Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district is located in southwestern Pennsylvania, which includes Pittsburgh and much of Allegheny County. It has been represented since January 3, 2023 by Summer Lee.
Prior to 2018, the 12th district was located in southwestern Pennsylvania, and included all of Beaver County, and parts of Allegheny, Cambria, Lawrence, Somerset, and Westmoreland Counties. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania redrew this and other state congressional districts in February 2018 after ruling the previous map unconstitutional due to partisan gerrymandering. The new 12th district covers much of the old 10th district. The old 12th district was redrawn to an area north and west of Pittsburgh and renamed the 17th district, for the 2018 elections and representation thereafter.[2]
Located in southwestern Pennsylvania, the 12th district consisted of all of Greene County, and parts of Allegheny, Armstrong, Cambria, Fayette, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties. A thoroughly unionized district, the 12th was historically among the most Democratic areas of the state. However, the Democrats in this area were not as liberal as their counterparts in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Most were somewhat conservative on social issues, particularly abortion and gun control.
The 12th included all of Greene County, a highly rural region that still has a traditionally Democratic influence due to its labor leanings. In Washington county, the city of Washington, a large and Democratic edge suburb of Pittsburgh was a part of the 12th, as well as the eastern portion of the county. Most of the Monongahela Valley region, a very Democratic area that was once an important steel-making area, was also part of the 12th. However, more rural western Washington County and the suburban northern portion of the county (with towns like McDonald and Canonsburg) then belonged to the 18th. The western portion of Fayette County, including the city of Uniontown, a labor Democratic stronghold was part of this district, while the rural mountainous eastern portion was a part of the 9th.
The 12th district continued eastward, including southeastern and northeastern parts of Westmoreland County, including the labor Democratic city of Latrobe, while leaving the suburban western part of the county (with towns such as Murrysville) and the generally left-leaning city of Greensburg in the 18th. The major population base of the district was located just to the east, taking in most of Somerset and Cambria counties. This area, the heart of a large coal-mining region, includes the district's largest city, Johnstown. The 12th also contained a part of Indiana County, mainly the college town of Indiana.
The 12th completed its wrap around the metro Pittsburgh region by ending in the northeastern corner of the city's suburbs, containing middle class regions such as Lower Burrell and the working class suburb of New Kensington. A portion of Armstrong County was also included in the district, including several industrial suburbs such as Freeport and Apollo.
Demographics
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History
After the 2000 census, the Republican-controlled state legislature radically altered the 12th in an effort to get more Republicans elected from traditionally heavily Democratic southwestern Pennsylvania. A large chunk of the old 20th district was incorporated into the 12th. In some parts of the western portion of the district, one side of the street is in the 12th while the other side of the street is in the 18th district (the reconfigured 20th). This led to criticism that the 12th was a gerrymander intended to pack as many of southwestern Pennsylvania's heavily Democratic areas as possible into just two districts—the 12th and the Pittsburgh-based 14th.
Prior to the 2012 redistricting, the district has a Cook Partisan Voting Index score of R+1. The district is notable as the only congressional district in the nation that voted for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004 but went for RepublicanJohn McCain in 2008. This is mainly due to the fact that since 2000 Southwestern Pennsylvania has gradually become more Republican leaning.
John Murtha won the 2008 election with 58% of the vote. Murtha was a United States Marine and the first Vietnam War veteran to serve in Congress. He defeated Lt. Col. William T. Russell, an army veteran.
Pennsylvania governorEd Rendell scheduled a special election for May 18, 2010, following the death of Representative John Murtha. On March 8, 2010, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party's Executive Committee nominated Mark Critz, Murtha's former district director.[3] On March 11, a convention of Republicans from the 12th district nominated businessman Tim Burns.[4] The Libertarian Party's candidate was Demo Agoris, who ran for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 48th district as a Libertarian in 2006.
Mark Critz won the election.
2010 election
Mark Critz was re-elected in the regularly scheduled 2010 election; again beating Republican Tim Burns (this time with 51% of the vote against 49%).
2012 election
Mark Critz ran for re-election to a second full term in the 2012 election, but was defeated by Republican challenger Keith Rothfus. Critz garnered 48.5% of the vote to Rothfus' 51.5%.[5] The 12th had absorbed a large chunk of the old 4th district, including Rothfus' home, after the 2010 census, and was significantly more Republican than its predecessor.
After Tom Marino's resignation in January 2019, an election was held on May 21 to fill the open seat. Republican Fred Keller defeated 2018 Democratic nominee Mark Friedenberg.[6][7]
Donald Allen Bailey was an American lawyer and politician from Pennsylvania. He was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1983, Auditor General of Pennsylvania from 1985 to 1989, and a candidate for the Democratic nomination for United States Senate and Governor of Pennsylvania. His Congressional District (PA-21) included all of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania with a sliver of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, prior to the 1981 redistricting.
