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Pa. election 2026: Your complete guide to this year’s congressional races

by Ethan Young for Spotlight PA |

Close-up of the U.S. Capitol dome and an ornate portico illuminated by warm sunlight against a blue sky.
The Capitol building in Washington, D.C.
Thomas Hatzenbuhler / Architect of the Capitol

HARRISBURG — As voters look to the high-stakes 2026 midterm elections in November, a handful of races in Pennsylvania could help decide which party controls the U.S. House for the next two years.

Pennsylvania is currently represented by 10 Republican and seven Democratic U.S. representatives. Three of Pennsylvania’s 17 congressional districts are listed as toss-ups by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.

Ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3, continue reading to learn more about who is running in each district and the key issues in the three most competitive races. Not sure which district you live in? Use this tool.

District 1

Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District encompasses Bucks County and parts of Montgomery County. The district, which has a narrow Republican voter advantage, voted for Kamala Harris in 2024. The Cook Political Report lists the race as “Likely Republican.”

Democratic candidate: Bob Harvie

Harvie is a lifelong Bucks County resident who has served on the Board of Commissioners since 2020, including stints as its chair and vice chair. Previously, he was a member of the Falls Township Board of Supervisors. Harvie taught social studies and chaired the same subject’s department at Bucks County Technical High School for 20 years. He is a graduate of George Washington University and Holy Family University.

Republican candidate: Brian Fitzpatrick, incumbent

Fitzpatrick, a native of southeast Pennsylvania, was first elected to the U.S. House in 2016. A graduate of La Salle University, Penn State University, and Penn State Dickinson Law, Fitzpatrick was a federal prosecutor and FBI special agent before serving in Congress. A moderate Republican, Fitzpatrick has often tried to distance himself from the policy positions and actions of President Donald Trump.

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District 2

The 2nd Congressional District covers Northeast Philadelphia. Voters in the district are overwhelmingly registered with the Democratic Party.

Democratic candidate: Brendan Boyle, incumbent

Boyle has held his seat in Congress since 2016. A Philadelphia native and former member of the Pennsylvania House, Boyle graduated from the University of Notre Dame and Harvard University. He is the ranking member of the House Budget Committee. Boyle has teased a possible run for a U.S. Senate seat in 2028.

Republican candidate: Jessica Arriaga

Raised in North Philadelphia, Arriaga has worked as an operating room technician. She graduated from Olney High School and serves as a Republican ward leader. Arriaga’s website says her focus is “safer neighborhoods, lower costs, and real paths to opportunity.”

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District 3

Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District includes parts of Philadelphia and is ranked by Cook Political Report as the most Democratic in the nation. Last June, Democratic incumbent Dwight Evans announced he would not seek reelection.

Democratic candidate: Chris Rabb

Rabb has represented parts of Northwest Philadelphia in the Pennsylvania House since 2016. A member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Rabb received 44% of the vote in a closely watched primary race. Since winning the primary, Rabb has campaigned for other progressive candidates across the country. He attended Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Independent candidate: Dennis Mahoney

A resident of South Philadelphia, Mahoney is challenging Rabb as an independent. He previously worked at the Christian humanitarian aid organization Food for the Hungry and has served as a University of Pennsylvania Fels Institute of Government fellow. Mahoney graduated from the University of Vermont and the University of Pennsylvania.

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District 4

Covering parts of Berks and Montgomery Counties, Pennsylvania’s 4th Congressional District is not considered competitive. Madeleine Dean, the Democratic incumbent, received nearly 60% of the vote in 2024.

Democratic candidate: Madeleine Dean, incumbent

Dean, a Glenside native, was elected to Congress in 2018. She serves on the House Appropriations and Foreign Affairs committees and received degrees from La Salle University and Widener University Delaware Law School. Before being elected to the Pennsylvania House in 2012, Dean was an Abington Township commissioner. She also practiced law and was an English professor at her alma mater.

