In a significant political shift in eastern Pennsylvania, Republicans successfully ousted two long-serving Democratic representatives in the U.S. House elections, while U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, noted for his far-right stance, managed to retain his seat amidst a more moderate political landscape in southern Pennsylvania.
The defeats of Matt Cartwright, who was serving his sixth term, and Susan Wild, a three-term representative, come at a critical time for the Republican party, as they strive to reinforce their U.S. House majority while Democrats are attempting to mount a last line of defense against the second-term agenda of Donald Trump.
With these wins, the Republicans have regained control of the majority of Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation, a position they lost following a series of defeats in 2018. In the race for Cartwright’s seat in the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre area, first-time candidate Rob Bresnahan, a developer with a family construction business, secured victory. Meanwhile, Ryan Mackenzie, who serves in the state House of Representatives, triumphed over Wild in the Allentown district.
Both districts have traditionally leaned Democratic in voter registration; however, the GOP has strategically invested heavily in challenger campaigns against Cartwright and Wild for years, aiming for this outcome. Cartwright stood out as one of just five Democrats nationwide to seek reelection in districts that Trump had won in the 2020 elections, reflecting the region’s growing alignment with Trump’s political views since his initial presidential run in 2016.
In Perry’s race, the incumbent faced Democrat Janelle Stelson, a new candidate and former local TV news anchor who switched from Republican to Democrat. Although Perry once chaired the Freedom Caucus—a group known for its rigid conservative stance—his political views do not always correspond with the more moderate sentiments of the Harrisburg and York district he represents, which holds a slight Republican registration advantage.
Notably, Perry is recognized for having his cellphone confiscated by FBI agents as part of their investigation into the network of Trump supporters who were key players in attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results; however, he has yet to face any formal charges.
Across the state, 14 other incumbents successfully secured reelection. Among those reelected were Democrats Brendan Boyle and Dwight Evans representing Philadelphia, along with Mary Gay Scanlon, Madeleine Dean, and Chrissy Houlahan from suburban Philadelphia, as well as Summer Lee and Chris Deluzio from the Pittsburgh region. On the Republican side, incumbents such as Guy Reschenthaler, Mike Kelly, Glenn Thompson, and John Joyce from western Pennsylvania also maintained their positions, along with Dan Meuser, Lloyd Smucker, and Bryan Fitzpatrick from the eastern part of the state.