| Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district | |
|---|---|
.svg)  Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023 (Allegheny County outlined in red) | |
| Representative | |
| Population (2024) | 754,530 |
| Median household income | $74,565 |
| Ethnicity |
|
| Cook PVI | D+10[1] |
Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district is located in southwesternPennsylvania, including Pittsburgh and much of Allegheny County, as well as some ofWestmoreland County. Since January 3, 2023, it has been represented bySummer Lee.
Before 2018, the 12th district was located in southwestern Pennsylvania and included all ofBeaver County, and parts ofAllegheny,Cambria,Lawrence,Somerset, andWestmoreland Counties. TheSupreme Court of Pennsylvania redrew this and other state congressional districts in February 2018 after ruling the previous map unconstitutional due to partisangerrymandering. The new 12th district covers much of the old10th district. The old 12th district was redrawn to an area north and west ofPittsburgh and renamed the17th district for the 2018 elections and representation after that.[2]
Before the 2011 round of redistricting, the 12th district was widely considered to begerrymandered by the Republican-controlled state legislature as a heavily Democratic district. It consisted of all ofGreene County, and parts ofAllegheny,Armstrong,Cambria,Fayette,Indiana,Somerset,Washington, andWestmoreland Counties.
| Year | Office | Results[3] |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | President | Obama 59% – 40% |
| Attorney General | Morganelli 51% – 49% | |
| Auditor General | Wagner 75% – 25% | |
| 2010 | Senate | Sestak 57% – 43% |
| Governor | Onorato 52% – 48% | |
| 2012 | President | Obama 60% – 40% |
| Senate | Casey Jr. 63% – 37% | |
| 2014 | Governor | Wolf 61% – 39% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 57% – 40% |
| Senate | McGinty 57% – 39% | |
| Attorney General | Shapiro 61% – 39% | |
| Treasurer | Torsella 61% – 33% | |
| Auditor General | DePasquale 64% – 31% | |
| 2018 | Senate | Casey Jr. 66% – 32% |
| Governor | Wolf 68% – 31% | |
| 2020 | President | Biden 59% – 39% |
| Attorney General | Shapiro 62% – 34% | |
| Treasurer | Torsella 58% – 38% | |
| Auditor General | Ahmad 57% – 39% | |
| 2022 | Senate | Fetterman 63% – 35% |
| Governor | Shapiro 68% – 30% | |
| 2024 | President | Harris 59% – 40% |
| Senate | Casey Jr. 59% – 38% | |
| Treasurer | McClelland 57% – 41% |
After the 2000 census, the Republican-controlled state legislature radically altered the 12th 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 is in the 18th district (the reconfigured 20th). This led to criticism that the 12th was agerrymander intended to pack as many of southwestern Pennsylvania's heavily Democratic areas as possible into just two districts—the 12th and the Pittsburgh-based14th.
Located in southwestern Pennsylvania, the 12th district consisted of all ofGreene County, and parts ofAllegheny,Armstrong,Cambria,Fayette,Indiana,Somerset,Washington, andWestmoreland 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 inPhiladelphia andPittsburgh. 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 ofWashington and eastern portions of the county, a large and Democratic edge suburb of Pittsburgh, was a part of the 12th. Most of theMonongahela Valley region, a very Democratic area 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 likeMcDonald andCanonsburg) then belonged to the 18th. The western portion of Fayette County, including the city ofUniontown, a labor Democratic stronghold, was part of this district. In contrast, 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 asMurrysville) and the generally left-leaning city ofGreensburg 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 sizeable coal-mining region, includes the district's largest city,Johnstown. The 12th also contained a part of Indiana County, mainly the college town ofIndiana.
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 asLower Burrell and the working-class suburb ofNew Kensington. A portion of Armstrong County was also included in the district, including several industrial suburbs such asFreeport andApollo. The district is notable as the only congressional district in the nation that voted forDemocratic presidential candidateJohn Kerry in2004 but went forRepublicanJohn McCain in2008. This is mainly because, since 2000, southwestern Pennsylvania has gradually become more Republican.
In the2006 election, Murtha was re-elected with 61% of the vote. HisRepublican opponent,Washington County CommissionerDiana Irey, received 39%.
John Murtha won the 2008 election with 58% of the vote. Murtha was aUnited States Marine and the firstVietnam War veteran to serve in Congress. He defeated Lt. Col. William T. Russell, an army veteran.
PennsylvaniagovernorEd Rendell scheduled aspecial election for May 18, 2010, following the death of Representative John Murtha. On March 8, 2010, thePennsylvania Democratic Party's Executive Committee nominatedMark Critz, Murtha's former district director.[4] On March 11, a convention of Republicans from the 12th district nominated businessmanTim Burns.[5] 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.
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%).
Mark Critz ran for re-election to a second full term in the2012 election but was defeated by Republican challengerKeith Rothfus. Critz garnered 48.5% of the vote to Rothfus' 51.5%.[6] 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.
AfterTom Marino's resignation in January 2019, an election was held on May 21 to fill the open seat. RepublicanFred Keller defeated 2018 Democratic nominee Mark Friedenberg.[7][8]
Allegheny County(46)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Keith Rothfus | 175,352 | 51.7 | |
| Democratic | Mark Critz (incumbent) | 163,589 | 48.3 | |
| Total votes | 338,941 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Keith Rothfus (incumbent) | 127,993 | 59.3 | |
| Democratic | Erin McClelland | 87,928 | 40.7 | |
| Total votes | 215,921 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Keith Rothfus (incumbent) | 221,851 | 61.8 | |
| Democratic | Erin Mcclelland | 137,353 | 38.2 | |
| Total votes | 359,204 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tom Marino (incumbent) | 161,047 | 66.0 | |
| Democratic | Marc Friedenberg | 82,825 | 34.0 | |
| Total votes | 243,872 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Fred Keller | 90,000 | 68.08% | +2.04% | |
| Democratic | Marc Friedenberg | 42,195 | 31.92% | −2.04% | |
| Total votes | 132,195 | 100.0% | N/A | ||
| Republicanhold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Fred Keller (incumbent) | 241,035 | 70.8 | |
| Democratic | Lee Griffin | 99,199 | 29.2 | |
| Total votes | 340,234 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Summer Lee | 184,674 | 56.2 | |
| Republican | Mike Doyle | 143,946 | 43.8 | |
| Total votes | 328,620 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Summer Lee (incumbent) | 234,802 | 56.4 | |
| Republican | James Hayes | 181,426 | 43.6 | |
| Total votes | 416,228 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
40°25′42″N79°29′11″W / 40.42833°N 79.48639°W /40.42833; -79.48639
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