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Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district

Coordinates: 40°03′37″N 75°38′27″W / 40.06028°N 75.64083°W / 40.06028; -75.64083
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district
Map
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
(Chester County outlined in red)
Representative
Population (2023)777,885[2]
Median household
income		$102,246[3]
Ethnicity
Cook PVID+5[4]

Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district is a district in the state of Pennsylvania. It includes all of Chester County and the southeastern portion of Berks County including the city of Reading and its southeastern suburbs. The district is represented by Democrat Chrissy Houlahan, who has served in Congress since 2019. As currently drawn, the district is among the wealthiest in Pennsylvania. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania redrew the district in February 2018 after ruling the previous map unconstitutional.[5]

Jim Gerlach served as the district's Representative from 2003 to 2014. In 2004 and 2006, Gerlach won re-election against fellow attorney and now Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Judge Lois Murphy. In 2008, he successfully ran for re-election against businessman and veteran Bob Roggio. In the 2010 and 2012 elections, Gerlach defeated physician and Iraq War veteran Manan Trivedi, the Democratic nominee.

In January 2014, Gerlach announced that he would not stand for reelection to the 114th Congress. In the race to succeed Gerlach, Chester County Commissioner Ryan Costello won the Republican nomination and physician and Iraq war veteran Manan Trivedi secured the Democratic party's nomination.[6]

In February 2018, following the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania's ordered redrawing of congressional districts, Costello announced he would not stand for reelection and retire at the end of the 115th Congress, leaving businessman Greg McCauley as the sole Republican candidate while the Democrats nominated Air Force veteran Chrissy Houlahan.[7] Houlahan defeated McCauley in the general election.[8]

Recent statewide election results

[edit]
Year Office Results
2002 Representative Gerlach 51.4–48.6%
2004 President Kerry 52–48%
Representative Gerlach 51–49%
2006 Representative Gerlach 50.7–49.3%
2008 President Obama 58–41%
Representative Gerlach 52.1–47.9%
2010 Representative Gerlach 57.1–42.9%
2012 President Romney 50.6–48.1%
Representative Gerlach 57.1–42.9%
2014 Representative Costello 56.3–43.7%
2016 President Clinton 47.6–47.0%
Representative Costello 57.3–42.7%
2018 Representative Houlahan 58.8–41.1%
2020 President Biden 56.9–41.9%
Representative Houlahan 56.1–43.9%
2022 Governor Shapiro 61–37%
Senate Fetterman 56–41%
2024 Representative Houlahan 56–43%

[citation needed]

Geography

[edit]

2003 to 2012

[edit]

Prior to the court-ordered redistricting, the 6th district's incarnation dated back to 2002. Its strange shape brought charges of gerrymandering by Democrats who argued it "looms like a dragon descending on Philadelphia from the west, splitting up towns and communities throughout Montgomery and Berks Counties."[9] The combination of very affluent suburban areas of Philadelphia and sparsely populated rural areas was possibly designed to capture Republican voters, but changes in voting patterns in southeastern Pennsylvania has made the district much more competitive. The district had a Cook Partisan Voting Index score of R+1 after the 2012 redistricting. It was rated D+4 before then.[10] The district included parts of Montgomery County, Chester County, Berks County and Lehigh County. The largest cities in the district were Reading and Norristown.

2013 to 2018

[edit]

The redistricting of 2011/2012 changed it to include parts of Chester, Montgomery, Berks and Lebanon counties. The following municipalities constituted the sixth district:[11]

