2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania

The 2008 congressional elections in Pennsylvania was held on November 4, 2008, to determine who will represent the state of Pennsylvania in the United States House of Representatives. Pennsylvania has 19 seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th Congress from January 4, 2009, until January 3, 2011. The election coincides with the 2008 U.S. presidential election.

District 3 was the only seat which changed party (from Republican to Democratic), although CQ Politics had forecasted districts 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 15 and 18 to be at some risk for the incumbent party. This was the last time the Democrats would win a majority of congressional districts in Pennsylvania until 2022.

Match-up summary DistrictDemocraticRepublicanOthersTotalResult Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % 242,799 90.76% 24,714 9.24% 0 0.00% 267,513 100.00% Democratic hold 276,870 88.93% 34,466 11.07% 0 0.00% 311,336 100.00% Democratic hold 146,846 51.24% 139,757 48.76% 0 0.00% 286,603 100.00% Democratic gain 186,536 55.86% 147,411 44.14% 0 0.00% 333,947 100.00% Democratic hold 112,509 41.04% 155,513 56.72% 6,155 2.24% 274,177 100.00% Republican hold 164,952 47.90% 179,423 52.10% 0 0.00% 344,375 100.00% Republican hold 209,955 59.59% 142,362 40.41% 0 0.00% 352,317 100.00% Democratic hold 197,869 56.77% 145,103 41.63% 5,543 1.59% 348,515 100.00% Democratic hold 98,735 36.08% 174,951 63.92% 0 0.00% 273,686 100.00% Republican hold 160,837 56.33% 124,681 43.67% 0 0.00% 285,518 100.00% Democratic hold 146,379 51.63% 137,151 48.37% 0 0.00% 283,530 100.00% Democratic hold 155,268 57.85% 113,120 42.15% 0 0.00% 268,388 100.00% Democratic hold 196,868 62.79% 108,271 34.53% 8,374 2.67% 313,513 100.00% Democratic hold 242,326 91.26% 0 0.00% 23,214 8.74% 265,540 100.00% Democratic hold 128,333 41.43% 181,433 58.57% 0 0.00% 309,766 100.00% Republican hold 120,193 39.39% 170,329 55.82% 14,645 4.80% 305,167 100.00% Republican hold 192,699 63.68% 109,909 36.32% 0 0.00% 302,608 100.00% Democratic hold 119,661 35.93% 213,349 64.07% 0 0.00% 333,010 100.00% Republican hold 109,533 33.35% 218,862 66.65% 0 0.00% 328,395 100.00% Republican holdTotal 3,209,168 55.45% 2,520,805 43.55% 57,931 1.00% 5,787,904 100.00%

District 1

Five-term incumbent Bob Brady (D) ran for another term after losing his bid to be mayor of Philadelphia. He was challenged by businessman Mike Muhammad (R). This race was viewed as noncompetitive, as it took place in heavily Democratic Philadelphia. Brady ran unopposed in 2006 and has generally received over 80% of the vote in his campaigns.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Bob Brady, incumbent U.S. Representative

Primary results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Mike Muhammad, businessman

Primary results

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2008 Rothenberg November 2, 2008 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2008 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2008 CQ Politics November 6, 2008

General election

Race ranking and details from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets

District 2

Seven term incumbent Chaka Fattah (D), who was unsuccessful in his bid to be mayor of Philadelphia, ran without major party opposition. Liberal Republican law professor Michael Livingston won the Republican primary, but dropped out of the race due to lack of funding. He was replaced by Adam Lang. This seat is contained in one of the most Democratic districts in the country, with Democrats often winning 90% of the vote. In 2006, Fattah was elected with 88.6% support and in 2008 he won with 88.9% of the vote.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Chaka Fattah, incumbent U.S. Representative

Primary results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Michael Livingston, law professor

Primary results

General election

Race ranking and details from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets

District 3

Seven-term Republican incumbent Phil English faced Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper (campaign website), director of the Erie Arboretum. Steven Porter, the 2006 Democratic nominee, ran as an independent.

English was tested in 2008. He represented a politically balanced Erie-based district that gave George W. Bush 53% of the vote. Also, in 2006, he received just 54% of the vote against an under-funded candidate with no political experience. He has, however, been able to remain a level of popularity due to a moderate voting record and close ties to organized labor.

