The pennsylvania delegation
congressional officials …
The Pennsylvania Congressional delegation is among the top-sized delegations in the country.
Of the 19 members in the 2022-2023 class, five are female, and 14 are male. Two are minority representation through the end of the year. Eight are lawyers, one has a medical degree, none hold doctorates, and seven members of the delegation have received master's degrees.
Penn State University has conferred six degrees - the highest received by any delegation member from within the state. The University of Pennsylvania has conferred two degrees.
Several members of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation are military members. One member is a Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor.
The average tenure for the delegation is currently almost 3.7 terms, assuming, of course, everyone completes their service by the end of 2024. The longest-serving member has been in Congress since 2006.
Three members of the Pennsylvania delegation are freshmen in the House, with one Senator serving his first term.
When you look at these profiles, we have given each a letter grade for their effort this Congress, based on various factors, which you will find in What Is Thomas Looking For? These letter grades are probably pretty familiar to you if you have ever been a school student (we hope the answer to that is we all have!)
If you see a meager score for a particular member, it will probably be due to one or two key factors: ethics challenges or anti-democratic behavior.
Republicans have been hit hard on their lack of pushback on former President Trump and their support of election denying in the 2020 presidential campaign. The unanswered soaring deficit on their watch, the dismantling of allied relationships around the globe, and opposition to funding anti-authoritarian initiatives. The denial of climate change weighs heavily on us as well. We make no secret that transparency and Government in the Sunshine are essential to us, and we further argue that some have been awful stewards of this category. For example, seven of the 19 Pennsylvania delegation members voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results on the same evening as Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol. Astonishingly, one of those votes to overturn came from a former Army Brigadier General who engaged in actively attempting to change Pennsylvania delegates, continues to be investigated, and ignored a congressional subpoena to testify in the matter.
Democrats have been hit hard for their lack of progress on critical matters because they control the United States Senate and have a razor-close margin in the U.S. House of Representatives. They have not been innovative or necessarily insistent on finding rational, reasonable solutions to the problems plaguing the American public today. We want to see more and better.
Both have been dinged for being too partisan and not collaborative where evident. In our opinion, being too doctrinaire and obstructionist to good government in the 21st century is not acceptable.
We also indicate what we believe might be the outcome of these Members’ 2024 elections today. The overwhelming majority of House members were re-elected in 2022, and one of the United States Senators is up for re-election this season.
Our prospect ratings fall into three categories:
Safe Bet - which means what it means. These members of Congress are running strong and look to be overwhelming prospects for re-election at this time. However, we reserve the right to re-categorize their chances if necessary.
It’s A Race - means this race is too close to call, and we can not reasonably predict who will win this seat.
Nudging - means the seat is leaning one way or another for this candidate. We have just a small number of current members of Congress in this category. Stay tuned!
So, would you like to meet these fascinating Pennsylvanians? If so, keep reading on!
what is thomas looking for?
There are a few potentially vulnerable races Thomas is watching in Pennsylvania for 2024:
PAS1 - Bob Casey’ seat (Incumbent D)
PA01 - Brian Fitzgerald’s seat (Incumbent R)
PA07 - Susan Wild’s seat (Incumbent D)
PA08 - Matt Cartwright’s seat (Incumbent D)
PA17 - Chris Deluzio’s seat (Incumbent D)
the senators
Credit: US Sen. Bob Casey
United States Senator bob casey, jr. (d)
The senior senator from Pennsylvania is Bob Casey, Jr., a three-term member of the Senate who is running for re-election in 2024. Senator Casey serves on the Finance Committee; the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee; the Intelligence Committee; and chairs the Select Committee on Aging. Married and the father of four, the Senator graduated from Holy Cross and earned his law degree from Catholic University. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor in 2002.
Thomas Take: Up for Re-Election in 2024 - Nudging Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: US Sen. John Fetterman
United states senator john fetterman (D)
Pennsylvania’s junior senator was elected in 2022 to his first term. A graduate of Albright College with graduate degrees from the University of Connecticut and Harvard University, Senator Fetterman is a member of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee; the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee; the Environment and Public Works Committee; the Joint Economic Committee; and the Select Committee on Aging. Married and the father of three, Fetterman was the state’s Lieutenant Governor from 2019 to 2023.
Thomas Take: Not Up For Re-Election in 2024
Thomas Rank: B
the representatives
Credit: US Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick
district 1 - u.s. rep. brian fitzpatrick (r)
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick represents Bucks County north of Philadelphia in the U.S. House where he is serving his fourth term. A graduate of La Salle University with a graduate and law degree from Penn State University, Congressman Fitzpatrick serves on the Ways and Means Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence.