Berks County

Townships Boroughs
  • Alsace
  • Bern
  • Colebrookdale
  • Cumru District 1,4,6,7
  • Exeter
  • Heidelberg
  • Herford District 2
  • Lower Alsace District 2
  • Lower Heidelberg
  • Maidencreek
  • Marion
  • Muhlenberg 2,3,5,6,7,8,9
  • North Heidelberg
  • Ontelaunee
  • Penn
  • Richmond
  • Rockland
  • Ruscombmanor
  • South Heidelberg
  • Spring District 5,7,8
  • Washington
  • Bally
  • Bechtelsville
  • Bernville
  • Birdsboro
  • Boyertown
  • Fleetwood
  • Kenhorst
  • Laureldale District 1(part)
  • Leesport
  • Robesonia
  • Shillington
  • Sinking Spring
  • St. Lawrence
  • Wernersville
  • Womelsdorf
  • Wyomissing District 1,2,4,5

Chester County

Townships Boroughs
  • Caln
  • Charlestown
  • East Bradford District 1
  • East Brandywine
  • East Caln
  • East Goshen
  • East Nantmeal
  • East Pikeland
  • East Whiteland
  • Easttown
  • Londonderry
  • North Coventry
  • Schuylkill
  • South Coventry
  • Thornbury
  • Tredyffrin
  • Upper Uwchlan
  • Uwchlan
  • West Bradford District 1,2,3
  • West Goshen
  • West Pikeland
  • West Vincent
  • West Whiteland
  • Westtown
  • Willistown
  • Downingtown
  • Malvern
  • Phoenixville
  • Spring City
  • West Chester

Lebanon County

Townships Boroughs
  • Heidelberg
  • Jackson
  • Millcreek
  • North Lebanon District E
  • South Lebanon
  • West Cornwall
  • Cornwall
  • Myerstown
  • Richland
  • City of Lebanon
  • Wards 1,2,4,5,7,8,9,10

Montgomery County

Townships Boroughs
  • Douglass
  • Limerick
  • Lower Pottsgrove
  • Lower Providence
  • New Hanover
  • Perkiomen District 1,2
  • Upper Hanover District 3
  • Upper Pottsgrove
  • Upper Providence
  • West Norriton District 1,2,3
  • West Pottsgrove
  • Collegeville
  • East Greenville
  • Pennsburg
  • Pottstown
  • Red Hill
  • Royersford
  • Schwenksville
  • Trappe

2019

[edit]

The court-ordered map made the 6th a more compact district in Berks and Chester counties.[5]

List of members representing the district

[edit]

1791–1793: one seat

[edit]

District created in 1791 from the at-large district.

Representative Party Years Cong
ress 		Electoral history
District first established March 4, 1791

Andrew Gregg
(Carlisle) 		Anti-Administration March 4, 1791 –
March 3, 1793 		2nd Elected in 1791.
Redistricted to the at-large district.

District redistricted in 1793 to the at-large district.

1795–1823: one seat, then two

[edit]

District created in 1795.

Cong
ress 		Years Seat A Seat B
Representative Party Electoral history Representative Party Electoral history
4th March 4, 1795 –
March 3, 1797 		Samuel Maclay
(Shippensburg) 		Democratic-Republican Elected in 1794.
Lost re-election. 		Second seat added in 1813
5th
6th
7th 		March 4, 1797 –
March 3, 1803 		John A. Hanna
(Harrisburg) 		Democratic-Republican Elected in 1796.
Re-elected in 1798.
Re-elected in 1800.
Redistricted to the 4th district.
8th March 4, 1803 –
March 3, 1805 		John Stewart
(York) 		Democratic-Republican Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 1802.
Lost re-election.
9th
10th 		March 4, 1805 –
March 3, 1809 		James Kelly
(Philadelphia) 		Federalist Elected in 1804.
Re-elected in 1806.
Lost re-election.
11th
12th 		March 4, 1809 –
March 3, 1813 		William Crawford
(Gettysburg) 		Democratic-Republican Elected in 1808.
Re-elected in 1810.
Redistricted to the 5th district.
13th March 4, 1813 –
March 3, 1815
Samuel D. Ingham
(New Hope) 		Democratic-Republican Elected in 1812.
Re-elected in 1814.
Re-elected in 1816.
Resigned. 		Robert Brown

(Weaversville)

