Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district

Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district
Boundaries since January 2019
Representative	Fred Keller R–Beavertown
Cook PVI	R+17[1]

Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district is located in the north central and northeastern parts of Pennsylvania, including the Northern Tier region, parts of the Susquehanna Valley, and part of Happy Valley including State College. It has been represented by Fred Keller since May 21, 2019, who won a special election to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of former representative Tom Marino.^[2][3]

Prior to 2018, the 12th district was located in southwestern Pennsylvania, and included all of Beaver County, and parts of Allegheny, Cambria, Lawrence, Somerset, and Westmoreland Counties. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania redrew this and other state congressional districts in February 2018 after ruling the previous map unconstitutional due to partisan gerrymandering. The new 12th district covers much of the old 10th district. The old 12th district was redrawn to an area north and west of Pittsburgh and renamed the 17th district, for the 2018 elections and representation thereafter.^[4]

Before the 2011 round of redistricting, the 12th District was widely considered to be gerrymandered by the Republican-controlled state legislature as a heavily Democratic district. It consisted of all of Greene County, and parts of Allegheny, Armstrong, Cambria, Fayette, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties.

Geography 2003–2013

Located in southwestern Pennsylvania, the 12th District consisted of all of Greene County, and parts of Allegheny, Armstrong, Cambria, Fayette, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties. A thoroughly unionized district, the 12th was historically among the most Democratic areas of the state. However, the Democrats in this area were not as liberal as their counterparts in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Most were somewhat conservative on social issues, particularly abortion and gun control.

The 12th included all of Greene County, a highly rural region that still has a traditionally Democratic influence due to its labor leanings. In Washington county, the city of Washington, a large and Democratic edge suburb of Pittsburgh was a part of the 12th, as well as the eastern portion of the county. Most of the Monongahela Valley region, a very Democratic area that was once an important steel-making area, was also part of the 12th. However, more rural western Washington County and the suburban northern portion of the county (with towns like McDonald and Canonsburg) then belonged to the 18th. The western portion of Fayette County, including the city of Uniontown, a labor Democratic stronghold was part of this district, while the rural mountainous eastern portion was a part of the 9th.

The 12th District continued eastward, including southeastern and northeastern parts of Westmoreland County, including the labor Democratic city of Latrobe, while leaving the suburban western part of the county (with towns such as Murrysville) and the generally left-leaning city of Greensburg in the 18th. The major population base of the district was located just to the east, taking in most of Somerset and Cambria counties. This area, the heart of a large coal-mining region, includes the district's largest city, Johnstown. The 12th also contained a part of Indiana County, mainly the college town of Indiana.

The 12th completed its wrap around the metro Pittsburgh region by ending in the northeastern corner of the city's suburbs, containing middle class regions such as Lower Burrell and the working class suburb of New Kensington. A portion of Armstrong County was also included in the district, including several industrial suburbs such as Freeport and Apollo.

Demographics

[Data unknown/missing.]

History

After the 2000 census, the Republican-controlled state legislature radically altered the 12th in an effort to get more Republicans elected from traditionally heavily Democratic southwestern Pennsylvania. A large chunk of the old 20th District was incorporated into the 12th. In some parts of the western portion of the district, one side of the street is in the 12th while the other side of the street is in the 18th District (the reconfigured 20th). This led to criticism that the 12th was a gerrymander intended to pack as many of southwestern Pennsylvania's heavily Democratic areas as possible into just two districts—the 12th and the Pittsburgh-based 14th.

Prior to the 2012 redistricting, the district has a Cook Partisan Voting Index score of R+1. The district is notable as the only congressional district in the nation that voted for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004 but went for Republican John McCain in 2008. This is mainly due to the fact that since 2000 Southwestern Pennsylvania has gradually become more Republican leaning.

2006 election

In the 2006 election, Murtha was re-elected with 61% of the vote. His Republican opponent, Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey, received 39%.

2008 election

John Murtha won the 2008 election with 58% of the vote. Murtha was a United States Marine and the first Vietnam War veteran to serve in Congress. He defeated Lt. Col. William T. Russell, an army veteran.

2010 special election

Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell scheduled a special election for May 18, 2010, following the death of Representative John Murtha. On March 8, 2010, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party's Executive Committee nominated Mark Critz, Murtha's former district director.^[5] On March 11, a convention of Republicans from the 12th district nominated businessman Tim Burns.^[6] The Libertarian Party's candidate was Demo Agoris, who ran for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 48th district as a Libertarian in 2006.

