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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District

Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district was a district including the city of Pittsburgh and parts of surrounding suburbs. A variety of working class and majority black suburbs located to the east of the city were included, such as McKeesport and Wilkinsburg. Also a major part of the district was a number of middle class suburbs that have historic Democratic roots, such as Pleasant Hills and Penn Hills. The district became obsolete following the 2020 United States census. It was largely replaced by Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district.

The district covered much of the area that was the center of the Whiskey Rebellion of the 1790s.

History

Pre-2018 boundaries

In February 2018, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ruled that the district map violated the state constitution due to gerrymandering and redrew all of the state's congressional districts. The 18th and 14th districts swapped numbers and had their boundaries adjusted for the 2018 elections (after March's special election) and thereafter.

Before the court-ordered redistricting in February 2018, the district was concentrated in the southern suburbs of Pittsburgh. It was predominantly white, although it contained a diverse range of suburbs. It was drawn in such a way that in some locations, neighborhoods and even streets were split between the 18th and the neighboring 12th and 14th districts. In parts of the eastern portion of the district, one side of the street was in the 12th while the other side was in the 18th. In the west, one side of the street was in the 14th while the other side was in the 18th.

Although there were 35,000 more Democrats in the district than Republicans in 2018, the district had been trending increasingly Republican since the mid-1990s; most of the district's state legislators were Republicans. The district was home to many large coal mines and the energy industry was an important employer. The western part of the district contained some rural regions of Washington County, as well as the very wealthy suburbs in the northern part of that county, which tends to be more Republican than the part contained in the neighboring 9th District. The district also contained many of Allegheny County's southern suburbs of Pittsburgh, which ranged from traditionally wealthy areas such as Upper St. Clair to middle-class communities such as Bethel Park and working-class labor towns such as Elizabeth.

The district skewed older and had the second-oldest electorate in the state in 2017.

The district wound along the eastern suburbs at the edge of Allegheny County, including most of the large suburban commercial center of Monroeville, and in western Westmoreland County. Central Westmoreland County, including the city of Greensburg, was also part of the district. It also contained the rural foothills of the county at the district's eastern end. Westmoreland County has become a major Republican stronghold.

Voter registration

Party enrollment as of October 18, 2021
Party Total voters Percentage
Democratic 328,743 62.84%
Republican 118,874 22.72%
Independent/other parties 75,486 14.43%
Total 523,103 100%

Future

The district became obsolete following the 2020 United States census. It was largely replaced by Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district, while some suburbs of Pittsburgh, such as Wilkinsburg, were redrawn into the 17th district.

List of members representing the district

Representatives Party Years Cong
ress
Electoral history District map
District established March 4, 1823
Patrick Farrelly
(Meadville)
Jacksonian
Republican
March 4, 1823 –
March 3, 1825
18th
19th
Redistricted from the 15th district and re-elected in 1822.
Re-elected in 1824.
Died.
1823–1833
[data missing]
Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –
January 12, 1826
Vacant January 12, 1826 –
March 14, 1826
19th
Thomas H. Sill
(Erie)
Anti-Jacksonian March 14, 1826 –
March 3, 1827
Elected to finish Farrelly's term.
Lost re-election.
Stephen Barlow
(Meadville)
Jacksonian March 4, 1827 –
March 3, 1829
20th Elected in 1826.
Lost re-election.
Thomas H. Sill
(Erie)
Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1829 –
March 3, 1831
21st Elected in 1828.
Retired.
John Banks
(Mercer)
Anti-Masonic March 4, 1831 –
March 3, 1833
22nd Elected in 1830.
Redistricted to the 24th district.
George Burd
(Bedford)
Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1833 –
March 3, 1835
23rd Redistricted from the 13th district and re-elected in 1832.
Retired.
1833–1843
[data missing]

Job Mann
(Bedford)
Jacksonian March 4, 1835 –
March 3, 1837
24th Elected in 1834.
Lost re-election.

Charles Ogle
(Somerset)
Anti-Masonic March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1841
25th
26th
27th
Elected in 1836.
Re-elected in 1838.
Elected in 1840.
Died.
Whig March 4, 1841 –
May 10, 1841
Vacant May 10, 1841 –
June 28, 1841
27th
Henry Black
(Somerset)
Whig June 28, 1841 –
November 28, 1841
Elected to finish Ogle's term.
Died.
Vacant November 28, 1841 –
December 21, 1841
James M. Russell
(Bedford)
Whig December 21, 1841 –
March 3, 1843
Elected to finish Black's term.
Retired.