Democratic-Republican Redistricted from the 2nd district and re-elected in 1812.
Re-elected in 1814.
Retired.
14th March 4, 1815 –
March 3, 1817 		John Ross
(Easton) 		Democratic-Republican Elected in 1814.
Re-elected in 1816.
Resigned to become president judge of the seventh judicial district of Pennsylvania.
15th March 4, 1817 –
February 24, 1818
February 24, 1818 –
March 3, 1818 		Vacant
March 3, 1818 –
July 6, 1818 		Thomas Jones Rogers
(Easton) 		Democratic-Republican Elected to finish Ross's term.
Also elected 1818 to the next term.
Re-elected in 1820.
Redistricted to the 8th district.
July 6, 1818 –
October 13, 1818 		Vacant
October 13, 1818 –
March 3, 1819
Samuel Moore
(Doylestown) 		Democratic-Republican Elected to finish Ingham's term.
Also elected 1818 to the next term.
Re-elected in 1820.
Resigned.
16th March 4, 1819 –
March 3, 1821
17th March 4, 1821 –
May 20, 1822
May 20, 1822 –
October 7, 1822 		Vacant
October 7, 1822 –
March 3, 1823
Samuel D. Ingham
(New Hope) 		Democratic-Republican Elected to finish Moore's term.
Redistricted to the 8th district.

1823 – present: one seat

[edit]
Member Party Years Cong
ress 		Electoral history
Robert Harris
(Harrisburg) 		Jackson
Democratic-Republican 		March 4, 1823 –
March 3, 1825 		18th
19th 		Elected in 1822.
Re-elected in 1824.
Retired.
Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –
March 3, 1827
Innis Green
(Dauphin) 		Jacksonian March 4, 1827 –
March 3, 1831 		20th
21st 		Elected in 1826.
Re-elected in 1828.
Retired.
John C. Bucher
(Harrisburg) 		Jacksonian March 4, 1831 –
March 3, 1833 		22nd Elected in 1830.
Redistricted to the 10th district.
Robert Ramsey
(Hartsville) 		Jacksonian March 4, 1833 –
March 3, 1835 		23rd Elected in 1832.
Retired.
Mathias Morris
(Doylestown) 		Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1835 –
March 3, 1837 		24th
25th 		Elected in 1834.
Re-elected in 1836.
Lost re-election.
Whig March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1839
John Davis
(Davisville) 		Democratic March 4, 1839 –
March 3, 1841 		26th Elected in 1838.
Lost re-election.
Robert Ramsey
(Hartsville) 		Whig March 4, 1841 –
March 3, 1843 		27th Elected in 1840.
Retired.

Michael H. Jenks
(Newtown) 		Whig March 4, 1843 –
March 3, 1845 		28th Elected in 1843.
Lost re-election.
Jacob Erdman
(Coopersburg) 		Democratic March 4, 1845 –
March 3, 1847 		29th Elected in 1844.
Lost re-election.
John Westbrook Hornbeck
(Allentown) 		Whig March 4, 1847 –
January 16, 1848 		30th Elected in 1846.
Died.
Vacant January 17, 1848 –
March 5, 1848

Samuel A. Bridges
(Allentown) 		Democratic March 6, 1848 –
March 3, 1849 		Elected to finish Hornbeck's term.
Retired.
Thomas Ross
(Doylestown) 		Democratic March 4, 1849 –
March 3, 1853 		31st
32nd 		Elected in 1848.
Re-elected in 1850.
[data missing]

William Everhart
(West Chester) 		Whig March 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1855 		33rd Elected in 1852.
[data missing]

John Hickman
(West Chester) 		Democratic March 4, 1855 –
March 3, 1859 		34th
35th
36th
37th 		Elected in 1854.
Re-elected in 1856.
Re-elected in 1858.
Re-elected in 1860.
[data missing]
Anti-Lecompton Democratic March 4, 1859 –
March 3, 1861
Republican March 4, 1861 –
March 3, 1863

John D. Stiles
(Allentown) 		Democratic March 4, 1863 –
March 3, 1865 		38th Elected in 1862.
[data missing]

Benjamin M. Boyer
(Norristown) 		Democratic March 4, 1865 –
March 3, 1869 		39th
40th 		Elected in 1864.
Re-elected in 1866.
Retired.

