Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District elections, 2014
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November 4, 2014 |
May 20, 2014 |
Joseph R. Pitts  |
Joseph R. Pitts |
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Cook Political Report: Solid Republican[1] Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe R[2] |
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The 16th Congressional District of Pennsylvania held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent, Joseph R. Pitts, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, defeated former state Representative Tom Houghton in the general election. Houghton defeated Raja Kittappa in the Democratic primary. The race was rated a "Safe Republican" contest by Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call.[3]
| Candidate Filing Deadline | Primary Election | General Election |
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Primary: A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Pennsylvania utilizes a closed primary process. Voters are required to register with a political party to vote in the primary election.[4][5]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Voter registration: To vote in the primary, voters had to register by April 20, 2014. For the general election, the voter registration deadline was October 6, 2014 (at least 30 days prior to election).[6]
- See also: Pennsylvania elections, 2014
Incumbent: Heading into the election the incumbent was Joseph R. Pitts (R), who was first elected in 1996.
Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District is located in the southeastern region of Pennsylvania and is just west of Philadelphia. It includes parts of Berks, Lancaster and Chester counties.[7]
Candidates
General election candidates
- Joseph R. Pitts - Incumbent
[8] 
Tom Houghton - Former state Representative[8]
May 20, 2014, primary results
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Election results
General election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Joseph R. Pitts Incumbent |
57.7% | 101,722 | |
| Democratic | Tom Houghton | 42.3% | 74,513 | |
| Total Votes | 176,235 | |||
| Source: Pennsylvania Secretary of State | ||||
Democratic primary
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tom Houghton |
62.8% | 14,172 | ||
| Raja Kittappa | 37.2% | 8,382 | ||
| Total Votes | 22,554 | |||
| Source: Results via Associated Press |
||||
Key votes
Below are important votes that Pitts cast during the 113th Congress.
National security
DHS Appropriations
Pitts voted in favor of HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines.[10]
Keystone Pipeline Amendment
Pitts voted against House Amendment 69, which would have amended HR 3 to "require that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, conduct a study of the vulnerabilities of the Keystone XL pipeline to a terrorist attack and certify that necessary protections have been put in place." The amendment failed on May 22, 2013, with a vote of 176 - 239 and was largely along party lines.[10]
CISPA (2013)
Pitts voted in favor of HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities.[11] The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party.[10]
NDAA
Pitts voted in favor of HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote.[10]
Economy
2014 Budget
On January 15, 2014, the Republican-run House approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014.[12][13] The House voted 359-67 for the 1,582-page bill, with 64 Republicans and three Democrats voting against the bill.[13] The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations.[14] It increased the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel by 1 percent, increased Head Start funding for early childhood education by $1 billion, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, and protected the Affordable Care Act from any drastic cuts. Pitts voted with the majority of the Republican Party in favor of the bill.[12]
Government shutdown
- See also: United States budget debate, 2013
On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201.[15] At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference.[16] Pitss voted to approve the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.[17]
The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.[18] The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Pitts voted against HR 2775.[19]
Immigration
Morton Memos Prohibition
Pitts voted in favor of House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain individuals residing in the United States without legal status. The vote largely followed party lines.[10]
Healthcare
Healthcare Reform Rules
Pitts voted in favor of House Amendment 450 - Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The amendment was adopted by the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 227-185. The amendment requires all changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be approved by Congress before taking effect. The vote was largely along party lines.[10]
Keep the IRS Off Your Healthcare Act
Pitts voted in favor of HR 2009 - Keep the IRS Off Your Healthcare Act of 2013. The bill passed through the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 232-185. The bill would prevent the IRS and Treasury Secretary from enforcing the powers provided to them in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The vote largely followed party lines.[10]
Government affairs
HR 676
On July 30, 2014, the U.S. House approved a resolution 225 to 201 to sue President Barack Obama for exceeding his constitutional authority. Five Republicans—Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Paul Broun of Georgia, Scott Garrett of New Jersey, Walter Jones of North Carolina and Steve Stockman of Texas—voted with Democrats against the lawsuit.[20] Pitts joined the other 224 Republicans in favor of the lawsuit. All Democrats voted against the resolution.[21][22]