Andrew Stewart
(Uniontown)
Whig March 4, 1843 –
March 3, 1849
28th
29th
30th
Elected in 1843.
Re-elected in 1844.
Re-elected in 1846.
Retired.
1843–1853
[data missing]

Andrew J. Ogle
(Somerset)
Whig March 4, 1849 –
March 3, 1851
31st Elected in 1848.
Lost re-election.

John L. Dawson
(Brownsville)
Democratic March 4, 1851 –
March 3, 1853
32nd Elected in 1850.
Redistricted to the 20th district.
John McCulloch
(Shaver's Creek)
Whig March 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1855
33rd Elected in 1852.
Retired.
1853–1863
[data missing]
John R. Edie
(Somerset)
Opposition March 4, 1855 –
March 3, 1857
34th
35th
Elected in 1854.
Re-elected in 1856.
Retired.
Republican March 4, 1857 –
March 3, 1859

Samuel S. Blair
(Hollidaysburg)
Republican March 4, 1859 –
March 3, 1863
36th
37th
Elected in 1858.
Re-elected in 1860.
Lost re-election.

James T. Hale
(Bellefonte)
Independent Republican March 4, 1863 –
March 3, 1865
38th Redistricted from the 15th district and re-elected in 1862.
[data missing]
1863–1873
[data missing]

Stephen F. Wilson
(Wellsboro)
Republican March 4, 1865 –
March 3, 1869
39th
40th
Elected in 1864.
Re-elected in 1866.
Resigned to become judge of the fourth judicial district of Pennsylvania.

William H. Armstrong
(Williamsport)
Republican March 4, 1869 –
March 3, 1871
41st Elected in 1868.
Lost re-election.

Henry Sherwood
(Wellsboro)
Democratic March 4, 1871 –
March 3, 1873
42nd Elected in 1870.
Lost re-election.

Sobieski Ross
(Coudersport)
Republican March 4, 1873 –
March 3, 1875
43rd Elected in 1872.
Redistricted to the 16th district.
1873–1883
[data missing]

William Stenger
(Chambersburg)
Democratic March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1879
44th
45th
Elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Lost re-election.

Horatio G. Fisher
(Huntingdon)
Republican March 4, 1879 –
March 3, 1883
46th
47th
Elected in 1878.
Re-elected in 1880.
Retired.

Louis E. Atkinson
(Mifflintown)
Republican March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1893
48th
49th
50th
51st
52nd
Elected in 1882.
Re-elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 186.
Re-elected in 1888.
Re-elected in 1890.
Withdrew from election.
1883–1893
[data missing]

Thaddeus M. Mahon
(Chambersburg)
Republican March 4, 1893 –
March 3, 1903
53rd
54th
55th
56th
57th
Elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Re-elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Redistricted to the 17th district.
1893–1903
[data missing]

Marlin E. Olmsted
(Harrisburg)
Republican March 4, 1903 –
March 3, 1913
58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd
Redistricted from the 14th district and re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Retired.
1903–1913
[data missing]

Aaron S. Kreider
(Annville)
Republican March 4, 1913 –
March 3, 1923
63rd
64th
65th
66th
67th
Elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Lost re-election.
1913–1933
[data missing]

Edward M. Beers
(Mount Union)
Republican March 4, 1923 –
April 21, 1932
68th
69th
70th
71st
72nd
Elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Died.
Vacant April 11, 1932 –
November 8, 1932
72nd

Joseph F. Biddle
(Huntingdon)
Republican November 8, 1932 –
March 3, 1933
Elected to finish Beers's term.
Retired.

Benjamin K. Focht
(Lewisburg)
Republican March 4, 1933 –
March 27, 1937
73rd
74th
75th
Elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Died.
1933–1943
[data missing]
Vacant March 27, 1937 –
May 11, 1937
75th

Richard M. Simpson
(Huntingdon)
Republican May 11, 1937 –
January 3, 1945
75th
76th
77th
78th
Elected to finish Focht's term.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Redistricted to the 17th district.
1933–1953
[data missing]

John C. Kunkel
(Harrisburg)
Republican January 3, 1945 –
January 3, 1951
79th
80th
81st
Redistricted from the 19th district and re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.

Walter M. Mumma
(Harrisburg)
Republican January 3, 1951 –
January 3, 1953
82nd Elected in 1950.
Redistricted to the 16th district.

Richard M. Simpson
(Huntingdon)
Republican January 3, 1953 –
January 7, 1960
83rd
84th
85th
86th
Redistricted from the 17th district and re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Died.
1953–1963
[data missing]
Vacant January 7, 1960 –
April 26, 1960
86th

Douglas H. Elliot
(Chambersburg)
Republican April 26, 1960 –
June 19, 1960
Elected to finish Simpson's term.
Died.
Vacant June 19, 1960 –
November 8, 1960

J. Irving Whalley
(Windber)
Republican November 8, 1960 –
January 3, 1963
86th
87th
Elected to finish Elliot's term.
Also elected to the next term in 1960.
Redistricted to the 12th district.

