The 2010 congressional elections in Pennsylvania was held on November 2, 2010. Pennsylvania has nineteen seats in the United States House of Representatives. The election was held on the same day as many other PA elections, and the same day as House of Representatives elections in other states. Party primary elections were held May 18, 2010.
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Democratic incumbent Bob Brady is the only member of the Pennsylvania delegation who will run unopposed in 2010.
Brady, a long time central figure in the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, has never received less than 74% in a general election, and opponents have had difficult recruiting even moderately electable candidates in this majority-minority district that includes South Philadelphia and some working class suburbs in Delaware County. No Republican has represented this district since 1949. In 2008, he earned 91% of the vote against Mike Muhammad, a teacher who raised no outside funds. Respected for his ability to reach politics deals behind the scenes, Brady has garnered an image as an effective politician, and thus has been rarely challenged by other Democrats. In 2010, Pia Varma, a young freelance writer for conservative publications attempted to gain the Republican nomination, but failed to produce enough signatures to appear on the ballot.
Democratic incumbent Chaka Fattah is running for re-election. He will face Republican Rick Hellberg (campaign website, PVS), the CEO of a small financial firm. In 2008, Obama carried this district with 90% of the vote.
Fattah represents one of the top five most Democratic districts in the country, and has never received less than 79% of the vote in his over fifteen year House career. The district includes North Philadelphia and several traditionally liberal suburbs in Montgomery County. Fattah has had the consistent support of the African American community that is the base of a district that hasn't swung Republican since the 1946 elections. Despite this huge Democratic advantage, the district has small pockets of solid Republican territory, and thus Fattah has continuously received GOP opponents (although ones who were unable to raise all more than a few thousand dollars in fundraising), unlike his counterpart in the 1st District. In 2008, Fattah defeated engineer Adam Lang with 81% of the vote. He is expected to win by a similar margin against Hellberg.
Democratic incumbent Kathy Dahlkemper is running for re-election. She will face Republican businessman Mike Kelly (campaign site, PVS, WhoRunsGov). In 2008, McCain carried this district with 49% of the vote.
Dahlkemper will face a difficult reelection bid, in a race that is considered to be a tossup by most political analysts. Dahlkemper has become used to tight campaigns in her short political career. A political unknown prior to her 2008 campaign, Dahlkemper leveraged a moderate, blue collar image that enticed Democratic voters in a district this is generally pro-union, with a center-right tilt on social issues. Dahlkemper, the owner of a large landscaping business and manager of an Erie County arboretum, came from behind to defeat Erie County Concilman Kyle Foust, the endorsed Democratic candidate. She then went on to narrowly unseat (with 52% of the vote) Congressman Phil English, a moderate Republican who had maintained good relations with labor, by attacking his ties to the Bush administration and for failing to follow through on a promise to retire after six terms. During her first term, Dahlkemper has served as a member of the Blue Dog Coalition of conservative Democrats, which has allowed her to keep a middle ground image. However, her vote in favor of healthcare legislation and the lack of an entrenched image in certain corners of the district leaves her vulnerable.
In 2010, Dahlkemper faced a primary challenge from former foreign affairs official Mel Marin, winning with 73% of the vote. Republicans focused heavily on regaining the seat, and six GOP candidates earned spots on the ballot: automobile dealer Mike Kelly, manufacturing executive Paul Huber, phamacetical representative Clayton Grabb, physician Steve Fisher, factory foreman Ed Franz, and accountant Martha Moore. Kelly and Huber far outraised the remaining four challengers, and they became entangled in an expensive campaign. Kelly was eventually victorious, winning 28% of the vote to Huber's 27% in the factious affair.
Kelly, who has political experience as a former member of the Butler City Council, has a base of support in the heavily Republican Butler County, while Dahlkemper is well known in Erie, the center of population for the district. Other small cities in the district, such as Sharon and Meadville are swing regions, with a slightly conservative tilt that balances out strongly Democratic Erie. John McCain carried the 3rd District by a 49%-48% margin, which reflects the political balance of the area.
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Kathy Dahlkemper (D) | Mike Kelly (R) | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Hill/ANG Alliance | September 25–27, 2010 | 401 | ± 4.9% | 36% | 49% | 15% |
| Franklin-Marshall | September 14–19, 2010 | 482 | ± 4.5% | 38% | 44% | 18% |
| The Polling Company | July 29-August 1, 2010 | 314 | ± 5.5% | 46% | 42% | 11% |
Democratic incumbent Jason Altmire is running for re-election. He will face Republican attorney Keith Rothfus (campaign website, PVS). In 2008, McCain carried this district with 55% of the vote.
Republican incumbent Glenn "G.T." Thompson is running for re-election. He will face Democrat Michael Pipe (campaign website, PVS) and Libertarian Vernon Etzel (PVS). In 2008, McCain carried this district with 55% of the vote.
Republican incumbent Jim Gerlach is running for re-election. He will face Democrat Iraq war veteran Manan Trivedi (campaign website, PVS). In 2008, Obama carried this district with 58% of the vote.
| Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district election, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | |
| Republican | Pat Meehan | 134,751 | 54.9% | |
| Democratic | Bryan Lentz | 108,197 | 44.1% | |
| Independent | Jim Schneller | 2,670 | 1.1% | |
| Totals | 245,618 | 100% | ||
| Voter turnout | % | |||
Democratic incumbent Joe Sestak retired to run for the U.S. Senate. Democratic nominee State Representative Bryan Lentz faced Republican nominee U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan and American Constitution Party (independent) nominee Jim Schneller (campaign site, PVS).
Democratic incumbent Patrick Murphy ran for re-election. He was defeated by Republican former U.S. Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick. In 2008, Obama carried this district with 54% of the vote.
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Patrick Murphy (D) | Mike Fitzpatrick (R) | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin-Marshall | September 14–19, 2010 | 464 | ± 4.6% | 35% | 49% | 15% |
| Franklin-Marshall | October 14–19, 2010 | 464 | ± 4.6% | 40% | 47% | 5% |
| Franklin-Marshall | October 24–29, 2010 | 464 | ± 4.6% | 35% | 55% | 5% |
Republican incumbent Bill Shuster ran for re-election. He faced Democrat Tom Conners (campaign website, PVS) and Independent Chad Clopper (campaign website).
Democratic incumbent Chris Carney ran for re-election, losing to Republican nominee U.S. Attorney Tom Marino. In 2008, McCain carried this district with 54% of the vote.
Democratic incumbent Paul E. Kanjorski ran for re-election and lost to Republican Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta.[1] In 2008, Obama carried this district with 57% of the vote.
Kanjorski faced Corey O'Brien and Brian Kelly in the May 2010 Democratic primary, and won with 49.3% of the primary vote.
Democrat Mark Critz won a May 2010 special election to replace John Murtha, who served the district for 36 years. He faced Republican businessman Tim Burns. In 2008, McCain carried this district with 49% of the vote.
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
John Callahan (D) | Charlie Dent (R) | Jake Towne (I) | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning Call/Muhlenberg | September 11–15, 2010 | 496 | ± 5.0% | 38% | 49% | 3% | 10% |
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