Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district

Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district
	Boundaries since the 2018 elections.
Representative
	Matt Cartwright; D–Moosic
Population (2019)	698,973
Median household; income	$56,149
Ethnicity	79.5% White; 12.4% Hispanic; 6.0% Black; 2.0% Asian; 0.1% Native American;
Cook PVI	R+5

Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district is located in the northeastern region of the state. It encompasses all of Wayne, Pike, and Lackawanna counties, along with portions of Luzerne and Monroe counties.

The district had been anchored in Bucks County from the 1940s until 2018, even as most other districts in Pennsylvania changed drastically during that time frame due to population shifts and Pennsylvania's loss of seats in the House.^[2]

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania redrew the district in February 2018 after ruling the previous map unconstitutional due to gerrymandering. The 8th district was reassigned to the northeastern part of the state for the 2018 elections and representation thereafter. It is geographically the successor of the former 17th district, including the ancestrally Democratic cities of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre in the Wyoming Valley. Portions of the new 8th also came from the old 10th district, including the more conservative counties of Pike and Wayne. Meanwhile, the Bucks County district was renumbered as the 1st district.^[3]

The district has a Cook PVI of R+5; however, the Democratic incumbent of the old 17th district, Matt Cartwright, won in 2018.^[4] As of 2021, it is one of seven districts that voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election while being held by a Democrat.

District characteristics[]

The district is a mix of suburban and rural communities. It is predominantly white and middle class. The bulk of its population is located in the ancestrally Democratic cities of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. However, the Democrats in this district are populist leaning, different from their counterparts in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The old 17th swung from a 55–43 win for Barack Obama to a 54–43 win for Donald Trump--the first time much of this area had voted for a Republican since 1988. Now this district is the second most Republican-leaning district held by a Democrat and the most Republican-leaning district held by a member of Congressional Progressive Caucus based on the Cook Partisan Voting Index.

Election results[]

US House election, 2004: Pennsylvania District 8
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mike Fitzpatrick	183,229	55	-9
	Democratic		143,427	44	+7
	Libertarian		3,710	1	+1
	Constitution		898	0.3	+0.3
Turnout			331,264

US House election, 2006: Pennsylvania District 8
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Patrick Murphy	125,667	50	+6
	Republican	Mike Fitzpatrick (incumbent)	124,146	50	-5
Turnout			249,813

US House election, 2008: Pennsylvania District 8
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Patrick Murphy (incumbent)	197,869	57	+7
	Republican	Tom Manion	145,103	42	-8
	Independent		5,543	2
Turnout			348,515

US House election, 2010: Pennsylvania District 8
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mike Fitzpatrick	126,404	54	+12
	Democratic	Patrick Murphy (incumbent)	109,157	46	-11
Turnout			235,561

US House election, 2012: Pennsylvania District 8^[5]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mike Fitzpatrick (incumbent)	199,379	56.6	+2.6
	Democratic	Kathy Boockvar	152,859	43.4	-2.6
Turnout			352,238

US House election, 2014: Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District^[6]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mike Fitzpatrick (Incumbent)	137,731	61.90
	Democratic	Kevin Strouse	84,767	38.10
Turnout			222,498

US House election, 2016: Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District^[6]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Brian Fitzpatrick	207,263	54.4
	Democratic	Steve Santarsiero	173,555	45.6
Total votes			380,818	100.0
	Republican hold

US House election, 2018: Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Matt Cartwright (incumbent)	135,603	54.6
	Republican	John Chrin	112,563	45.4
Total votes			248,166	100.0
	Democratic hold

US House election, 2020: Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District^[7]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Matt Cartwright (incumbent)	178,004	51.8
	Republican	Jim Bognet	165,783	48.2
Total votes			343,787	100.0
	Democratic hold

List of members representing the district[]

The district was created in 1791.

1791–1793: One seat[]

Representative	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history
William Findley	Anti-Administration	March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793	2nd	Elected in 1791. Redistricted to the at-large district.

District eliminated in 1793 and replaced by the at-large district.

1795–1813: One seat[]

District restored in 1795.

Representative	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history
Thomas Hartley	Federalist	March 4, 1795 – December 21, 1800	4th 5th 6th	Redistricted from the at-large district and re-elected in 1794. Re-elected in 1796. Re-elected in 1798. Retired and then died.
Vacant		December 21, 1800 – January 15, 1801	6th
John Stewart	Democratic-Republican	January 15, 1801 – March 3, 1803	6th 7th	Elected in 1800. Elected January 15, 1801 to finish Hartley's term and seated February 3, 1801. Redistricted to the 6th district.
William Findley	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1813	8th 9th 10th 11th 12th	Elected in 1802. Re-elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Re-elected in 1808. Re-elected in 1810. Redistricted to the 11th district.
William Piper	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1817	13th 14th	Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Retired.
Alexander Ogle	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1819	15th	Elected in 1816. Retired.
Robert Philson	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1821	16th	Elected in 1818. Lost re-election as a Federalist.
John Tod	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1823	17th	Elected in 1820. Redistricted to the 13th district.