Mark Critz won the election.

2010 election

Mark Critz was re-elected in the regularly scheduled 2010 election; again beating Republican Tim Burns (this time with 51% of the vote against 49%).

2012 election

Mark Critz ran for re-election to a second full term in the 2012 election, but was defeated by Republican challenger Keith Rothfus. Critz garnered 48.5% of the vote to Rothfus' 51.5%.^[7] The 12th had absorbed a large chunk of the old 4th District, including Rothfus' home, after the 2010 census, and was significantly more Republican than its predecessor.

2019 special election

After Tom Marino's resignation in January 2019, an election was held on May 21st to fill the open seat. Republican Fred Keller defeated 2018 Democratic nominee Mark Friedenberg. ^[8][9]

List of members representing the district

Representative	Party	Years	Electoral history	Location
District created in 1795.
Albert Gallatin	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1795 – May ??, 1801	Elected in 1794. Re-elected in 1796. Re-elected in 1798. Re-elected in 1800 but declined the seat to become U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.	1795–1803 [Data unknown/missing.]
Vacant		May ??, 1801 – December 7, 1801
William Hoge	Democratic-Republican	December 7, 1801 – March 3, 1803	Elected October 13, 1801 to finish Gallatin's term and seated December 7, 1801. Redistricted to the 10th district.
District eliminated March 4, 1803.
District restored March 4, 1813.
Aaron Lyle	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1817	Redistricted from the 10th district and re-elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Retired.	1813–1823 [Data unknown/missing.]
Thomas Patterson	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1823	Elected in 1816. Re-elected in 1818. Re-elected in 1820. Redistricted to the 15th district.
John Brown	Jackson Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825	Redistricted from the 9th district and re-elected in 1822. Lost re-election.	1823–1833 [Data unknown/missing.]
John Mitchell	Jacksonian	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1829	Elected in 1824. Re-elected in 1826. Retired.
John Scott	Jacksonian	March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1831	Elected in 1828. Lost re-election.
Robert Allison	Anti-Masonic	March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833	[Data unknown/missing.] Retired.
George Chambers	Anti-Masonic	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837	[Data unknown/missing.]	1833–1843 [Data unknown/missing.]
Daniel Sheffer	Democratic	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839	[Data unknown/missing.] Lost re-election.
James Cooper	Whig	March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1843	[Data unknown/missing.]
Almon H. Read	Democratic	March 4, 1843 – June 3, 1844	Redistricted from the 17th district. Died.	1843–1853 [Data unknown/missing.]
Vacant		June 3, 1844 – December 2, 1844
George Fuller	Democratic	December 2, 1844 – March 3, 1845	[Data unknown/missing.]
David Wilmot	Democratic	March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1851	[Data unknown/missing.] Retired.
Galusha A. Grow	Democratic	March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853	[Data unknown/missing.] Redistricted to the 14th district.
Hendrick B. Wright	Democratic	March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855	[Data unknown/missing.] Lost re-election.	1853–1863 [Data unknown/missing.]
Henry M. Fuller	Opposition	March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857	[Data unknown/missing.] Retired.
John G. Montgomery	Democratic	March 4, 1857 – April 24, 1857	[Data unknown/missing.] Died.
Vacant		April 24, 1857 – December 7, 1857
Paul Leidy	Democratic	December 7, 1857 – March 3, 1859	[Data unknown/missing.]
George W. Scranton	Republican	March 4, 1859 – March 24, 1861	[Data unknown/missing.] Died.
Vacant		March 24, 1861 – July 4, 1861
Hendrick B. Wright	Democratic	July 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863	[Data unknown/missing.]
Charles Denison	Democratic	March 4, 1863 – June 27, 1867	[Data unknown/missing.] Died.	1863–1873 [Data unknown/missing.]
Vacant		June 27, 1867 – November 21, 1867
George W. Woodward	Democratic	November 21, 1867 – March 3, 1871	[Data unknown/missing.] Retired.
Lazarus D. Shoemaker	Republican	March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1875	[Data unknown/missing.] Retired.
				1873–1883 [Data unknown/missing.]
Winthrop W. Ketcham	Republican	March 4, 1875 – July 19, 1876	[Data unknown/missing.] Resigned to become U.S. District Judge
Vacant		July 19, 1876 – November 7, 1876
William H. Stanton	Democratic	November 7, 1876 – March 3, 1877	[Data unknown/missing.] Retired.
Hendrick B. Wright	Democratic	March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1879	[Data unknown/missing.] Lost re-election.
	Greenback	March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881
Joseph A. Scranton	Republican	March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883	[Data unknown/missing.] Lost re-election.
