain 79,610 39.67% 121,069 60.33% 0 0.00% 200,679 100.00% Republican hold 110,115 52.95% 97,862 47.05% 0 0.00% 207,977 100.00% Democratic gain 134,340 72.47% 51,033 27.53% 0 0.00% 185,373 100.00% Democratic hold 123,472 60.80% 79,612 39.20% 0 0.00% 203,084 100.00% Democratic hold 147,368 66.13% 75,492 33.87% 0 0.00% 222,860 100.00% Democratic hold 161,075 90.09% 0 0.00% 17,720 9.91% 178,795 100.00% Democratic hold 86,186 43.50% 106,153 53.57% 5,802 2.93% 198,141 100.00% Republican hold 80,915 39.54% 115,741 56.57% 7,958 3.89% 204,614 100.00% Republican hold 137,253 64.53% 75,455 35.47% 0 0.00% 212,708 100.00% Democratic hold 105,419 42.16% 144,632 57.84% 0 0.00% 250,051 100.00% Republican hold 74,625 33.50% 142,512 63.97% 5,640 2.53% 222,777 100.00% Republican holdTotal 2,229,091 55.57% 1,732,163 43.18% 49,951 1.25% 4,011,205 100.00%

District 1

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Bob Brady, incumbent U.S. Representative

Primary results

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Rothenberg November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2006 CQ Politics November 7, 2006

Results

District 2

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Chaka Fattah, incumbent U.S. Representative

Primary results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Michael Gessner

Primary results

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Rothenberg November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2006 CQ Politics November 7, 2006

Results

District 3

Incumbent Representative Phil English was re-elected with 53.6% of the vote.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Steven Porter

Primary results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Phil English, incumbent U.S. Representative

Primary results

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Rothenberg November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2006 CQ Politics November 7, 2006

Results

District 4

Incumbent U.S. Representative Melissa Hart was defeated by healthcare lobbyist Jason Altmire, taking 48.1% of the vote to Altmire's 51.9%.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Jason Altmire, healthcare lobbyist

Eliminated in primary Georgia Berner

Primary results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Melissa Hart, incumbent U.S. Representative

Primary results

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Rothenberg November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2006 CQ Politics November 7, 2006

Results

District 5

Incumbent Representative John E. Peterson was re-elected with 60.1% of the vote.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Donald L. Hilliard

Primary results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee John E. Peterson, incumbent U.S. Representative

Primary results

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Rothenberg November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2006 CQ Politics November 7, 2006

Results

District 6

In the Pennsylvania 6th congressional district election, incumbent Republican Jim Gerlach defeated Democratic opponent Lois Murphy by a 50.7%–49.3% margin to secure a third term. This was a rematch of the 2004 election, when Gerlach defeated Murphy by a similarly close margin. In the primary election, Gerlach was unopposed and Lois Murphy defeated developer Mike Leibowitz.

The candidates participated in two debates in October. The first, sponsored by the AARP focused on Social Security, healthcare, Iraq, and taxes.Philadelphia Inquirer, Civilly, Gerlach and Murphy go over differences by Nancy Petersen, October 22, 2006Associated Press, Gerlach, Murphy spar over war, taxes, health care in Pa. debate The second debate, airing on WPVI, focused on Iraq.R. Jonathan Tuleya, Murphy, Gerlach clash over Iraq, October 28, 2006; accessed October 29, 2006 Murphy outspent Gerlach by a margin of $4,097,663 to $3,492,402.

Democratic primary Nominee Lois Murphy

Eliminated in primary Mike Leibowitz, developer

Primary results

Republican primary Nominee Jim Gerlach, incumbent U.S. Representative

Primary results

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Rothenberg November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2006 CQ Politics November 7, 2006

Results

District 7

In the Pennsylvania 7th congressional district election, long-time incumbent Republican Curt Weldon was defeated by retired Navy 3-star admiral Joe Sestak. Prior to the primary election, Iraq war veteran Bryan Lentz agreed to drop his bid for the seat held by Weldon, instead running for a Pennsylvania state legislature seat, a move brokered by Governor Ed Rendell. Lentz had raised about $125,000 for his congressional campaign. Haverford Democrat Paul Scoles, who ran poorly funded race against Weldon in 2004, also backed out in early February, throwing his support behind Sestak.William Bender, "Dems revamp lineup card: It's Sestak vs. Weldon; Lentz vs. Gannon" , Delaware County Times, February 10, 2006