Republican candidate: Aurora Stuski

Stuski is a resident of West Norriton Township and the owner of an insurance and estate appraisal company in King of Prussia. A graduate of Arcadia University, Stuski also chairs the West Norriton Republican Committee. Stuski’s campaign website says she “believes in limited government, personal responsibility, and putting the residents of PA’s 4th Congressional District first.”

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District 5

Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District encompasses Delaware County and includes parts of Chester and Montgomery Counties, as well as a portion of South Philadelphia. The Democratic incumbent, Mary Gay Scanlon, won 65% of the vote in her most recent election. The race is not considered competitive.

Democratic candidate: Mary Gay Scanlon, incumbent

Sent to Congress via a special election in 2018, Scanlon lives in Swarthmore. She is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the Committee on Rules. Before she was elected to the House, Scanlon was an attorney at the Education Law Center and the president of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School Board. She graduated from Colgate University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Republican candidate: Nick Manganaro

Manganaro was raised in Southeast Pennsylvania and graduated from Reed College before attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for business school. He worked as a Wall Street bond trader and later a risk manager at the asset management giant BlackRock.

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District 6

Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District reliably votes blue and includes most of Chester County and parts of Berks County. Cook Political Report rates the district “Solid Democrat.”

Democratic candidate: Chrissy Houlahan, incumbent

Houlahan is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She is the first woman to represent the 6th Congressional District, a seat she has held since 2019. An Air Force veteran and Stanford graduate, Houlahan founded the House BIOTech Caucus in 2025.

Republican candidate: Marty Young

A West Chester resident, Young graduated from West Point Academy and served as an infantry officer in the Army. Following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, he returned to the Army as a chaplain. Young also has experience in corporate restructuring and lists his top issues as affordability, public safety, and healthcare.

District 7 (toss-up)

Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District has flipped between Democratic and Republican representation in Congress for years. The district includes Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties alongside a portion of Monroe County. Cook Political Report rates the district a “toss-up.”

Democratic candidate: Bob Brooks

Brooks is the president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association and a veteran of the City of Bethlehem Fire Department. He also runs Brooks Lawn Care, which he founded in 2013. Brooks is running on a platform that includes Medicare for All, increasing funding for public schools and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and raising the minimum wage.

Republican candidate: Ryan Mackenzie, incumbent

Elected to Congress in 2024, Mackenzie sits on the House Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security, and Education and the Workforce Committees. A Lehigh Valley native, Mackenzie was a state representative for 12 years before his election to the U.S. House. He attended New York University and Harvard Business School. “My plan is simple: focus on core issues that affect all of us and find common-ground, common-sense solutions to address them,” Mackenzie’s website reads.

Key issues: Affordability and the cost of living have emerged as key issues for both candidates. Mackenzie has accused Brooks and other Democrats of seeking to repeal tax cuts passed by President Donald Trump. He also pointed to a recently settled lawsuit between Brooks and his mother-in-law as an example of “what crazy looks like.”

Brooks has centered his campaign around economic policies, calling for an end to corporate PAC money in elections and for increased taxation on the wealthiest Americans.

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District 8 (toss-up)

Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District includes Lackawanna, Pike, and Wayne Counties and parts of Luzerne and Monroe Counties. The purple district voted for President Donald Trump in 2020 and 2024 and is classified as a “toss-up” by Cook Political Report.

Democratic candidate: Paige Cognetti

Cognetti is the mayor of Scranton. After the city's then-leader resigned in 2019, Cognetti successfully ran for the position as an independent. Two years later, she ran for reelection as a Democrat. Before her mayoral run, Cognetti served as a special assistant to the Pennsylvania auditor general and as a member of the Scranton School Board. She has degrees from the University of Oregon and Harvard University.

Republican candidate: Rob Bresnahan, incumbent

A native of Dallas Township, Bresnahan was sworn in to Congress in 2025 after defeating Democratic incumbent Matt Cartwright in the 2024 election. He’s a member of the House Agriculture, Small Business, and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees. The former chief executive officer of a construction company in Luzerne County, Bresnahan studied business administration at the University of Scranton. He also founded RPB Ventures, a property rehabilitation firm.