Campaign contributions
Joseph Pitts
Candidates for Congress were required to file reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Joseph R. Pitts' reports.[23]
| Joseph R. Pitts (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| April Quarterly[24] | April 15, 2013 | $183,946.14 | $164,029.00 | $(54,533.88) | $293,441.26 | ||||
| Mid-Year Report[25] | July 15, 2013 | $293,441.26 | $223,403.31 | $(188,135.57) | $328,709.00 | ||||
| October Quarterly[26] | October 13, 2013 | $328,709.00 | $88,135.00 | $(114,395.27) | $302,448.73 | ||||
| Year-End[27] | January 29, 2014 | $302,448 | $96,793 | $(71,969) | $327,272 | ||||
| April Quarterly[28] | April 14, 2014 | $327,272.34 | $174,807.77 | $(81,873.81) | $420,206.30 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $747,168.08 | $(510,907.53) | ||||||||
Tom Houghton
Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Houghton's reports.[29]
| Tom Houghton (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| April Quarterly[30] | April 15, 2014 | $0.00 | $29,587.39 | $(12,616.47) | $16,970.92 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $29,587.39 | $(12,616.47) | ||||||||
Raja Kittappa
Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Kittappa's reports.[31]
| Raja Kittappa (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| April Quarterly[32] | April 14, 2014 | $0.00 | $7,253.00 | $(0.00) | $7,253.00 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $7,253 | $(0) | ||||||||
District history
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2012
The 16th Congressional District of Pennsylvania held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012. Incumbent Joseph R. Pitts (R) won re-election in the district.[33]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Aryanna Strader | 39% | 111,185 | |
| Republican | Joseph R. Pitts Incumbent |
54.8% | 156,192 | |
| Independent | John Murphy | 4.3% | 12,250 | |
| Independent | James Bednarski | 1.8% | 5,154 | |
| Total Votes | 284,781 | |||
| Source: Pennsylvania Department of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
2010
On November 2, 2010, Joseph R. Pitts won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Lois Herr (D) in the general election.[34]
| U.S. House, Pennsylvania District 16 General Election, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Joseph R. Pitts incumbent |
65.4% | 134,113 | |
| Democrat | Lois Herr | 34.6% | 70,994 | |
| Total Votes | 205,107 | |||
See also
- United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2014
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2014
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "2014 HOUSE RACE RATINGS FOR AUGUST 8, 2014," accessed August 21, 2014
- ↑ Sabato's Crystal Ball, "2014 House Races," accessed August 21, 2014
- ↑ Roll Call, "2014 Election Race Ratings," accessed September 17, 2014
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures Website, "State Primary Election Types," accessed September 24, 2024
- ↑ Casetext, "25 Pa. Stat. § 299," accessed September 24, 2024
- ↑ Votes PA, "How to Register," accessed January 3, 2014
- ↑ Pennsylvania Redistricting Map "Map" accessed July 30, 2012
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Associated Press, "Pennsylvania - Summary Vote Results," May 20, 2014
- ↑ Daily Local, "Houghton to announce for Congressional bid," accessed January 28, 2014
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 Project Vote Smart, "Joseph Pitts Key Votes," accessed October 16, 2013
- ↑ The Library of Congress, "Bill Summary & Status - 113th Congress (2013 - 2014) - H.R.624," accessed August 27, 2013
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 CNN.com, "House passes compromise $1.1 trillion budget for 2014," accessed January 20, 2014
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 U.S. House, "Roll Call Vote 21," accessed January 20, 2014
- ↑ Roll Call, "House passes $1.1 trillion omnibus," accessed January 15, 2014
- ↑ Clerk of the U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ Buzzfeed, "Government Shutdown: How We Got Here," accessed October 1, 2013
- ↑ Clerk of the U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Reid, McConnell propose bipartisan Senate bill to end shutdown, extend borrowing," accessed October 16, 2013
- ↑ U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 550," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ U.S. House, "House Resolution 676," accessed July 30, 2014
- ↑ Associated Press, "Suing Obama: GOP-led House gives the go-ahead," July 31, 2014
- ↑ Washington Post, "House clears way for lawsuit against Obama," accessed July 30, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Joseph Pitts 2014 Summary reports," accessed October 28, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "April Quarterly," accessed July 22, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Mid-Year Report," accessed July 22, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "October Quarterly," accessed October 28, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Pitts Year-End," accessed February 5, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "April Quarterly," accessed April 21, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Houghton 2014 Summary reports," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "April Quarterly," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Kittappa 2014 Summary reports," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "April Quarterly," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, Pennsylvania"
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