John D. Stiles
(Allentown) 		Democratic March 4, 1869 –
March 3, 1871 		41st Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1868.
Retired.

Ephraim L. Acker
(Norristown) 		Democratic March 4, 1871 –
March 3, 1873 		42nd Elected in 1870.
Lost re-election.

James S. Biery
(Allentown) 		Republican March 4, 1873 –
March 3, 1875 		43rd Elected in 1872.
Retired.

Washington Townsend
(West Chester) 		Republican March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1877 		44th Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1874.
Retired.

William Ward
(Chester) 		Republican March 4, 1877 –
March 3, 1883 		45th
46th
47th 		Elected in 1876.
Re-elected in 1878.
Re-elected in 1880.
Retired.

James B. Everhart
(West Chester) 		Republican March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1887 		48th
49th 		Elected in 1882.
Re-elected in 1884.
Lost renomination.

Smedley Darlington
(West Chester) 		Republican March 4, 1887 –
March 3, 1891 		50th
51st 		Elected in 1886.
Re-elected in 1888.
Retired.

John B. Robinson
(Media) 		Republican March 4, 1891 –
March 3, 1897 		52nd
53rd
54th 		Elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Lost re-election.

Thomas S. Butler
(West Chester) 		Independent Republican March 4, 1897 –
March 3, 1899 		55th
56th
57th 		Elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
[data missing]
Republican March 4, 1899 –
March 3, 1903

George D. McCreary
(Philadelphia) 		Republican March 4, 1903 –
March 3, 1913 		58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd 		Elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Retired.

J. Washington Logue
(Philadelphia) 		Democratic March 4, 1913 –
March 3, 1915 		63rd Elected in 1912.
Lost re-election.

George P. Darrow
(Philadelphia) 		Republican March 4, 1915 –
March 3, 1923 		64th
65th
66th
67th 		Elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Redistricted to the 7th district.

George A. Welsh
(Philadelphia) 		Republican March 4, 1923 –
May 31, 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.
Resigned to become a district court judge.
Vacant May 31, 1932 –
November 8, 1932 		72nd
Robert L. Davis
(Philadelphia) 		Republican November 8, 1932 –
March 3, 1933 		Elected to finish Welsh's term.
[data missing]

Edward L. Stokes
(Philadelphia) 		Republican March 4, 1933 –
January 3, 1935 		73rd Redistricted from the 2nd district and re-elected in 1932.
Retired to run for Governor.

Michael J. Stack
(Philadelphia) 		Democratic January 3, 1935 –
January 3, 1939 		74th
75th 		Elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Lost renomination and lost re-election under a different party.

Francis J. Myers
(Philadelphia) 		Democratic January 3, 1939 –
January 3, 1945 		76th
77th
78th 		Elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
[data missing]
Herbert J. McGlinchey
(Philadelphia) 		Democratic January 3, 1945 –
January 3, 1947 		79th Elected in 1944.
Lost re-election.

Hugh Scott
(Philadelphia) 		Republican January 3, 1947 –
January 3, 1959 		80th
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
85th 		Elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.

Herman Toll
(Philadelphia) 		Democratic January 3, 1959 –
January 3, 1963 		86th
87th 		Elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Redistricted to the 4th district.

George M. Rhodes
(Reading) 		Democratic January 3, 1963 –
January 3, 1969 		88th
89th
90th 		Redistricted from the 14th district and re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Retired.

Gus Yatron
(Reading) 		Democratic January 3, 1969 –
January 3, 1993 		91st
92nd
93rd
94th
95th
96th
97th
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd 		Elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Re-elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-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.
Re-elected in 1990.
Retired.

