Bucks County, Pa, September 9 — In the 2026 midterm elections, Pennsylvania voters will decide on governor, lieutenant governor, and every U.S. House seat. The 1st Congressional District race pits Republican incumbent Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick against Democrat Bob Harvie, a Bucks County commissioner, with Election Day set for Nov. 3.
The 1st District covers all of Bucks County and parts of Montgomery County, encompassing East Greenville Borough, Franconia Township, Hatfield Borough, Hatfield Township, part of Horsham Township, Marlborough Township, Montgomery Township, Pennsburg Borough, Red Hill Borough, Salford Township, Souderton Borough, part of Telford Borough, and Upper Hanover Township. Fitzpatrick, 52, grew up in Levittown and graduated from Bishop Egan High School in Fairless Hills in 1992.
He earned a B.S. in business administration from LaSalle University in 1996 and received an MBA and law degree from Penn State in 2001. He served as a judicial clerk in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 2001 to 2002, then as an FBI special agent, leading the bureau’s Public Corruption Unit and serving as national director of a role not specified in the source. First elected to the 8th District in 2016, he was reelected to represent the 1st District after the state’s congressional districts were redrawn in 2018.
In that 2018 cycle, Democrat Scott Wallace captured 48.7% of the vote, the closest challenge to date. Fitzpatrick has since defeated Democrat Ashley Ehasz in the past two elections, winning by more than 12 percentage points in the last contest.
Harvie, a Bucks County commissioner, is seen as potentially Fitzpatrick’s toughest challenge to date.
Campaign Tensions and Stakes
The campaign has been tense, with both candidates exchanging barbs and attacking each other’s records, including allegations of corruption, cease-and-desist letters, and a defamation lawsuit. The 1st District is one of four races in Pennsylvania where Democrats are targeting a Republican-held seat. All 435 House seats are up for election.
The representative’s duties include introducing and voting on legislation, serving on committees, representing constituents, and overseeing the executive branch. As voters in Bucks and Montgomery counties head to the polls, the race will serve as a test of the party’s messaging and the broader stakes of the 2026 midterms.