Thomas Take: It’s A Race
Thomas Rank: A
district 2 - U.S. Rep. brendan boyle (D)
Congressman Brendan Doyle represents the Philadelphia area and is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a graduate and law degree from Penn State University. Married and the father of one, Congressman Boyle serves on the Ways and Means Committee and is ranking on the House Budget Committee. He is in his fifth term in Congress.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: US Rep. Brendan Boyle
Credit: U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans
District 3 - U.S. Rep. dwight evans (d)
Congressman Dwight Evans is a member of the Ways and Means Committee and the Small Business Committee. His district serves western and northwestern Philadelphia. The five-term Congressman graduated from La Salle University.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
District 4 - U.S. Rep. madeleine dean (d)
Representing Montgomery County north of Philadelphia, three-term Congresswoman Madeleine Dean is a member of the Judiciary and Foreign Affairs committees. A graduate of La Salle University with a law degree from Widener Law School, Dean is married and the mother of three.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: US Rep. Madeleine Dean
Credit: US Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon
district 5 - U.S. rep. mary gay scanlon (D)
Mary Gay Scanlon is a three-term member of the U.S. House who represents a district that comprises Delaware County and parts of South Philadelphia. The married mother of three graduated from Colgate University and earned her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Congresswoman Scanlon is a member of the Judiciary and Rules committees.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
district 6 - U.S. rep. chrissy houlahan (D)
Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan’s district runs through Chester County west of Philadelphia. The three-term member of Congress is a member of the Armed Services and Intelligence committees. Married and the mother of two, Houlahan graduated from Stanford University, earned a graduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was an engineer before being elected to Congress, and was an Air Force officer who rose to the rank of Captain.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: US Rep. Chrissy Houlahan
Credit: US Rep. Susan Wild
district 7 - U.S. rep. susan wild (D)
Two-term Congresswoman Susan Wild represents the Lehigh Valley including Allentown and is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee; the Education and Labor Committee; the Science, Space and Technology Committee; and is ranking on the House Ethics Committee. A widowed mother of two, Congresswoman Wild graduated from American University and earned a law degree from George Washington University.
Thomas Take: Nudging Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
district 8 - U.S. Rep. matt cartwright (D)
Congressman Matt Cartwright is a six-term member of the U.S. House who represents a district in northeastern Pennsylvania that encompasses the Scranton area. A graduate of Hamilton College with a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Cartwright is married, the father of two, and serves on the Appropriations Committee and the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee.
Thomas Take: Nudging Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: US Rep. Matt Cartwright
Credit: US Rep. Dan Meuser
district 9 - U.S. rep. dan meuser (R)
Representing east-central Pennsylvania in the U.S. House, three-term Congressman Dan Meuser serves on the House Education and Labor Committee; the Veterans’ Affairs Committee; and the House Budget Committee. The married father of three is a graduate of Cornell University and was a businessman and philanthropist before his election to Congress.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: D
district 10 - u.s. rep. scott perry (r)
Six-term Congressman Scott Perry represents the Harrisburg State Capitol area of Pennsylvania in the U.S. House. A Brigadier General in the U.S. Army and Army National Guard, Congressman Perry was at the center of efforts to overturn the Biden election in Pennsylvania which is still being investigated. A member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as well as the Foreign Affairs Committee, Perry graduated from Penn State University and earned a graduate degree from the U.S. Army War College. He is married and the father of two.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: F
Credit: US Rep. Scott Perry
Credit: US Rep. Lloyd Smucker
district 11 - U.S. Rep. lloyd smucker (r)
Congressman Lloyd Smucker is a four-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing the Lancaster area of Pennsylvania. He attended Franklin and Marshall College, is married, the father of three, and serves on the House Ways and Means Committee.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: D
district 12 - U.S. Rep. Summer Lee (d)
Congresswoman Summer Lee serves a southwestern Pennsylvania district that includes Pittsburgh. A first-term member of the House, Congresswoman Lee graduated from Penn State University and has a law degree from Harvard University. She is married and the mother of three. Congresswoman Lee serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and was a Socialist party member until 2021.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: C
Credit: US Rep. Summer Lee
Credit: US Rep. John Joyce
district 13 - U.S. Rep. John Joyce (R)
A medical school graduate of Temple University specializing in Dermatology, Dr. John Joyce serves a south-central district east of Pittsburgh. The three-term Congressman has an undergraduate degree from Penn State University, is married, the father of three, and serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: D
district 14 - U.S. Rep. guy reschenthaler (R)
Representing southwestern Pennsylvania, Navy combat veteran Guy Reschenthaler is in his third term in Congress serving on the Appropriations and Rules committees. He is a graduate of Penn State University with a law degree from Duquesne University.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: D
Credit: US Rep. Guy Reschenthaler
Credit: US Rep. Glenn Thompson
district 15 - U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson (R)
Representing western-central Pennsylvania, eight-term Congressman Glenn Thompson is chair of the House Agriculture Committee and a member of the Education and Labor Committee. A graduate of Penn State University with a graduate degree from Temple University, Thompson is married and the father of three.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: D
district 16 - U.S. Rep. mike kelly (R)
Seven-term Congressman Mike Kelly represents northwestern Pennsylvania in the U.S. House. His district includes Erie County. The married father of four Congressman is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and a graduate of the University of Notre Dame.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: D
Credit: US Rep. Mike Kelly
Credit: US Rep. Chris Deluzio
district 17 - U.S. Rep. chris deluzio (D)
Representing the northwestern suburbs of Pittsburgh, Navy veteran, and freshman Congressman Chris Deluzio is a member of the Armed Services Committee and the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. The married father of three graduated from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis and earned his law degree from Georgetown University.
Thomas Take: It’s A Race
Thomas Rank: B