Who’s running for Congress in Pennsylvania in 2022? A City & State guide.

Much of the state’s political energy has been focused on statewide races for governor and U.S. Senate. But as Democrats hope to hold on to their majorities in Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania's congressional contests could have major impacts on which party heads in 2023 with control of the U.S. House. 

Below, City & State provides a glimpse of who is running in each of the state’s 17 congressional races, and how election forecasters are rating each race. 

1st Congressional District

Bucks and Montgomery counties

Current member: U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick

2022 candidates: Brian Fitzpatrick (R), Ashley Ehasz (D), Caroline Avery (L)

What’s happening? Fitzpatrick has been serving in Congress since 2017 and has developed a reputation as one of the Pennsylvania Republican delegation’s most moderate members, which has made him a key target for Democrats looking to expand on their majority in the U.S. House. Fitzpatrick is looking to fend off general election challenges from Ehasz, a Democrat and U.S. Army veteran, and Avery, a Libertarian and former business owner. Election forecasters at FiveThirtyEight say Fitzpatrick is “clearly favored” to retain his House seat, and Politico predicts that the 1st Congressional District “leans GOP.”

2nd Congressional District

Philadelphia County

Current member: U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle

What’s happening? As the race stands now, Boyle is unlikely to lose his seat this fall, as he faces a challenge from Republican Aaron Bashir. Boyle has held the seat since 2015, after previously serving in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Bashir, a former educator, entrepreneur and accountant, is vowing to fight crime, create jobs and promote “America First” policies in Congress. Current election forecasts, however, show Bashir facing an uphill battle, with this seat largely expected to remain in Democratic hands. 

3rd Congressional District

Philadelphia County

Current member: U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans

2022 candidates: Dwight Evans (D), Christopher Hoeppner (SW)

What’s happening? Evans fended off a challenge from the left this year, defeating Alexandra Hunt in the Democratic primary for the state’s 3rd Congressional District. Now, Evans is facing another challenge from his left, this time in the general election from Hoeppner, a member of the Socialist Workers Party, who will appear on the ballot in November, according to a publication tied to the Socialist Workers Party. Evans is favored to win the district, however, with FiveThirtyEight giving Hoeppner less than a one in 100 chance to unseat Evans in the general. 

4th Congressional District

Berks and Montgomery counties

Current member: U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean 

2022 candidates: Madeleine Dean (D), Christian Nascimento (R), Juriss Kallatar (L)

What’s happening? This is another race where Dean, the Democratic incumbent, is widely predicted to hold on to her 4th Congressional District seat. A lawyer and educator, Dean was elected to Congress in 2018 and will face off against Nascimento, a Republican, and Kallatar, a Libertarian, this fall. Forecasters at FiveThirtyEight and Politico expect Dean to win the general election race without much fuss, with FiveThirtyEight saying Dean is “clearly favored” to win in November.

5th Congressional District

Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties

Current member: U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon

2022 candidates: Mary Gay Scanlon (D), David Galluch (R), Robert Margus (L)

What’s happening? Scanlon was elected to the U.S. House in 2018, and currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee, where she formerly served as vice chair. She’s facing a challenge from Galluch, a Republican and U.S. Navy veteran, who is running on a platform that prioritizes bringing down inflation, enacting tax policies that help small businesses and revitalizing the state’s manufacturing sector. Margus, a Libertarian, is also running for the 5th Congressional District seat, though prognosticators expect Scanlon to easily retain the seat, barring a drastic change.

6th Congressional District

Berks and Chester counties

Current member: U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan 

2022 candidates: Chrissy Houlahan (D), Guy Ciarrocchi (R)

What’s happening? Houlahan, who was elected to Congress in 2018 along with three other Democratic women from Pennsylvania, is facing a general election challenge from Ciarrocchi, a Republican who previously ran in the state’s GOP primary for governor. An Air Force veteran, Houlahan is now running for a third term, and is “clearly favored” to retain her seat, according to FiveThirtyEight. Steve Shepard, Politico’s chief election reporter, has rated the congressional district as “likely Democratic,” though he said “it could be worth monitoring in a GOP wave year.”

7th Congressional District

Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe and Northampton counties

Current member: U.S. Rep. Susan Wild

2022 candidates: Susan Wild (D), Lisa Scheller (R)

What’s happening? Wild’s new, redrawn congressional district has put her in a bit of a tough matchup as she prepares for a 2020 rematch against Scheller, the GOP nominee. Scheller, the current chair and president of Silberline Manufacturing Co., has picked up endorsements from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Whip Steve Scalese and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, among others. Politico has rated this race as a “toss up,” while FiveThirtyEight says Scheller is “slightly favored” to win in November, setting up Wild for a difficult race.

8th Congressional District

Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike and Wayne counties

Current member: U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright

2022 candidates: Matt Cartwright (D), Jim Bognet (R)

What’s happening? In one of the most-watched congressional races in the state, Cartwright is looking to hold onto his congressional seat as he once again faces the Trump-endorsed Bognet this year. Cartwright defeated Bognet in 2020, but the race has been deemed a “toss up” by multiple election watchers and could provide Republicans with their best chance to flip a congressional seat in Pennsylvania this year, given that the political headwinds are favoring Republicans. Cartwright, however, is “slightly favored” to win the seat per FiveThirtyEight, so all hope is not lost for Democrats as far as this seat is concerned. 

