Democrat Bob Harvie defeats Republican Brian Fitzpatrick to take Pa.’s 1st Congressional District

Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie has defeated U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick in a startling upset in the race for Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District, unseating the five-term Republican incumbent against the backdrop of a blue wave.

The Associated Press called the race for Harvie at 12:37 a.m., with the Democrat having 52.7% of the vote, to Fitzpatrick’s 47.3%.

“Truth wins,” Harvie said in a victory speech at a Bucks County Democratic Committee election night watch party in Newtown, Bucks County.

“This is a major victory not for me,” he said. “This is a major victory for all of us.”

Internal Democratic polls considered the race in the purple district, which encompasses all of Bucks County and a slice of Montgomery County, to be a toss-up.

Harvie tied Fitzpatrick to President Donald Trump’s agenda, Big Tech and the rising cost of living.

“We know that this is now a point in history where America has turned,” Harvie told a cheering crowd, referencing wins for Democrats across the country.

Fitzpatrick’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Fitzpatrick had bested his most recent Democratic opponent Ashley Ehasz by 13 points in 2024. This year, he fell victim to an unfavorable political environment for GOP incumbents nationwide and a weakened voter registration advantage in Bucks County — despite spending more money on this campaign than his previous three combined, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The self-described moderate Republican clashed with his Democratic opponent during an unusually messy campaign, launching attack ads that accused Harvie of being the “subject” of an FBI investigation.

“What Brian Fitzpatrick never thinks about when he’s putting up signs attacking somebody is that sometimes that person has children,” Harvie said to the crowd.

Harvie denied those claims and responded with a cease-and-desist letter, accusing Fitzpatrick of defamation. Politico linked some of Fitzpatrick’s campaign attack ad fodder to Dave Sommers, a Patch blogger and a guest at Fitzpatrick’s wedding.

Fitzpatrick also filed a lawsuit last week attempting to remove Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia from the county Board of Elections, alleging that her public support for fellow Democratic Commissioner Harvie’s campaign represented a “clear conflict of interest.” A judge struck down the petition Monday.

Jackie Palmer, 73, said she was “thrilled” Harvie won.

“He’s not only a brilliant, very sensitive, very pragmatic man — he will represent us well,” Palmer said.