Bucks County 1st District flips to Democrats in midterm

Bob Harvie defeated Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick in Tuesday's midterm election, securing the Bucks County-based 1st Congressional District for the Democrats.

The victory marks a shift in the local political balance, as Fitzpatrick had held the seat since 2017. Before his brother took office, Mike Fitzpatrick represented the district. With this loss, Democrats have ousted the last House Republican in the Philadelphia suburbs. Harvie joins a wave of Democratic gains that resulted in the party controlling both chambers of Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term.

Nationally, projections show Democrats holding 228 House seats to 139 for Republicans. In the Senate, Democrats hold 54 seats to 44. These numbers give the party control of the legislative agenda. In the House, Brooklyn Rep. Hakeem Jeffries is on track to become the first Black speaker when the new Congress convenes on Jan. 3. In Pennsylvania, four House seats flipped to Democrats. Alongside Harvie, Bob Brooks won the Lehigh Valley's 7th District, Paige Cognetti won the 8th, and Janelle Stelson won the 10th.

Jeffries expressed confidence in the party's ability to lead. "We were confident that we were going to take back control of the House," he said Wednesday morning on MS Now. Current House Speaker Mike Johnson said the outcome was "not what we'd hoped and fought for." President Trump said he plans to use his veto power to block legislation he opposes while remaining open to negotiation.

The change in power affects how Washington, D.C. Operates, as Congress has the final say over the city's budget. During the first year of Trump's second term, Congress froze D.C. Spending at 2024 levels. This action blocked the city from spending about $1 billion of its own money. Mayor-elect Janeese Lewis George said she has spoken with federal lawmakers, including Jeffries, about building support to protect city autonomy.

The new Congress will convene on Jan. 3 to vote for the speaker. Until that date, Republicans maintain control of both chambers. Final tallies for some House and Senate races were still pending as of Wednesday afternoon.