Decision Desk HQ’s 2018 House Midterm Forecast projects that U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick will be narrowly re-elected
By Tom Waring
The Times
Decision Desk HQ’s 2018 House Midterm Forecast projects that U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick will be narrowly re-elected, with his Democratic opponent getting 48.9 percent of the vote.
Fitzpatrick doesn’t even have a Democratic opponent yet. One rumored candidate is Bucks County Commissioner Diane Marseglia. The unnamed Democrat is given a 43.8 percent chance of winning the election.
In 2016, Fitzpatrick won his first term by handily beating Democrat Steve Santarsiero, 54.4 percent to 45.6 percent.
Santarsiero is not expected to run again, as state Attorney General Josh Shapiro gave him a job as chief deputy for environmental protection. Shaughnessy Naughton, who lost Democratic primaries in 2014 and ’16, is working to help elect fellow scientists to Congress, but is not expected to run herself.
Donald Trump edged Hillary Clinton and minor-party candidates in the district.
Overall, Decision Desk HQ projects that Democrats will take 13 Republican seats, including five in California, while the GOP will capture one Democratic seat.
The 12-seat net would still leave Democrats in the minority, 229–206. ••
