Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district

Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District was substantially redrawn in 2002. Its strange shape brought charges of gerrymandering by Democrats who argued it "looms like a dragon descending on Philadelphia from the west, splitting up towns and communities throughout Montgomery and Berks Counties."^[1] The combination of very affluent suburban areas of Philadelphia and sparsely populated rural areas was possibly designed to capture Republican voters, but changes in voting patterns in southeastern Pennsylvania has made the District much more competitive. The District has a Cook Partisan Voting Index score of D+4.

Elections

The current Representative from the District is attorney Jim Gerlach, a Republican. He has served as the District's Representative since 2003. In 2004 and 2006, Gerlach won re-election against fellow attorney and now Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Judge Lois Murphy. In 2008, he successfully ran for re-election against businessman and veteran Bob Roggio. In the 2010 2010 General Election, Gerlach defeated physician and Iraq War veteran Manan Trivedi, the Democratic nominee.

2010 Elections

In July 2009, Rep. Jim Gerlach announced his intention to run for Governor of Pennsylvania in 2010 and not to seek re-election.^[2] Republicans initially faced a primary between Howard Cohen, Patrick Sellers, venture capitalist Steven Welch, and State Rep. Curt Schroder, with Schroder appearing to be the early front-runner.^[3] Ryan Costello, Chester County Recorder of Deeds, dropped out of the race in late 2009.^[4] In January 2010, Gerlach ended his gubernatorial campaign, and announced his intention to seek re-election to the House of Representatives. Schroder, Cohen and, Welch subsequently ended their campaigns, resulting in Gerlach facing only one primary challenger: Sellers.^[5] On May 18, 2010, Gerlach defeated Sellers and became the Republican nominee for the General Election.

Due to Rep. Gerlach's early decision to retire and seek the Office of Governor, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee subsequently cited the District in a Memo as a Targeted District in the 2010 Election. In a therefore heated Democratic Primary race, journalist Doug Pike ran against physician and Iraq War veteran Manan Trivedi; and, on May 19, 2010, Pike conceded victory in the Primary to Trivedi.^[6]

Geography

The district includes parts of Montgomery County, Chester County, Berks County and Lehigh County. The largest cities in the district are Reading and Norristown.

The following communities are all or partly in the sixth district:

Berks County

Cities: Reading: Wards: 1, 3 (Division 2), 9 (Division 5) Wards: 13 (Division 4 and 5), 14 (Divisions 1,5 and 6) Wards: 16 – 18, and 19 (Division 1)

Townships: Amity, Brecknock, Caernarvon, Colebrookdale, Cumru, District, Douglass, Earl District 2, Exeter, Hereford District 1, Longswamp, Lower Alsace, Maxatawny, Muhlenberg Districts 1 and 4, Robeson, South Heidelberg Precinct 2, Spring District 1, Union and Washington

Boroughs: Adamstown, Bally, Bechtelsville, Birdsboro, Boyertown, Kenhorst, Kutztown, Mohnton, Mount Penn, New Morgan, Shillington, Sinking Spring, St. Lawrence, Topton, West Lawn, West Reading, Womelsdorf, Wyomissing, and Wyomissing Hills

Chester County

Cities: Coatesville

Townships: Caln, Charlestown, East Bradford Districts North and South (Division 2), East Brandywine, East Caln, East Coventry, East Nantmeal, East Pikeland, East Vincent, East Whiteland, Easttown, Honey Brook, North Coventry, Pocopson, Sadsbury, Schuylkill, South Coventry, Tredyffrin, Upper Uwchlan, Uwchlan, Valley, Wallace, Warwick, West Bradford, West Brandywine, West Caln, West Nantmeal, West Pikeland, West Sadsbury, West Vincent and West Whiteland

Boroughs: Atglen, Downingtown, Elverson, Honey Brook, Modena, Phoenixville Wards East (Divisions 2 and 3), Middle, North and West, South Coatesville and Spring City

Lehigh County

Townships: Upper Macungie District 3

Montgomery County

Townships: East Norriton, Limerick, Lower Merion, Perkiomen, Plymouth Districts 1, 3 (Precinct 2), and 4, Skippack. Whitemarsh Districts W1 and W2, Whitpain District 8 and Worcester.

Boroughs: Collegeville, Conshohocken District 1, Narberth, Norristown, Pottstown and Trappe

List of representatives

1791-1793: One seat

District created in 1791 from Pennsylvania's At-large congressional district

District redistricted in 1793 to Pennsylvania's At-large congressional district

1795-1813: One seat

District created in 1795 from Pennsylvania's At-large congressional district

1813-1823: Two seats

Seat A

Seat B

1823 – present: One seat

References

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present