2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania

The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania were held on November 6, 2018, to elect the 18 U.S. representatives from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, one from each of the state's 18 congressional districts.

The elections coincided with the 2018 gubernatorial election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections.

In January 2018, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck down the state's congressional map, ruling it had been unfairly gerrymandered to favor Republicans. New maps were subsequently adopted in February 2018.

The 2018 general election saw the Democrats gain four seats and the Republicans gain one seat, for a Democratic net gain of three seats, changing the state's representation from 12 to 6 Republican to a 9–9 tie. In addition, Pennsylvanians in several districts elected female candidates to the U.S. House, thus ending four years of all-male Congressional representation in the state.

Redistricting

In January 2018, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck down the state's congressional map, ruling it had been unfairly gerrymandered to favor Republicans."Second, should the Pennsylvania General Assembly choose to submit a congressional districting plan that satisfies the requirements of the Pennsylvania Constitution, it shall submit such plan for consideration by the Governor on or before February 9, 2018. If the Governor accepts the General Assembly's congressional districting plan, it shall be submitted to this Court on or before February 15, 2018." New maps were subsequently adopted in February 2018, for use in the 2018 elections; they took effect with representation in 2019.

Overview Statewide PartyCandidatesVotesSeats %+/– % Democratic 18 2,712,665 54.92% 9 3 50.00% Republican 17 2,206,260 44.67% 9 3 50.00% Libertarian 2 10,950 0.22% 0 0.00% Write-in 1 9,452 0.19% 0 0.00%Total 38 4,939,327 100.0% 18 100.00%

District Results of the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania:

DistrictDemocraticRepublicanOthersTotalResult Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %District 1 160,745 48.74% 169,053 51.26% 0 0.00% 329,798 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 2 159,600 79.02% 42,382 20.98% 0 0.00% 201,982 100.0% Democratic holdDistrict 3 287,610 93.38% 20,387 6.62% 0 0.00% 307,997 100.0% Democratic holdDistrict 4 211,524 63.52% 121,467 36.48% 0 0.00% 332,991 100.0% Democratic holdDistrict 5 198,639 65.19% 106,075 34.81% 0 0.00% 304,714 100.0% Democratic gainDistrict 6 177,704 58.88% 124,124 41.12% 0 0.00% 301,828 100.0% Democratic gainDistrict 7 140,813 53.49% 114,437 43.47% 8,011 3.04% 263,261 100.0% Democratic gainDistrict 8 135,603 54.64% 112,563 45.36% 0 0.00% 248,166 100.0% Democratic holdDistrict 9 100,204 40.25% 148,723 59.75% 0 0.00% 248,927 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 10 141,668 48.68% 149,365 51.32% 0 0.00% 291,033 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 11 113,876 41.02% 163,708 58.98% 0 0.00% 277,584 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 12 82,825 33.96% 161,047 66.04% 0 0.00% 243,872 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 13 74,733 29.51% 178,533 70.49% 0 0.00% 253,266 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 14 110,051 42.09% 151,386 57.91% 0 0.00% 261,437 100.0% Republican gainDistrict 15 78,327 32.16% 165,245 67.84% 0 0.00% 243,572 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 16 124,109 47.30% 135,348 51.58% 2,939 1.12% 262,396 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 17 183,162 56.26% 142,417 43.74% 0 0.00% 325,579 100.00% Democratic gainDistrict 18 231,472 96.08% 0 0.00% 9,452 3.92% 240,924 100.0% Democratic holdTotal 2,712,665 54.92%% 2,206,260 44.67% 20,402 0.41% 4,939,327 100.0%

District 1

The 1st district previously consisted of central and South Philadelphia, the City of Chester, the Philadelphia International Airport and other small sections of Delaware County. Under the new congressional map that was in place in 2019 (represented per 2018's elections), the first district overlaps with much of the former 8th district, which was represented by Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick took office in 2017, succeeding his brother, former Representative Mike Fitzpatrick. The new 1st district consists of Bucks County and a small portion of Montgomery County.

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Brian Fitzpatrick, incumbent U.S. representative

Eliminated in primary Dean Malik, former Bucks County assistant district attorney and candidate for this seat in 2010 & 2016

Withdrawn Valerie Mihalek, former Yardley Borough council member and deputy district director for former U.S. Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick

Primary results

Democratic primary The old 8th district was included on the initial list of Republican held seats being targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Candidates Nominee Scott Wallace, charitable foundation director and grandson of former Vice President Henry Wallace

Eliminated in primary Steven Bacher, environmentalist Rachel Reddick, former Navy prosecutor

Declined Diane Ellis-Marseglia, Bucks County commissioner

Campaign The race featured a number of negative ads between Reddick and Wallace. With Reddick's campaign releasing an ad calling Wallace a “Maryland multi-millionaire” and stating that he had case an absentee ballot cast from his second home in a South African “gated luxury estate”. The Wallace campaign responded with an ad higlishting Reddick flubbing a question about the so-called “global gag rule” during a campaign stop in Ottsville, and for her having been registered as a Republican for most of her adult life.

Many DC Democrats expressed excitement about Wallace's potential to spend big to defeat Fitzpatrick, especially in the expensive Philadelphia market. He loaned his campaign $2.5 million while Reddick only raised $363,000 and was shunned by most party strategists.