9th Congressional District

Berks, Bradford, Columbia, Lebanon, Luzerne, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties

Current member: U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser

2022 candidates: Dan Meuser (R), Amanda Waldman (D)

What’s happening? Meuser is largely expected to cruise to victory in November in a congressional district that significantly favors Republicans. He is facing a challenge from Waldman, a Democrat and financial representative who previously worked in the Pennsylvania lieutenant governor’s office, but Meuser currently has a 99 in 100 chance of winning according to FiveThirtyEight, and Politico has declared the 9th Congressional District to be a “solid Republican” area. 

10th Congressional District

Cumberland, Dauphin and York counties

Current member: U.S. Rep. Scott Perry

2022 candidates: Scott Perry (R), Shamaine Daniels (D)

What’s happening? Perry has represented central Pennsylvania in Congress since 2013 and has been the leader of the House Freedom Caucus since January. He has defeated Democratic challengers in four-straight election cycles and is hoping to do it again this year. Perry is facing criticism due to his role in former President Donald Trump’s efforts to hold onto power, and Harrisburg City Council Member Shamaine Daniels is looking to unseat Perry and ultimately flip the district. But the current political climate, and the makeup of the district, favors Perry and Republicans. 

11th Congressional District

Lancaster and York counties

Current member: U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker

2022 candidates: Lloyd Smucker (R), Robert Holliser (D)

What’s happening? Smucker is another Republican incumbent expected to retain his seat in this year’s midterm elections. He’s facing Hollister, a Democrat and the former superintendent of the Eastern Lancaster County School District. A longtime Republican-turned-Democrat, Hollister is running on a platform that prioritizes fiscal responsibility, voting access and community safety. But the central Pennsylvania district largely favors Smucker, so Hollister faces some difficult odds as he attempts to win a term in Congress. 

12th Congressional District

Allegheny and Westmoreland counties

Current member: No incumbent running

2022 candidates: Summer Lee (D), Michael Doyle (R)

What’s happening? Thanks to redistricting, there is no true incumbent for this congressional district, which features a battle between state Rep. Summer Lee, a progressive Democrat, and Mike Doyle (no relation to the incumbent congressman), a Republican insurance executive from the greater Pittsburgh area. Projections show this district heavily favoring Democrats – The Cook Political Report has this district as a “likely Democratic” one, as has FiveThirtyEight, which gives Lee a 98 in 100 chance of winning. 

13th Congressional District

Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry and Somerset counties

Current member: U.S. Rep. John Joyce

2022 candidates: John Joyce (R)

What’s happening? The incumbent, Joyce, is running unopposed in the state’s 13th Congressional District, meaning he will retain his congressional seat for the second-straight election cycle, barring some unexpected change or electoral surprise. Unsurprisingly, this district favors Republicans and in all likelihood is going to remain in GOP hands. 

14th Congressional District

Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland counties

Current member: U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler 

2022 candidates: Guy Reschenthaler (R)

What’s happening? Just like Joyce, Reschenthaler is running unopposed as he seeks another term as a member of Congress in the state’s 14th Congressional District. Assuming no major change in the makeup of the race occurs, Reschenthaler will cruise to victory to win a third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

15th Congressional District

Armstrong, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Indiana, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Snyder, Tioga, Union, Venango and Warren counties

Current member: U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson

2022 candidates: Glenn Thompson (R)

What’s happening? With another red district comes another race where a GOP incumbent is running for election unopposed. In the 15th Congressional District, that means Thompson faces an easy path to victory, in a district that is considered a major GOP stronghold. 

16th Congressional District

Butler, Crawford, Erie, Lawrence, Mercer and Venango counties

Current member: U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly 

2022 candidates: Mike Kelly (R), Dan Pastore (D)

What’s happening? Pastore, a businessman and attorney, is mounting a challenge to Kelly, who has served in Congress since 2011. Pastore opposes efforts to cut or privatize Medicare, supports reforming the nation’s trade laws and wants to expand access to pre-K education. But the 16th Congressional District currently favors Kelly, with multiple election analysts deeming the district to be a solid Republican one that will likely lead to another win for the incumbent. 

17th Congressional District

Allegheny and Beaver counties

Current member: No incumbent running

2022 candidates: Christopher Deluzio (D), Jeremy Shaffer (R), Walter Sluzynsky (I)

What’s happening? In this district, Iraq War veteran and voting rights attorney Chris Deluzio is running against small business owner Jeremy Shaffer, who also served as a Ross Township Commissioner and board president. Independent Walter Sluzynsky is also in the mix, and the district has been rated a “toss up” by The Cook Political Report and Politico. FiveThirtyEight says Deluzio is “favored” to win, though the varying predictions on this one show that this race may be a little tougher to call than other races in the state.