Tim Holden
(St. Clair) 		Democratic January 3, 1993 –
January 3, 2003 		103rd
104th
105th
106th
107th 		Elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Redistricted to the 17th district.

Jim Gerlach
(Upper Uwchlan Township) 		Republican January 3, 2003 –
January 3, 2015 		108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
113th 		Elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Retired.

Ryan Costello
(West Chester) 		Republican January 3, 2015 –
January 3, 2019 		114th
115th 		Elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Retired.

Chrissy Houlahan
(Devon) 		Democratic January 3, 2019 –
present 		116th
117th
118th 		Elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.
Re-elected in 2024.

Recent election results

[edit]

2012

[edit]
Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district, 2012[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Gerlach (Incumbent) 191,725 57.1
Democratic Manan Trivedi 143,803 42.9
Total votes 335,528 100.0
Republican hold

2014

[edit]
Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district, 2014[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ryan Costello 119,643 56.3
Democratic Manan Trivedi 92,901 43.7
Total votes 212,544 100.0
Republican hold

2016

[edit]
Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district, 2016[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ryan Costello (incumbent) 207,469 57.2
Democratic Mike Parrish 155,000 42.8
Total votes 362,469 100.0
Republican hold

2018

[edit]
Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district, 2018[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Chrissy Houlahan 177,704 58.9
Republican Greg McCauley 124,124 41.1
Total votes 301,828 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

2020

[edit]
Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district, 2020[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Chrissy Houlahan (incumbent) 226,440 56.1
Republican John Emmons 177,526 43.9
Total votes 403,966 100.0
Democratic hold

2022

[edit]
Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district, 2022[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Chrissy Houlahan (incumbent) 190,386 58.3
Republican Guy Ciarrocchi 136,097 41.7
Total votes 326,483 100.00
Democratic hold

Historical district boundaries

[edit]
  • 2003–2013
    2003–2013
  • 2013–2019
    2013–2019
  • 2019–2023
    2019–2023

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (State-based) - Geography - U.S. Census Bureau". Archived from the original on April 2, 2013.
  2. ^ "My Congressional District".
  3. ^ "Congressional District 6 (118th Congress), Pennsylvania" (under "Socio-Economic" header), census.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  4. ^ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". The Cook Political Report. July 12, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  5. ^ a b 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.
  6. ^ "Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District elections, 2014 - Ballotpedia".
  7. ^ Prokop, Andrew (May 16, 2018). "These 6 Pennsylvania Democratic nominees are key to the battle for House control". Vox. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  8. ^ Burke, Michael (November 6, 2018). "Democrat Chrissy Houlahan elected to House in Pennsylvania". The Hill. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  9. ^ VIETH et al. v. JUBELIRER, PRESIDENT OF THE PENNSYLVANIA SENATE, et al., 541 U.S. 267 (United States Supreme Court 2004) (see http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=000&invol=02-1580) (plurality opinion of Court holding political gerrymandering claims in the District nonjusticiable based on the lack of workable standards)
  10. ^ "2012 COMPETITIVE HOUSE RACE CHART". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
  11. ^ "Municipalities | Congressman Ryan Costello". Archived from the original on September 7, 2016.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "Pennsylvania 2014 General Election - November 4, 2014 Official Results". Pennsylvania Secretary of State. November 4, 2014. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  14. ^ "Pennsylvania 2016 General Election - November 8, 2016 Official Results". Pennsylvania Secretary of State. November 8, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  15. ^ "2018 General Election: Representative in Congress". Pennsylvania Secretary of State. November 6, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  16. ^ "2020 Presidential Election - Representative in Congress". Pennsylvania Department of State. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  17. ^ "2022 General Election Official Returns - Representative in Congress". Pennsylvania Department of State.
[edit]

40°03′37″N 75°38′27″W / 40.06028°N 75.64083°W / 40.06028; -75.64083

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