Incumbent Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R) won the Republican primary election for Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District. Fitzpatrick received 61.5% of the vote. Mark Houck (R) finished in second with 38.5%.
Fitzpatrick described himself as the most independent member of Congress and his campaign as a movement fighting against hyper-partisanship. He said, “I am the Vice-Chair of the Bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, a group of 25 Democrats and 25 Republicans who have forged together to build consensus and find common ground to solve our national challenges.” Fitzpatrick said he supported term limits for members of Congress, reducing drug abuse and fatalities from the opioid crisis, increasing resources for law enforcement at the U.S.-Mexico border, and limiting illegal immigration while supporting Dreamers, referring to children brought to the United States without legal permission.
In Houck’s response to Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey, he said he supported restoring constitutional values, lowering the national debt, and defunding programs that he believed are unconstitutional, including the Department of Education. Houck said he would work to limit illegal immigration, increase military funding, and “rebuild the foundations of faith, family, and freedom.”
Fitzpatrick said he was “not done with his fight to fix a broken Washington and make a difference for our communities.” Fitzpatrick said he was uniquely qualified because of his background in the FBI as an agent, national director for the FBI’s Campaign Finance and Election Crimes Enforcement Program, and national supervisor for the FBI’s Political Corruptions Unit.
Houck said his arrest at a Philadelphia Planned Parenthood facility in 2022 played a role in his decision to run for Congress. He said, “I know firsthand what it’s like to be attacked by the federal government. I know firsthand how the enemy of the state can be created by virtue of your faith. And I want to protect the 1st District of Pennsylvania and all families in the 1st District from that ever happening to them.”
As of April 3, 2024, Fitzpatrick raised the most money in the primary, taking in $4.2 million since the start of the campaign cycle. He raised $1.01 million in quarter one. Houck raised the next most in the primary, with $156,265 since the start of the campaign and $78,953 in quarter one.
Fitzpatrick will face Amy Ehasz (D) in the November 5 general election.