Robert J. Corbett
(Pittsburgh)
Republican January 3, 1963 –
April 25, 1971
88th
89th
90th
91st
92nd
Redistricted from the 29th district and re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Died.
1963–1973
[data missing]
Vacant April 25, 1971 –
November 2, 1971
92nd

John Heinz
(Pittsburgh)
Republican November 2, 1971 –
January 3, 1977
92nd
93rd
94th
Elected to finish Corbett's term.
Re-elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
1973–1983
[data missing]

Doug Walgren
(Mt. Lebanon)
Democratic January 3, 1977 –
January 3, 1991
95th
96th
97th
98th
99th
100th
101st
Elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Lost re-election.
1983–1993
[data missing]

Rick Santorum
(Mt. Lebanon)
Republican January 3, 1991 –
January 3, 1995
102nd
103rd
Elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
1993–2003
[data missing]

Mike Doyle
(Swissvale)
Democratic January 3, 1995 –
January 3, 2003
104th
105th
106th
107th
Elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Redistricted to the 14th district.

Tim Murphy
(Pittsburgh)
Republican January 3, 2003 –
October 21, 2017
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
113th
114th
115th
Elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Resigned.
2003–2013
2013–2019
Vacant October 21, 2017 –
March 13, 2018
115th

Conor Lamb
(Mt. Lebanon)
Democratic March 13, 2018 –
January 3, 2019
Elected to finish Murphy's term.
Redistricted to the 17th district.

Mike Doyle
(Pittsburgh)
Democratic January 3, 2019 –
December 31, 2022
116th
117th
Redistricted from the 14th district and re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Redistricted to the 12th district and resigned early.
2019–2023
Vacant December 31, 2022 –
January 3, 2023
117th
District dissolved January 3, 2023

Recent election results

2012

Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Murphy (incumbent) 216,727 64.0
Democratic Larry Maggi 122,146 36.0
Total votes 338,873 100.0
Republican hold

2014

Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district, 2014
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Murphy (incumbent) 166,076 100.0
Total votes 166,076 100.0
Republican hold

2016

Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district, 2016
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Murphy (incumbent) 293,684 100.0
Total votes 293,684 100.0
Republican hold

2018 special election

Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district special election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Conor Lamb 114,102 49.86% +49.86%
Republican Rick Saccone 113,347 49.53% −50.47%
Libertarian Drew Gray Miller 1,381 0.60% +0.60%
Total votes 228,830 100.00%
Plurality 755 0.33% -99.67%
Democratic gain from Republican

2018

Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Doyle (incumbent) 231,472 100.0
Total votes 231,472 100.0
Democratic hold

2020

Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district, 2020
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Doyle (incumbent) 266,084 69.3
Republican Luke Negron 118,163 30.7
Total votes 384,247 100.0
Democratic hold

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Pennsylvania Supreme Court strikes down state's congressional districts". CBS News. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. CBS News. January 24, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  2. ^ Cohn, Nate; Bloch, Matthew; Quealy, Kevin (February 19, 2018). "The New Pennsylvania House Districts Are In. We Review the Mapmakers' Choices". The Upshot. The New York Times. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  3. ^ "Home". www.dos.pa.gov.
  4. ^ "Lamb, Saccone both hope for blue-collar support in special congressional election". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. December 22, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  5. ^ Pennsylvania Department of State (October 18, 2021). "Voter Registration Statistics by Congressional District" (XLSX).
  6. ^ Merica, Dan; Stark, Liz (April 26, 2021). "Census Bureau announces 331 million people in US, Texas will add two congressional seats". CNN. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  7. ^ Rakich, Ryan Best, Aaron Bycoffe and Nathaniel (August 9, 2021). "What Redistricting Looks Like In Every State - Pennsylvania". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved March 18, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Statistics of Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 2012". Karen Haas, Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. February 28, 2013. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  9. ^ "Pennsylvania 2014 General Election - November 4, 2014 Official Results". Pennsylvania Secretary of State. November 4, 2014. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  10. ^ "Pennsylvania 2016 General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Pennsylvania Secretary of State. November 8, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  11. ^ Deppen, Colin (April 2, 2018). "Allegheny County's District 18 special election results are finally official". The Incline. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  12. ^ "2018 General Election: Representative in Congress". Pennsylvania Secretary of State. November 6, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  13. ^ "2020 Presidential Election - Representative in Congress". Pennsylvania Department of State. Retrieved November 25, 2020.

References

40°10′14″N 80°01′39″W / 40.17056°N 80.02750°W / 40.17056; -80.02750