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.
Results of the 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania by district:
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 had been represented by Democrat Bob Brady since 1998.
Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district includes predominantly African American sections of the city of PhiladelphiaâÂÂWest Philadelphia, North Philadelphia, and Northwest PhiladelphiaâÂÂin addition to parts of South Philadelphia, Center City, and western suburbs such as Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County. It had been represented by Democrat Chaka Fattah since 1995.
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 had been represented by Republican Mike Kelly since January 2011. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
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.
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 had been represented by Republican incumbent Glenn Thompson, who was first elected in 2008.
Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district is located in the southeastern part of the state, with a combination of some very affluent suburban areas of Philadelphia and sparsely populated rural areas. It had been represented by Republican Jim Gerlach since 2003, and he ran for re-election.
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 had been represented by Republican Pat Meehan since January 2011. He ran for re-election.
Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district is located in Bucks County, along with portions of Montgomery County. It had 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.
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 had been represented by Republican Bill Shuster since 2001. He ran for re-election.
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.
Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district is located in the central and northeast regions of the state. It had been represented by Republican Tom Marino since January 2011. He ran for re-election.
Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district stretches from the Poconos all the way to the suburbs of Harrisburg. It had been represented by Republican Lou Barletta since January 2011.
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.
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.
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.
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 had been represented by Republican Charlie Dent since 2005. He ran for re-election.
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.
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.
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, 57âÂÂ43. 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.
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.