Daniel W. Connolly	Democratic	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885	[Data unknown/missing.] Lost re-election.	1883–1893 [Data unknown/missing.]
Joseph A. Scranton	Republican	March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1887	[Data unknown/missing.] Lost re-election.
John Lynch	Democratic	March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889	[Data unknown/missing.] Lost re-election.
Edwin S. Osborne	Republican	March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891	Redistricted from the At-large District Retired.
George W. Shonk	Republican	March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893	Declined to be a candidate for renomination
William H. Hines	Democratic	March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895	[Data unknown/missing.] Lost re-election.	1893–1903 [Data unknown/missing.]
John Leisenring	Republican	March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897	Declined to be a candidate for re-election
Morgan B. Williams	Republican	March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1899	[Data unknown/missing.] Lost re-election.
Stanley W. Davenport	Democratic	March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1901	[Data unknown/missing.] Lost renomination.
Henry W. Palmer	Republican	March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1903	[Data unknown/missing.] Redistricted to the 11th district.
George R. Patterson	Republican	March 4, 1903 – March 21, 1906	[Data unknown/missing.] Died.	1903–1913 [Data unknown/missing.]
Vacant		January 21, 1906 – November 6, 1906
Charles N. Brumm	Republican	November 6, 1906 – January 4, 1909	[Data unknown/missing.] Resigned when he was elected judge of the court of common pleas of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
Vacant		January 4, 1909 – March 3, 1909
Alfred B. Garner	Republican	March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1911	Unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1910
Robert E. Lee	Democratic	March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1915	[Data unknown/missing.] Lost re-election.
				1913–1933 [Data unknown/missing.]
Robert D. Heaton	Republican	March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1919	[Data unknown/missing.] Retired.
John Reber	Republican	March 4, 1919 – March 3, 1923	[Data unknown/missing.] Retired.
John J. Casey	Democratic	March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1925	[Data unknown/missing.] Lost re-election.
Edmund N. Carpenter	Republican	March 4, 1925 – March 3, 1927	[Data unknown/missing.] Lost re-election.
John J. Casey	Democratic	March 4, 1927 – May 5, 1929	[Data unknown/missing.] Died.
Vacant		May 5, 1929 – June 4, 1929
C. Murray Turpin	Republican	June 4, 1929 – January 3, 1937	[Data unknown/missing.] Lost re-election.
				1933–1943 [Data unknown/missing.]
J. Harold Flannery	Democratic	January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1942	[Data unknown/missing.] Resigned to become judge of the common pleas court of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Vacant		January 3, 1942 – May 19, 1942
Thomas B. Miller	Republican	May 19, 1942 – January 3, 1945	[Data unknown/missing.] Lost re-election.
				1943–1953 [Data unknown/missing.]
Ivor D. Fenton	Republican	January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1963	Redistricted from the 13th district. Lost re-election.
				1953–1963 [Data unknown/missing.]
J. Irving Whalley	Republican	January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1973	Redistricted from the 18th district. Retired.	1963–1973 [Data unknown/missing.]
John P. Saylor	Republican	January 3, 1973 – October 28, 1973	Redistricted from the 22nd district. Died.	1973–1983 [Data unknown/missing.]
Vacant		October 28, 1973 – February 5, 1974
John Murtha	Democratic	February 5, 1974 – February 8, 2010	[Data unknown/missing.] Died.
				1983–1993 [Data unknown/missing.]
				1993–2003 [Data unknown/missing.]
				2003–2013
Vacant		February 8, 2010 – May 18, 2010
Mark Critz	Democratic	May 18, 2010 – January 3, 2013	Elected to finish Murtha's term Re-elected in 2010. Lost re-election.
Keith Rothfus	Republican	January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2019	Elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Redistricted to the 17th district and lost re-election.	2013–2019
Tom Marino	Republican	January 3, 2019 – January 23, 2019	Redistricted from the 10th district and re-elected in 2018. Resigned.[10]	2019–present
Vacant		January 23, 2019 – May 21, 2019
Fred Keller	Republican	May 21, 2019 – Present	Elected to finish Marino's term.

See also

• List of United States congressional districts
• Pennsylvania's congressional districts

References

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present
• Congressman Tom Marino resigns, leaving vacancy in Pa.’s 12th district 

External links

• Congressional redistricting in Pennsylvania

This page was last edited on 5 August 2019, at 21:33