1823–1833: Two seats[]

Years	Cong ress	Seat A			Seat B
Years	Cong ress	Representative	Party	Electoral history	Representative	Party	Electoral history
March 4, 1823 – April 20, 1824	18th	Thomas Jones Rogers	Democratic-Republican	Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1822. Resigned.	Samuel D. Ingham	Democratic-Republican	Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1822. Re-elected in 1824. Re-elected in 1826. Re-elected in 1828 but resigned to become U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.
April 20, 1824 – December 9, 1824		Vacant
December 9, 1824 – March 3, 1825		George Wolf	Democratic-Republican	Elected October 12, 1824 to finish Rogers's term and seated December 9, 1824. Also elected the same day in 1824 to the next term. Re-elected in 1826. Re-elected in 1828 but resigned to become Governor of Pennsylvania.
March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1829	19th 20th	George Wolf	Jacksonian			Jacksonian
March 4, 1829 – October 13, 1829	21st	Vacant			Vacant
October 13, 1829 – March 3, 1833	21st 22nd	Samuel A. Smith	Jacksonian	Elected October 13, 1829 to finish Wolf's term and seated December 7, 1829. Re-elected in 1830. Retired.	Peter Ihrie Jr.	Jacksonian	Elected October 13, 1829 to finish Ingham's term and seated December 7, 1829. Re-elected in 1830. Redistricted to the 7th district and lost re-election.

1833–present: One seat[]

Member	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history	District location
Henry King	Jacksonian	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835	23rd	Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1832. Retired.	1833–1843 [data unknown/missing]
Edward Burd Hubley	Jacksonian	March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837	24th 25th	Elected in 1834. Re-elected in 1836. Retired.
Edward Burd Hubley	Democratic	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839	24th 25th	Elected in 1834. Re-elected in 1836. Retired.
Peter Newhard	Democratic	March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1843	26th 27th	Elected in 1838. Re-elected in 1840. Retired.
Jeremiah Brown	Whig	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845	28th	Redistricted from the 4th district and re-elected in 1843. Retired.	1843–1853 [data unknown/missing]
John Strohm	Whig	March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1849	29th 30th	Elected in 1844. Re-elected in 1846. [data unknown/missing]
Thaddeus Stevens	Whig	March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1853	31st 32nd	Elected in 1848. Re-elected in 1850. [data unknown/missing]
Henry A. Muhlenberg	Democratic	March 4, 1853 – January 9, 1854	33rd	Elected in 1852. Died.	1853–1863 [data unknown/missing]
Vacant		January 9, 1854 – February 4, 1854	33rd
J. Glancy Jones	Democratic	February 4, 1854 – October 30, 1858	33rd 34th 35th	Elected to finish Muhlenberg's term. Re-elected in 1854. Re-elected in 1856. Resigned to become United States Minister to Austria.
Vacant		October 30, 1858 – December 7, 1858	35th
William H. Keim	Republican	December 7, 1858 – March 3, 1859	35th	Elected to finish Jones's term. [data unknown/missing]
John Schwartz	Anti-Lecompton Democratic	March 4, 1859 – June 20, 1860	36th	Elected in 1858. Died.
Vacant		June 20, 1860 – December 3, 1860
Jacob K. McKenty	Democratic	December 3, 1860 – March 3, 1861		Elected to finish Schwartz's term. Retired.
Sydenham E. Ancona	Democratic	March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1867	37th 38th 39th	Elected in 1860. Re-elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1864. Lost renomination.
Sydenham E. Ancona	Democratic	March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1867	37th 38th 39th		1863–1873 [data unknown/missing]
James L. Getz	Democratic	March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1873	40th 41st 42nd	Elected in 1866. Re-elected in 1868. Re-elected in 1870. Retired.	1863–1873 [data unknown/missing]
Hiester Clymer	Democratic	March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1881	43rd 44th 45th 46th	Elected in 1872. Re-elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. [data unknown/missing]	1873–1883 [data unknown/missing]
Daniel Ermentrout	Democratic	March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1889	47th 48th 49th 50th	Elected in 1880. Re-elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Lost renomination.	1873–1883 [data unknown/missing]
Daniel Ermentrout	Democratic	March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1889	47th 48th 49th 50th		1883–1893 [data unknown/missing]
William Mutchler	Democratic	March 4, 1889 – June 23, 1893	51st 52nd 53rd	Elected in 1888. Re-elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Died.	1883–1893 [data unknown/missing]
William Mutchler	Democratic	March 4, 1889 – June 23, 1893	51st 52nd 53rd		1893–1903 [data unknown/missing]
Vacant		June 23, 1893 – August 7, 1893	53rd
Howard Mutchler	Democratic	August 7, 1893 – March 3, 1895	53rd	Elected to finish Mutchler's term. Retired.
Joseph J. Hart	Democratic	March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897	54th	Elected in 1894. Retired.
William S. Kirkpatrick	Republican	March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1899	55th	Elected in 1896. Lost re-election.
Laird H. Barber	Democratic	March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1901	56th	Elected in 1898. Retired.
Howard Mutchler	Democratic	March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1903	57th	Elected in 1900. Retired.
Irving P. Wanger	Republican	March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1911	58th 59th 60th 61st	Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Lost re-election.	1903–1913 [data unknown/missing]
Robert E. Difenderfer	Democratic	March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1915	62nd 63rd	Elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Lost renomination.	1903–1913 [data unknown/missing]
Robert E. Difenderfer	Democratic	March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1915	62nd 63rd	Elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Lost renomination.	1913–1933 [data unknown/missing]
Henry W. Watson	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 Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district.
Thomas S. Butler	Republican	March 4, 1923 – May 26, 1928	68th 69th 70th	Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Died.
Vacant		May 26, 1928 – November 6, 1928	70th
James Wolfenden	Republican	November 6, 1928 – January 3, 1945	70th 71st 72nd 73rd 74th 75th 76th 77th 78th	Elected to finish Butler's term. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Redistricted to the Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district.
					1933–1943 [data unknown/missing]
					1943–1953 [data unknown/missing]
Charles L. Gerlach	Republican	January 3, 1945 – May 5, 1947	79th 80th	Redistricted from the 9th district and re-elected in 1944. Died.
Vacant		May 5, 1947 – September 9, 1947	80th
Franklin H. Lichtenwalter	Republican	September 9, 1947 – January 3, 1951	80th 81st	Elected to finish Gerlach's term. Re-elected in 1948. [data unknown/missing]
Albert C. Vaughn	Republican	January 3, 1951 – September 1, 1951	82nd	Elected in 1950. Died.
Vacant		September 1, 1951 – November 6, 1951	82nd
Karl C. King	Republican	November 6, 1951 – January 3, 1957	82nd 83rd 84th	Elected to finish Vaughn's term. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Retired.
Karl C. King	Republican	November 6, 1951 – January 3, 1957	82nd 83rd 84th		1953–1963 [data unknown/missing]
Willard S. Curtin	Republican	January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1967	85th 86th 87th 88th 89th	Elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Retired.	1953–1963 [data unknown/missing]
Willard S. Curtin	Republican	January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1967	85th 86th 87th 88th 89th		1963–1973 [data unknown/missing]
Edward G. Biester Jr.	Republican	January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1977	90th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th	Elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Retired.	1963–1973 [data unknown/missing]
Edward G. Biester Jr.	Republican	January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1977	90th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th		1973–1983 [data unknown/missing]
Peter H. Kostmayer	Democratic	January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1981	95th 96th	Elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Lost re-election.
James K. Coyne, III	Republican	January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1983	97th	Elected in 1980. Lost re-election.
Peter H. Kostmayer	Democratic	January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1993	98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd	Elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Lost re-election.	1983–1993 [data unknown/missing]
James C. Greenwood	Republican	January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2005	103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th	Elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Retired.	1993–2003 [data unknown/missing]
James C. Greenwood	Republican	January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2005	103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th		2003–2013
Mike Fitzpatrick	Republican	January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2007	109th	Elected in 2004. Lost re-election.
Patrick Murphy	Democratic	January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011	110th 111th	Elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Lost re-election.
Mike Fitzpatrick	Republican	January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2017	112th 113th 114th	Elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Retired.
Mike Fitzpatrick	Republican	January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2017	112th 113th 114th		2013–2019
Brian Fitzpatrick	Republican	January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019	115th	Elected in 2016. Redistricted to the 1st district	2013–2019
Matt Cartwright	Democratic	January 3, 2019 – present	116th 117th	Redistricted from the 17th district and re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020 [data unknown/missing]	2019–Present

