2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania

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.

Republicans control redistricting in Pennsylvania, which lost one seat in reapportionment. A map released on December 13, 2011, effectively merged the 4th and 12th congressional districts, represented by Democrats Jason Altmire and Mark Critz. The map was passed by the Pennsylvania Senate. Critz won the incumbent-on-incumbent primary, but then lost the general election.

Pennsylvania was one of five states in which the party that won the state's popular vote did not win a majority of seats in 2012, the other states being Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.

District
Results of the 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania by district:

District 1
Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district includes primarily central and South Philadelphia, the City of Chester, the Philadelphia International Airport, and other small sections of Delaware County. It has been represented by Democrat Bob Brady since 1998.

Nominee

 * Bob Brady, incumbent U.S. Representative

Withdrew

 * Jimmie Moore, Philadelphia Municipal Court judge

Nominee

 * John Featherman, realtor and former candidate for mayor of Philadelphia

District 2
Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district includes predominantly African American sections of the city of Philadelphia—West Philadelphia, North Philadelphia, and Northwest Philadelphia—in addition to parts of South Philadelphia, Center City, and western suburbs such as Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County. It has been represented by Democrat Chaka Fattah since 1995.

Nominee

 * Chaka Fattah, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Robert Allen Mansfield, Jr., businessman and US Army veteran

District 3
Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district is located in the northwestern part of the state and includes the cities of Erie, Sharon, Hermitage, Butler and Meadville. It has been represented by Republican Mike Kelly since January 2011. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Nominee

 * Mike Kelly, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Missa Eaton, professor and president of Democratic Women of Mercer County

Disqualified

 * Mel Marin
 * George Schroeck, attorney

Declined

 * Kathy Dahlkemper, former U.S. Representative
 * Ron DiNicola, attorney, Marine Corps veteran and nominee for Pennsylvania's 21st congressional district in 1996
 * Joe Sinnott, mayor of Erie

District 4
Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district is located in the south-central part of the state covering all of Adams and York counties, as well as parts of Cumberland and Dauphin counties.

Republican Todd Platts, who had represented Pennsylvania's 19th congressional district since 2001 and had been expected to seek re-election in the new 4th district, did not seek re-election.

Nominee

 * Scott Perry, state representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Kevin Downs, businessman
 * Eric Martin
 * Chris Reilly, York County Commissioner
 * Sean Summers, lawyer who represented Albert Snyder in Snyder v. Phelps
 * Mark Swomley, businessman
 * Ted Waga, member of the York 912 Patriots

Declined

 * Brock McCleary, deputy political director of the National Republican Congressional Committee
 * Todd Platts, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Harry Perkinson, Texas-based defense contractor employee

Eliminated in primary

 * Ken Lee, attorney

Withdrawn

 * Matt Matsunaga, businessman

Declined

 * John Brenner, former Mayor of York
 * Eugene DePasquale, state representative (running for Auditor General)
 * Doug Hoke, York County Commissioner
 * Matt Matsunaga, former co-chair of the College Republicans at Catonsville Community College
 * Ryan Sanders, nominee for Pennsylvania's 19th congressional district in 2010

District 5
Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district is located in north central Pennsylvania. It is the largest in area, and least densely populated, of all of Pennsylvania's congressional districts. It has been represented by Republican incumbent Glenn Thompson, who was first elected in 2008.

Nominee

 * Glenn Thompson, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Charles Dumas, professor at Penn State University

District 6
Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district is located in southeastern part of the state with a combination some of very affluent suburban areas of Philadelphia and sparsely populated rural areas. It has been represented by Republican Jim Gerlach since 2003, and he ran for re-election.

Nominee

 * Jim Gerlach, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Manan Trivedi, physician, Iraq War veteran, and nominee for this seat in 2010

Declined

 * Doug Pike, candidate for this seat in 2010

District 7
The 7th district incorporates parts of the Philadelphia suburbs, including most of Delaware County along with portions of Chester County, Montgomery County, Berks County, and Lancaster County. It has been represented by Republican Pat Meehan since January 2011. He ran for re-election.

Nominee

 * Pat Meehan, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * George Badey III, attorney

Declined

 * Joe Sestak, former U.S. Representative and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2010
 * Jack Stollsteimer, former Safe Schools Advocate

District 8
Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district is located in Bucks County, along with portions of Montgomery County. It 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.

Nominee

 * Mike Fitzpatrick, incumbent U.S. Representative

Declined

 * Jennifer Stefano, activist

Nominee

 * Kathy Boockvar, attorney and nominee for Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania in 2011

Declined

 * Det Asinn, Doylestown Borough Council President
 * Diane Marseglia, Bucks County Commissioner
 * Cynthia Philo, Doylestown Township Supervisor

District 9
Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district is located in the South Western part of the state. Redistricting added majority-Democratic Fayette County as well as some of the Democratic portions of Washington, Greene, Cambria and Westmoreland counties. It has been represented by Republican Bill Shuster since 2001. He ran for re-election.