Key issues: Cognetti and Bresnahan have sparred over data center development. The 8th Congressional District includes the borough of Archbald, which has a high rate of data center proposals. Cognetti has called for eliminating the sales and use tax exemption afforded to data center developers. Last week, Bresnahan introduced the “Local Control Protection Act,” which he says will help protect local communities that don’t want development.

While Bresnahan and Cognettii differ on tariffs and the ongoing war in Iran, which have contributed to increases in gas and grocery prices, they both support tax breaks, healthcare reform, and reining in rising utility prices. Employment is the economic issue both candidates agree on most, supporting apprenticeships and technical training, as well as pro-union policies.

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District 9

Pennsylvania’s 9th Congressional District contains Bradford, Columbia, Lebanon, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Wyoming Counties and parts of Berks, Luzerne, and Lycoming Counties. There are roughly 150,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats in the district, which is not considered competitive.

Democratic candidate: Rachel Wallace

A Pottsville native, Wallace has spent her career in the public sector, including stints working for U.S. Rep. Tim Holden and at the State Department. She served as chief of staff in the Office of Management and Budget under President Joe Biden. Wallace lives in Schuylkill County and attended George Washington University.

Republican candidate: Dan Meuser, incumbent

Currently serving his fourth term in Congress, Meuser sits on the House Financial Services and Small Business Committees. A former Pennsylvania revenue secretary and businessman, Meuser graduated from Cornell University.

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District 10 (toss-up)

Rated a “toss-up” by Cook Political Report, Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District includes all of Dauphin County and parts of Cumberland and York Counties. Republicans outnumber Democrats in the district by about 30,000 registered voters, but Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, won the area in 2022. The race is a rematch from the 2024 election, when incumbent Scott Perry beat Janelle Stelson by roughly 5,000 votes.

Democratic candidate: Janelle Stelson

Before declaring her congressional candidacy in 2024, Stelson worked as a longtime television news anchor at the Lancaster-based station WGAL. Stelson was a registered Republican until 2023 and attended the University of Puget Sound.

Republican candidate: Scott Perry, incumbent

First elected to the House in 2012, Perry serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure, Foreign Affairs, and Oversight and Government Reform Committees, as well as the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He is also a member and former chair of the Freedom Caucus, an ultra-conservative bloc of House Republicans. A graduate of Penn State University, Perry was a member of the Army National Guard.

Key issues: If elected, Stelson said she would work to repeal the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. Perry has said Americans should “be patient” to see the long-term benefits of those policies play out.

Perry voted against extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, while Stelson has said she would like to make the tax credits permanent.

The candidates also have differing positions on abortion. Perry says he “opposes late-term and partial birth abortion,” while Stelson has said she would back efforts to reinstate a federal right to abortion access.

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District 11

Pennsylvania’s 11th Congressional District includes all of Lancaster County and part of York County. The district is not considered competitive and has a significant Republican voter advantage.

Democratic candidate: Nancy Mannion

Mannion is a former emergency room nurse and healthcare consultant. She attended St. Mary's Hospital School of Nursing, Salem State University, the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and Waynesburg University. Mannion is from Manheim Township in Lancaster County.

Republican candidate: Lloyd Smucker, incumbent

Smucker, who has represented Pennsylvania’s 11th Congressional District since 2017, sits on the House Ways and Means and the Budget Committees. Prior to his election to the House, Smucker was a state representative and owner of the Smucker Company. Smucker attended Franklin & Marshall College.

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District 12

The 12th Congressional District includes most of Allegheny County and parts of Westmoreland County. Both candidates were also on the ballot during the 2024 election when Summer Lee received 56% of the vote. This year’s race is classified by Cook Political Report as “Solid Democrat.”

