NRCC MEMO: PA PRIMARY RESULTS
Driven by a diverse slate of talented challengers and battle-tested incumbents, Republicans are poised to retake a number of Pennsylvania congressional seats in 2020.
The Keystone State is critical for House Republicans to win back the majority and President Trump will serve as a major boost for Republican turnout in every one of these districts. Democrats have been plagued by poor recruiting and lackluster candidates, and their current incumbents have developed disastrous records that highlight their desire to raise taxes and support whatever socialist policy Nancy Pelosi and Washington Democrats desire.
PA-01: Brian Fitzpatrick (R) vs. Christina Finello (D)
Brian Fitzpatrick has proven himself to be the bipartisan leader he promised Pennsylvania voters he would be. Fitzpatrick was recently named the most bipartisan Member of Congress by the Lugar Center and heads into his 2020 reelection campaign with a $1.6 million cash on hand advantage.
Democrats’ complete failure on the recruitment front has damaged their ability to compete in PA-01 as their two preferred candidates dropped out, leaving them with unknown Ivyland council member Christina Finello. Finello’s lackluster biography and abysmal $82,000 cash on hand has led Democrat strategists to call PA-01 “the biggest recruiting failure in the country.”
PVI: R+1
2016 Presidential Results: Trump 47.1% – Clinton 49.1%
Ratings: Cook Political Report – Lean GOP; Inside Elections – Tilt GOP
Geography: The district includes all of Bucks County and a sliver of Montgomery County in southeastern Pennsylvania. It is entirely within the Philadelphia DMA.
PA-07: Susan Wild (D) vs. Lisa Scheller (R)
Susan Wild has spent her time in Congress being a partisan pawn of Nancy Pelosi rather than the bipartisan problem solver she promised voters she would be when she ran in 2018. Wild has gone all-in on Democrats’ socialist agenda, backing efforts to raise folks’ taxes and kick 500,000 Lehigh Valley residents off their health insurance, supporting attempts to remove President Trump from office and praising a socialist takeover of the economy.
Lisa Scheller has a powerful story about overcoming addiction to lead a successful manufacturing company in the district. Her experience creating jobs and fighting for smaller government provide a strong contrast to Wild’s left-wing policies and absolute loyalty to Nancy Pelosi’s socialist agenda.
PVI: D+1
2016 Presidential Results: Trump: 47.6% – Clinton: 48.7%
Ratings: Cook Political Report – Lean Dem; Inside Elections – Safe Dem
Geography: The district includes all of Lehigh County and Northampton County as well as parts of Monroe County. The DMA is Philadelphia 91.7% and Wilkes-Barre 8.3%.
PA-08: Matt Cartwright (D) vs. Jim Bognet (R)
Matt Cartwright continues to vote as if he represents San Francisco instead of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Cartwright has voted with Nancy Pelosi 100% of the time and continues to be a reliable supporter for the most liberal policies Democrats put forth including government-run health care that would kick millions of people off their current health insurance and impeaching President Trump. Beyond his out-of-touch voting record, Cartwright has also been plagued by an ethics investigation surrounding legislation he introduced to line the coffers of his wife’s law firm.
Jim Bognet is a former Trump Administration appointee who, unlike Matt Cartwright, will work with President Trump to deliver the solutions PA-08 voters want. With President Trump at the top of the ticket in a district he won by 10 points in 2016, Bognet is in excellent position to represent PA-08 in Congress.
PVI: R+1
2016 Presidential Results: Trump: 53.3% – Clinton: 43.7%
Ratings: Cook Political Report – Toss Up; Inside Elections – Likely Dem
Geography: The district encompasses all of Wayne, Pike, and Lackawanna counties, along with almost all of Luzerne and Monroe counties. The DMA is Wilkes-Barre 91%, New York 9%.
PA-10: Scott Perry (R) vs. Eugene DePasquale (D)
Scott Perry has established himself as a solid advocate for President Trump’s agenda and continues to put his district first. With President Trump at the top of the ticket in a district he won by nearly 10 points in 2016, Democrats’ hopes for flipping this district are nothing but a pipe dream.
Democrat Eugene DePasquale has been beset by campaign finance complaints and ethics issues surrounding his misuse of official resources in his role as Auditor General. DePasquale enters the general election badly damaged from a messy primary and has been forced to adopt left-wing policies in a solidly Republican district.
PVI: R+6
2016 Presidential Results: Trump: 52.3% – Clinton: 43.4%
Ratings: Cook Political Report – Toss Up; Inside Elections – Tilt GOP
Geography: The district encompasses all of Dauphin County as well as parts of Cumberland County and York County. The DMA is 100% Harrisburg.
PA-16: Mike Kelly (R) vs. Kristy Gnibus (D)
The DCCC’s bizarre inclusion of PA-16 on their initial target list didn’t make a whole lot of sense last year and the district has completely fallen off the radar as we head into the general election.
Mike Kelly holds a nearly 50-1 cash on hand advantage over his completely unknown primary opponent and will easily win reelection in November.
PVI: R+8
2016 Presidential Results: Trump: 57.9% – Clinton: 38.0%
Ratings: Cook Political Report – Solid GOP; Inside Elections – Safe GOP
Geography: The district includes all of Erie, Crawford, Mercer and Lawrence Counties as well as part of Butler county. The DMA is 52.3% Erie, 31.1% Pittsburgh and 16.5% Youngstown.
PA-17: Conor Lamb (D) vs. Sean Parnell (R)
Conor Lamb has shown voters he cannot be trusted. Despite his claims of bipartisanship, Lamb has been a staunch ally of Nancy Pelosi, voting with her to support illegal immigrants and impeach President Trump. Lamb has also endorsed Joe Biden and his radical plans to ban fracking which would decimate thousands of energy jobs in Western Pennsylvania.
Sean Parnell is a decorated combat veteran and best-selling author whose sterling credentials resonate in this blue-collar district that President Trump won in 2016. Parnell will be able to highlight Lamb’s liberal record in Washington while showing voters he’s the only candidate who will work with President Trump to deliver results for PA-17.
PVI: R+3
2016 Presidential Results: Trump: 49.5% – Clinton: 46.7%
Ratings: Cook Political Report – Likely Dem; Inside Elections – Likely Dem
Geography: The district encompasses all of Beaver County and most of western and northern Allegheny County, as well as a portion of southwestern Butler County. The DMA is 100% Pittsburgh