Democrats swept Pennsylvania’s four most closely watched congressional races in the 2026 midterms, defeating Republican incumbents across the eastern half of the state — delivering a major boost to their party’s effort to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
All four races trended toward Democrats over the final few weeks before the election. Political analysts pointed to President Donald Trump’s declining job approval ratings.
However, outcomes were far from certain, as final polling showed narrow gaps between candidates in each contest and as three incumbents held fundraising advantages.
Bucks County produced the most unexpected result, as five-term incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick lost to Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie in the 1st Congressional District. Fitzpatrick won reelection in 2024 by nearly 13 percentage points and built a formidable brand as a moderate Republican who often votes against Trump and his own party. Democrats sought to tie Fitzpatrick to the president, arguing that his record did not sufficiently distinguish him from an administration facing declining public approval.
Democrats expressed some of the most optimism about dislodging Scott Perry from the Cumberland County seat he has held for seven terms. That optimism proved founded. Of the four, Perry has been the president’s closest ally. In 2024, he barely fended off local TV reporter Janelle Stelson in a 10th Congressional District race decided by a 1% margin. Stelson returned this year for a rematch where she triumphed.
In Lehigh and Lackawanna counties, two first-term incumbents, U.S. Reps. Ryan Mackenzie and Rob Bresnahan Jr., lost their first reelection campaigns. Both voted heavily with the Republican Party and for Trump’s policy priorities, such as the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” and both joined “Trumpapalooza,” September’s Republican midterm convention in Dallas. At times, they also appeared to distance themselves from the president by joining Democrats, such as on the vote to extend health care subsidies.
In the 7th Congressional District, Mackenzie lost to Bob Brooks, a veteran Bethlehem firefighter and union leader who never before held elected office. Brooks ran on a platform emphasizing wages, health care and the cost of living. Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti beat Bresnahan in the 8th Congressional District race, which partly hinged on controversial stock trades he made while in office.
More than $90 million was spent on the four races through October, according to data compiled by AdImpact, a firm that tracks political and other advertising. That number will likely increase significantly after the election, when final campaign finance reports are released.
Read more from our partners at WHYY.