Endorsements

Primary results

General election Endorsements

Debate + 2018 Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district debate Date Host Moderator Link Republican DemocraticKey: Participant  Absent  Not invited  Invited Withdrawn Brian Fitzpatrick Scott Wallace1 October 19, 2018 Bucks County Chamber of CommercePennsylvania Cable NetworkLeague of Women Voters of Bucks County Carlo BorgiaC-SPAN

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error BrianFitzpatrick (R) ScottWallace (D) Other UndecidedNYT Upshot/Siena CollegeNYT Upshot/Siena College October 26–29, 2018 502 ± 4.7% 47% 46% – 7%NYT Upshot/Siena CollegeNYT Upshot/Siena College October 11–14, 2018 570 ± 4.6% 43% 50% – 8%Public Opinion Strategies (R-Fitzpatrick)Public Opinion Strategies (R-Fitzpatrick) October 2–4, 2018 400 ± 4.9% 50% 42% – –Monmouth UniversityMonmouth University September 27 – October 1, 2018 353 ± 5.2% 50% 46% 1% 3%Monmouth UniversityMonmouth University May 31 – June 3, 2018 254 LV ± 6.5% 48% 47% 0% 5% 451 RV ± 4.6% 49% 42% 1% 8%DCCC (D)DCCC (D) May 12–14, 2018 540 ± 4.2% 48% 46% — 6%

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 5, 2018 Inside ElectionsNovember 5, 2018 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 5, 2018RCPNovember 5, 2018Daily KosNovember 5, 2018538November 7, 2018CNNOctober 31, 2018PoliticoNovember 4, 2018

Results

Analysis Fitzpatrick held out to win re-election, despite many similar suburban districts held by Republicans falling to Democrats in the 2018 cycle. Fitzpatrick did this by establishing a reputation for himself as an independent centrist who attained endorsements from several usually-left-leaning and nonpartisan groups without enraging the more fervently pro-Trump wing of the Republican party. Analysts considered the Democratic nominee Scott Wallace an unusually weak candidate: he was a wealthy heir who moved to the district, opening up accusations of carpetbagging, and made several gaffes and missteps. Editor Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report wrote that Wallace was perhaps the weakest candidate of the 2018 cycle.

District 2

The 2nd district consists of the northern half of Philadelphia. It mostly overlaps with the old 1st District. That district's incumbent, Democrat Bob Brady, had served since 1998, but did not run for reelection. The incumbent of the old 2nd district was Dwight Evans, but Evans opted to follow most of his constituents into the 3rd District.

The new map drew the home of fellow Democrat Brendan Boyle, who had represented the neighboring 13th District since 2015, into the 2nd, leading to speculation that he would run for reelection there. Soon after the new map was released, Boyle confirmed that he would indeed run in the 2nd.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Brendan Boyle, incumbent U.S. representative

Eliminated in primary Michele Lawrence, former senior vice president for Wells Fargo

Declined Bob Brady, incumbent U.S. representative

Endorsements

Primary results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee David Torres, community activist

Primary results

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 5, 2018 Inside ElectionsNovember 5, 2018 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 5, 2018RCPNovember 5, 2018Daily KosNovember 5, 2018538November 7, 2018CNNOctober 31, 2018PoliticoNovember 4, 2018

Endorsements

Results

District 3

The 3rd district was previously located in Northwestern Pennsylvania, but now covers downtown and northern Philadelphia, and overlaps with much of the previous 2nd district. The incumbent from the 2nd district was Democrat Dwight Evans, who had held office since 2016. Evans defeated incumbent Democratic Representative Chaka Fattah in the 2016 Democratic primary, and then went on to be elected with 90% in both the general election and a simultaneous special election for the remainder of the term after Fattah resigned.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Dwight Evans, incumbent U.S. representative

Eliminated in primary Kevin Johnson

Endorsements

Primary results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Bryan Leib

Primary results

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 5, 2018 Inside ElectionsNovember 5, 2018 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 5, 2018RCPNovember 5, 2018Daily KosNovember 5, 2018538November 7, 2018CNNOctober 31, 2018PoliticoNovember 4, 2018

Endorsements

Results

District 4

The old 4th district was in South Central Pennsylvania, but the new 4th district is centered in Montgomery County. The district overlaps with the former 13th district. The incumbent from this district, Democrat Brendan Boyle, could have sought re-election in either this district or the new 2nd district, which absorbed his home and most of the old 13th's share of Philadelphia. Boyle opted to run in the 2nd, making the 4th an open seat.

Democratic primary State Senator Daylin Leach had announced that he would run for Congress in the old 7th District, but was expected to switch races after his home was drawn into the new 4th. However, on February 24, 2018, Leach succumbed to pressures from fellow Democrats, including Governor Tom Wolf, to abandon his congressional campaign in the face of accusations of sexual harassment. However, he remained in his Pennsylvania Senate seat.State Senator Daylin Leach ends congressional bid, cites 'attacks' on his family, The Philadelphia Inquirer, David Gambacorta, February 25, 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2018.

Candidates Nominee Madeleine Dean, state representative

Eliminated in primary Shira Goodman, public policy advocate Joe Hoeffel, former U.S. representative, nominee for Senate in 2004 and candidate for governor in 2010

Withdrawn Mary Jo Daley, state representative (endorsed Dean) Daylin Leach, state senator and candidate for the 13th district in 2014

Declined Allyson Schwartz, former U.S. representative and candidate for governor in 2014

Endorsements

Primary results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Dan David, investor

Primary results

General election Predictions