Democratic candidate: Summer Lee, incumbent

A native of the Mon Valley Region, Lee has served in the House since 2023. She sits on the House Judiciary and Education and the Workforce Committees and is an executive board member for the House Progressive Caucus. Lee was a member of the Pennsylvania House before her election to Congress and attended Penn State University and Howard University Law School.

Republican candidate: James Hayes

Hayes, a businessman, previously worked at the Richmond Federal Reserve. He attended Georgetown University, Princeton University, the University of Chicago’s business school, and Case Western Reserve University.

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District 13

Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District includes Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin, and Perry Counties, plus parts of Cumberland and Somerset Counties. In the district, registered Republican voters greatly outnumber Democrats. The race is a rematch from 2024, when John Joyce won nearly 75% of the vote.

Democratic candidate: Beth Farnham

Farnham is a resident of Adams County and served on the board of the Conewago Valley School District. The campaign priorities listed on her website include reproductive freedom, affordability, gun safety, and education.

Republican candidate: John Joyce, incumbent

Joyce was elected to Congress in 2018 and is a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. He is from Blair County and co-chairs the House GOP Doctor’s Caucus.

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District 14

Pennsylvania’s 14th Congressional District includes Fayette, Greene, and Washington Counties, and parts of Indiana, Westmoreland, and Somerset Counties. The district is a Republican stronghold, and the race isn't considered competitive.

Democratic candidate: Alan Bradstock

Bradstock is an Army veteran who was deployed during Operation Desert Storm. He was also a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and an auditor for the professional services firm KPMG. Bradstock was raised in Washington County and attended Washington & Jefferson College.

Republican candidate: Guy Reschenthaler, incumbent

Reschenthaler, a native of Western Pennsylvania, was elected to Congress in 2018. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and co-chairs the Appalachian Caucus. Reschenthaler attended Penn State University Behrend and Duquesne University’s law school, and is a Navy veteran.

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District 15

Pennsylvania’s largest congressional district by land mass, the 15th includes Armstrong, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, Snyder, Tioga, Union, and Warren Counties, and part of Indiana, Lycoming, and Venango Counties. The district is also a Republican stronghold.

Democratic candidate: Ray Bilger

Raised in Centre County, Bilger served more than 35 years in the Air Force, including during the Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations. He attended Penn State University and lists “tackling the hard problems that face rural Pennsylvania” as a key priority for his campaign.

Republican candidate: Glenn “GT” Thompson

Thompson was first elected to the House in 2008, making him Pennsylvania's longest-serving congressional representative. He has chaired the House Agriculture Committee since 2023 and sits on the Education & Workforce Committee. Thompson is a graduate of Penn State University and Temple University.

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District 16

Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District contains Butler, Crawford, Erie, Lawrence, and Mercer Counties, and parts of Venango County. The district is not considered competitive and boasts a significant Republican voter advantage.

Democratic candidate: Justin Wagner

A native of Mercer County, Wagner is an automation engineer. He attended ITT Technical Institute before serving in the Army, where he was deployed in Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom. “I am running for Congress to make our communities safer, stronger, and more self-reliant,” Wagner’s website reads.

Republican candidate: Mike Kelly, incumbent

Kelly, who has served in Congress since 2011, sits on the House Ways and Means Committee. He was a member of Butler City Council before running for his House seat. He was raised in Butler County and is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he played football.

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District 17

Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District includes all of Beaver County and parts of Allegheny County. The district is not considered competitive and is rated by Cook Political Report as “Solid Democrat.”

Democratic candidate: Chris Deluzio, incumbent

A graduate of the United States Naval Academy and Georgetown University, Deluzio is an Iraq War veteran. He was elected to Congress in 2022 and sits on the Transportation and Infrastructure and Armed Services Committees. Prior to his career in politics, Deluzio worked at the Brennan Center for Justice and at the University of Pittsburgh’s cyber center.

Republican candidate: Tony Guy

Guy is the elected sheriff of Beaver County, a position he has held since 2016. Prior to that role, Guy was a Pennsylvania State Police sergeant and a private sector security officer. He resides in Hopewell Township.

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