The DCCC recruited Erie County Councilman Kyle Foust as its top choice to run against English. Dahlkemper, attorney Tom Meyers, and religious nonprofit program coordinator Mike Waltner also declared for the Democratic primary. Dahlkemper proved better at mobilizing support than Foust, the original front-runner, and won the Democratic nomination with 45% of the vote.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Kathy Dahlkemper, director of the Erie Arboretum

Eliminated in primary Kyle Foust, Erie County Councilman Tom Myers, attorney Mike Waltner, religious nonprofit program coordinator

Primary results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Phil English, incumbent U.S. Representative

Primary results

Race ranking and details from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets English (R-i) vs Dahlkemper (D) graph of collected poll results from Pollster.com

District 4

Democratic incumbent Jason Altmire again faced Republican Melissa Hart. In 2006, Altmire defeated incumbent Hart in a 52% to 48% upset. Hart had won 63% of the vote in 2004, when George W. Bush carried this suburban Pittsburgh district with 53%. In 2006, Pennsylvania was perhaps the most disastrous state for incumbent GOP House members, who lost four seats here. Hart ran unopposed for the Republican nomination in 2008 and attempted to use her public service credentials to regain her seat. She previously gained a reputation for appealing to moderate voters despite a conservative track record. She again lost to Altmire, this time by a wider margin than two years prior, with a 56–44% vote.

Altmire maintained close ties with organized labor, possessed experience with the health care issues that are important in a region with an older population, and was supported by the NRA.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Jason Altmire, incumbent U.S. Representative

Primary results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Melissa Hart, former U.S. Representative

Primary results

General election

Race ranking and details from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets

District 5

Democrat Mark McCracken, Clearfield County commissioner is running against Republican and Centre County GOP chair Glenn "G.T." Thompson in this open seat election. James Fryman represented the Libertarian Party.

Republican John Peterson announced his intention to retire on January 3, 2007, paving the way for a contentious open seat election. Nine Republicans were in the race for the nomination. Four men emerged as top tier candidates: Thompson, hotel developer Matt Shaner, financial consultant Derek Walker, and former Woodland Township supervisor Jeff Strohmann. Also on the Republican ballot were mortgage broker John Kupa, Clarion mayor John Stroup, Elk County coroner Lou Radkowski, former Centre County commissioner Chris Exarchos, and minister Keith Richardson. Thompson won this hard-fought 9-way primary with just 19% of the vote, in large part due to the late endorsement of Peterson who got involved in the primary campaign 10 days prior to election day. Walker and Shaner proved to be superior fundraisers and aired numerous television and radio commercials to counter Peterson's endorsement of Thompson. The Republican primary included many personal attacks, with Shaner targeting Walker as being political incompetent and Walker referring to a DUI incident involving Shaner. Walker and Thompson were very close in the polls on Election Day, but Thompson received a late boost because of his political track record in Centre County, the district's population center.

McCracken, Lock Haven mayor Richard Vilello, and Bill Cahir, a journalist and Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War, battled for the Democratic nomination. McCracken won 40% in a hard-fought Democratic race that received much less attention. Despite presenting an open seat opportunity, this race was always viewed as safe for the Republicans, who have generally won over 65% in this district. Prior to 2006, Peterson had previously run in three straight elections without Democratic opposition.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Mark McCracken, Clearfield County commissioner

Eliminated in primary Bill Cahir, journalist and Iraq War veteran Richard Vilello, mayor of Lock Haven

Primary results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Glenn Thompson, Centre County Republican Party chair

Eliminated in primary Chris Exarchos, former Centre County commissioner John Krupa, mortgage broker Lou Radkowski, coroner of Elk County Keith Richardson, minister Matt Shaner, hotel developer Jeffrey Stroehmann, former Woodland Township supervisor John Stroup, mayor of Clarion Derek Walker, financial consultant

Primary results

General election

Race ranking and details from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets

District 6

Three term Republican Jim Gerlach faced Democrat Bob Roggio (campaign website), a retired businessman from Charlestown who ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination both of his opponents dropped out of the race. Gerlach has become used to winning close elections, having survived threats from governor's assistant (and son of the former US Senator) Dan Wofford and attorney Lois Murphy in 2004 and 2006 with approximately 51% each year. The district is a classic swing district that went to John Kerry with 51% in 2004. However, Roggio did not have the name recognition nor the funding that Murphy had when waging her campaign, which made his candidacy more difficult than past challengers.

However, due to the tough environment in 2008 for Republicans, and the fact that Democrats outnumber Republicans this year for the first time in this district, the race was close. In addition, Gerlach has had some trouble shaking a connection to ousted Republican leader Tom Delay, who provided contributions to Gerlach through his PAC. However, Gerlach has a relatively moderate voting record and is seen as a tough campaigner who is knowledgeable in the suburban issues that are important in his district.

Democratic primary Nominee Bob Roggio, retired businessman

Primary results

Republican primary Nominee Jim Gerlach, incumbent U.S. Representative

Primary results

General election

Race ranking and details from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets Gerlach (R-i) vs Roggio (D) graph of collected poll results from Pollster.com

District 7

2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania

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