Frank Robert Mascara was an American Democratic politician from Pennsylvania who served four terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003. He was the uncle of St. Lucie County, Florida Sheriff Ken Mascara.
Pennsylvania's fourth congressional district, effective January 3, 2019, encompasses the majority of Montgomery County and a small sliver of Berks County in southeastern Pennsylvania. The district has been represented by Democrat Madeleine Dean since 2013. The fourth district was previously in the south-central part of the state, covering all of Adams and York counties, as well as parts of Cumberland and Dauphin counties, with representation by Republican Scott Perry.
Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district is located in the east central part of the state and encompasses all of Carbon County, Columbia County, Lebanon County, Montour County, and Schuylkill County, as well as parts of Berks County, Luzerne County, and Northumberland County. Much of the district includes Pennsylvania's Coal Region. Republican Dan Meuser represents the district, serving since 2019.
Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district last included the entire city of Pittsburgh and parts of surrounding suburbs. A variety of working class and majority black suburbs located to the east of the city were included, such as McKeesport and Wilkinsburg. Also a major part of the district was a number of middle class suburbs that have historic Democratic roots, such as Pleasant Hills and Penn Hills. The district was last represented by Democrat Mike Doyle, who previously served the 18th district from 1995 to 2003 before being redistricted to the 14th District until 2018. He did not seek re-election in 2022, and resigned early on December 31 that year.
Pennsylvania held various elections on November 2, 2010. These include elections for a Senate seat, a gubernatorial race, and many state legislature races.
The 2010 special election for the 12th congressional district of Pennsylvania was held on May 18, 2010 to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Democratic U.S. Representative John Murtha. Democratic nominee Mark Critz, Murtha's former district director, defeated Republican nominee Tim Burns. Both candidates were nominated at their respective primary election concurrent with the special election and faced off in the general election November 2010, with Critz again defeating Burns.
Redistricting in Pennsylvania refers to the decennial process of redrawing state legislative and federal congressional districts in Pennsylvania.
Timothy Richard Burns is an American businessman from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He ran as a Republican in the 2010 special election to represent Western Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Burns won the party nomination but lost the November general election to Democratic incumbent Mark Critz. From mid-October 2011 until ending his campaign in early February 2012, Burns was a candidate for the Republican nomination for United States Senate to challenge incumbent Senator Bob Casey, Jr. in the 2012 election.
Mark Stephen Critz is an American politician and former U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district, having served from a special election in May 2010 until January 2013. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district during his tenure, which was located in the southwestern portion of the state, stretched from Johnstown to the southern suburbs of Pittsburgh.
The 2010 congressional elections in Pennsylvania were held on November 2, 2010. Pennsylvania had 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.
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, to elect the 18 U.S. representatives from the state of Pennsylvania, a loss of one seat following the 2010 United States Census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election and an election to the U.S. Senate. Primary elections were held Tuesday, April 24.
Keith James Rothfus is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district from 2013 to 2019. He succeeded Democratic Representative Mark Critz, whom he defeated in the 2012 election. Prior to serving in Congress, he worked as an attorney. After new congressional district maps were released by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in February 2018, Rothfus became a candidate in Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district, where he was defeated for re-election by the incumbent from the 18th district, Democrat Conor Lamb.
The 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania were held on Tuesday, November 4, 2014, to elect the 18 U.S. representatives from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, one from each of the state's 18 congressional districts. The elections coincided with other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and various state and local elections, including the Governor of Pennsylvania and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania.
The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania were held on November 8, 2016, to elect the 18 U.S. representatives from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, one from each of the state's 18 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on April 26.
The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania were held on November 6, 2018, to elect the 18 U.S. representatives from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, one from each of the state's 18 congressional districts.
A special election for Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district was held on March 13, 2018, following the resignation of Republican Representative Tim Murphy. Murphy, who held the seat since January 3, 2003, declared his intent to resign on October 5, 2017, and vacated his seat on October 21 that year. Democrat Conor Lamb defeated Republican Rick Saccone 49.86% to 49.53%. Saccone conceded the race eight days after the election.
Conor James Lamb is an American attorney and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district from 2018 to 2023. The district includes most of the northwestern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously represented the neighboring 18th district in 2018. Lamb was also an unsuccessful candidate in the 2022 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania.
Summer Lynn Lee is an American politician and community organizer serving as the U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Lee served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 34th districtfrom 2019 to 2022. With the support of the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, she defeated incumbent Paul Costa in the 2018 Democratic primary election with over 67% of the vote. Lee was the first black woman to represent Southwestern Pennsylvania in the state legislature.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania were held on November 8, 2022, to elect representatives for the seventeen seats in Pennsylvania.
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