References[]

^ "Introducing the 2021 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index". The Cook Political Report. April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
^ "Congressional Interactive District Map". Retrieved August 30, 2016.
^ 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.
^ "Battle for the House 2018". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
^ "2012 General Election—Official Returns". Pennsylvania Department of State. November 6, 2012. Archived from the original on November 16, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
^ ^a ^b "Pennsylvania 2014 General Election - November 4, 2014 Official Results". Pennsylvania Secretary of State. November 4, 2014. Archived from the original on February 15, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
^ "2020 Presidential Election - Representative in Congress". Pennsylvania Department of State. Retrieved November 25, 2020.

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

External links[]

Congressional redistricting in Pennsylvania

Coordinates: 40°20′10″N 75°09′04″W / 40.33611°N 75.15111°W / 40.33611; -75.15111

[Cook-1] "Introducing the 2021 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index". The Cook Political Report. April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2021.

[CongMap-2] "Congressional Interactive District Map". Retrieved August 30, 2016.

[new-3] 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.

[4] "Battle for the House 2018". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved May 4, 2018.

[5] "2012 General Election—Official Returns". Pennsylvania Department of State. November 6, 2012. Archived from the original on November 16, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2013.

[Generalelection-6] "Pennsylvania 2014 General Election - November 4, 2014 Official Results". Pennsylvania Secretary of State. November 4, 2014. Archived from the original on February 15, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2015.

[PAgenr-7] "2020 Presidential Election - Representative in Congress". Pennsylvania Department of State. Retrieved November 25, 2020.

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