Nominee

 * Bill Shuster, incumbent U.S. Representative

Disqualified

 * Travis Schooley, businessman

Democratic primary
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. She was successful, receiving enough write-in votes to receive the Democratic nomination.

Nominee

 * Karen Ramsburg, nurse

District 10
Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district is located in the central and northeast regions of the state. It has been represented by Republican Tom Marino since January 2011. He ran for re-election.

Nominee

 * Tom Marino, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Philip Scollo, businessman

Declined

 * Chris Carney, former U.S. Representative

District 11
Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district stretches from the Poconos all the way to the suburbs of Harrisburg. It has been represented by Republican Lou Barletta since January 2011.

Nominee

 * Lou Barletta, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Gene Stilp, activist, candidate for lieutenant governor in 2006, and candidate for state representative in 2010

Eliminated in primary

 * William Vinsko, lawyer and assistant Wilkes-Barre city attorney

Declined

 * Chris Doherty, mayor of Scranton
 * Paul Kanjorski, former U.S. Representative
 * Michael Lombardo, former mayor of Pittston
 * Corey O'Brien, Lackawanna County Commissioner and candidate for this seat in 2010

District 12
Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district is located in southwestern Pennsylvania, and consists of all of Beaver County, and parts of Allegheny, Cambria, Lawrence, Somerset, and Westmoreland counties. Democrats Mark Critz, who had represented Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district since 2010; and Jason Altmire, who had represented Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district since 2007, both sought re-election in the new 12th district.

Nominee

 * Mark Critz, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Jason Altmire, incumbent U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district

Nominee

 * Keith Rothfus, attorney and nominee for Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district in 2010

Declined

 * Jim Christiana, state representative
 * Mike Turzai, majority leader of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives

District 13
Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district is located in Southeastern Pennsylvania, covering eastern Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia. Democrat Allyson Schwartz, who had represented Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district since 2005, sought re-election.

Nominee

 * Allyson Schwartz, incumbent U.S. Representative

Declined

 * Nathan Kleinman, member of the Occupy Philadelphia movement and field organizer for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign

Nominee

 * Joseph Rooney, pilot and Marine Corps veteran

District 14
Pennsylvania's 14th congressional district includes the entire city of Pittsburgh and parts of surrounding suburbs. Incumbent Democrat Mike Doyle defeated challenger Janis C. Brooks in the Democratic primary. He faced Republican Hans Lessmann in the general election.

Nominee

 * Mike Doyle, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Janis C. Brooks, pastor and nonprofit founder

Nominee

 * Hans Lessmann, optometrist

District 15
The 15th district is located in eastern Pennsylvania and stretches from the suburbs east of Harrisburg to communities east of Allentown to the New Jersey border. Counties located in the district include all of Lehigh County and parts of Berks County, Dauphin County, Lebanon County, and Northampton County. It has been represented by Republican Charlie Dent since 2005. He ran for re-election.

Nominee

 * Charlie Dent, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Rick Daugherty, chair of the Lehigh County Democratic Party

Eliminated in primary

 * Jackson Eaton, Army veteran

Declined

 * John Callahan, mayor of Bethlehem and nominee for this seat in 2010

District 16
Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district is located in the southeastern part of the state, just west of Philadelphia. The district is composed of a large portion of southern Chester County, most of Lancaster County, and a sliver of Berks County, including the city of Reading. Incumbent Republican Joe Pitts, who had represented the district since 1997, faced Democrat Aryanna C. Strader. They each ran unopposed in their respective primaries.

Nominee

 * Joe Pitts, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Aryanna Strader, business owner

District 17
Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district is located in the eastern part of the state. The district encompasses Schuylkill County and portions of Carbon, Monroe, Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Northampton counties. Democrat Tim Holden, who had represented Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district since 2003, ran for re-election. 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.

Democratic primary
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.

Nominee

 * Matt Cartwright, attorney

Eliminated in primary

 * Tim Holden, incumbent U.S. Representative

Declined

 * Corey O'Brien, member of the Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners and candidate for Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district in 2010

Primary results
[[File:PA 17 2012 Primary.svg|thumb|Results by county{{legend|#7996E2|Cartwright}}

{{legend|#6674deff|60–70%}}

{{legend|#584cdeff|70–80%}}{{legend|#5fd35fff|Holden}}

{{legend|#5fd35fff|50–60%}}

{{legend|#37c837ff|60–70%}}

{{legend|#217821ff|80–90%}}]]

Nominee

 * Laureen Cummings, Tea Party activist

District 18
The 18th district is concentrated in the southern suburbs of Pittsburgh and includes parts of Greene County, Washington County, Allegheny County, and Westmoreland County. Republican Tim Murphy, who had represented the seat since 2003, sought re-election.

Nominee

 * Tim Murphy, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Evan Feinberg, former aide to U.S. Senators Tom Coburn and Rand Paul

Nominee

 * Larry Maggi, Washington County Commissioner

Declined

 * Ralph Kaiser, former state representative