, covering the suburbs west of Philadelphia, was one of the districts where John Kerry outpolled Bush in the 2004 election, which nonetheless elected a Republican to the House. As such, it became the target of Democratic strategists; in 2006 the Democrats fielded a much stronger and vastly better-funded challenger. On October 13, the media reported that Weldon and his daughter were being investigated by the FBIhttp://www.philly.com/mld/philly/15760138.htm for their involvement with two Russian energy companies and a Serbian company connected with Slobodan Milosevic. The investigation focused on the lobbying firm Solutions North America owned and run by daughter Karen Weldon and local Republican operative Charlie Sexton, which was hired for $1 million, and whether Weldon was involved in obtaining the contracts or was lobbied by his daughter's firm. Three days later, FBI agents raided the home of Weldon's daughter, Karen, as well as five other locations of Weldon associates in Pennsylvania and Florida as part of the investigation.Maryclaire Dale, "FBI raids home of Weldon's daughter, friend in influence probe" , Associated Press, October 16, 2006. On October 17, 2006, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Weldon "acknowledged yesterday that he was under investigation."

On October 13, 2006, CQPolitics changed their rating on the race, from "Leans Republican" to the highly competitive "No Clear Favorite." This was the second time CQPolitics changed its rating in the match-up; in July, it reclassified the race from "Republican Favored" to the more competitive "Leans Republican." They subsequently noted, however, that this change was made the day before the media reported that the FBI was investigating Weldon and his daughter. Shortly after the raid, CQPolitics.com changed their rating on this race for a third time, this time from "No Clear Favorite" to "Leans Democratic".

Democratic primary Nominee Joe Sestak, U.S. Navy vice admiral

Primary results

Republican primary Nominee Curt Weldon, incumbent U.S. Representative

Primary results

General election Endorsements

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Rothenberg November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2006 CQ Politics November 7, 2006

Results

District 8

Democratic primary Nominee Patrick Murphy, attorney and Iraq War veteran

Eliminated in primary Andrew Warren, former Bucks County commissioner

Primary results

Republican primary Nominee Mike Fitzpatrick, incumbent U.S. Representative

Primary results

General election Endorsements

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Rothenberg November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2006 CQ Politics November 7, 2006

Results

District 9

Incumbent Representative Bill Shuster was re-elected with 60.3% of the vote.

Republican primary Nominee Bill Shuster, incumbent U.S. Representative

Primary results

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Rothenberg November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2006 CQ Politics November 7, 2006

Results

District 10

The 2006 Pennsylvania 10th congressional district election was held on November 7 to elect a representative from the . Republican four-term incumbent Don Sherwood was defeated by Democrat Chris Carney, a former Defense Department consultant and Navy lieutenant commander.

CQPolitics noted that "[a]t the outset of the 2006 midterm campaign cycle, it would have been difficult to identify a more politically 'safe' member than Pennsylvania Rep. Don Sherwood. A four-term Republican from the strongly conservative 10th District in northeastern Pennsylvania, Sherwood had run unchallenged by Democrats in 2002 and 2004." But, he "enters the general election campaign in a weakened position mostly because of his extramarital relationship with a young woman, to which he publicly admitted last year. Sherwood, though, adamantly denied the woman's charges that he also physically abused her. A lawsuit brought by the woman against Sherwood was later settled."

On May 15, 2006, Sherwood survived a "surprisingly strong challenge" in the Republican primary from Kathy Scott, a political newcomer. Sherwood received 56% of the vote. CQPolitics reported that his "mediocre showing" could be attributed to the admitted affair. Scott did not file a report with the FEC, which indicates that she spent less than $5,000 in her campaign. His small margin of victory came despite the fact that, prior to the primary, Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum endorsed Sherwood and recorded an automated telephone call on Sherwood's behalf, as did President George W. Bush.