Mark Houck

Mark Houck (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District. He lost in the Republican primary on April 23, 2024.

Houck completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Mark Houck was born in Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania. He earned a bachelor's degree from The Catholic University of America in 1997 and a graduate degree from Holy Family University. His career experience includes working as a lecturer, educator, and juvenile criminal justice counselor. Houck has been affiliated with Knights of Columbus, Pennridge GOP, Lehigh Valley Tea Party, and Palisades youth football.^[1]

Elections

2024

Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District election, 2024 (April 23 Republican primary)

Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District election, 2024 (April 23 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 1

Incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick defeated Ashley Ehasz in the general election for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 1 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Brian Fitzpatrick (R)	56.2	261,390
	Ashley Ehasz (D)	43.4	202,042
	Other/Write-in votes	0.3	1,606

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 465,038
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 1

Ashley Ehasz advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 1 on April 23, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Ashley Ehasz	99.2	69,489
	Other/Write-in votes	0.8	592

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 70,081
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 1

Incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick defeated Mark Houck in the Republican primary for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 1 on April 23, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Brian Fitzpatrick	61.2	45,052
	Mark Houck	38.3	28,180
	Other/Write-in votes	0.4	331

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 73,563
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Quincy Richardson (R)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Houck in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Mark Houck completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Houck's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Mark Houck, husband, father of 7 and congressional candidate for Congress in PA -01. I never wanted to run for office till my wife and children were victimized by the weaponization of the government.

As a former college football All-American, I know what it means to fight for a cause greater than oneself. I am running for my fellow American citizens so that what happened to me doesn’t happen to them.

I am a teacher and lecturer by trade. I have been leading a non-profit 501c-3 organization since 2006. This organization is called The King’s Men, Inc. and is a full-time ministry dedicated to helping men and families throughout the world.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Restore Constitutional values by protecting all rights under this founding document and preventing the tyrannical overreach of government upon American citizens.
Restore fiscal sanity to our nation by addressing national debt and defunding programs that are unconstitutional. This policy will provide tax payers with greater ability to thrive in an economy that truly works for them. By pursuing energy independence and eliminating the wasteful spending in Washington, we can strengthen the dollar, cut inflation and help American businesses to grow.
Secure the Border! This is a clear and present danger to our national security. We need to enforce existing immigration laws and consider shutting down the border if necessary. There are so many threats beyond just an out of control border. American lives are being threatened. The human trafficking that is taking place is destroying lives. The drugs are killing our citizens and bad actors are moving into our nation with the intent to harm and destroy America.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Military & Education

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Sir Thomas More…statesman, lawyer, and devoted husband/father. Successfully navigated political life and life of faith. Courageous and loyal man who gave up his life rather than compromise on his beliefs and values.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

The federalist papers & the Bill of Rights

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity and character…I will take an oath on January 3, 2025 to uphold the Constitution and I intend to cast my votes carefully in light of this oath and on behalf of my constituents who have entrusted me as their mouthpiece.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Moral courage

Excellent communicator
Driven personality

Honest

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

There are 17 enumerated powers given to members of Congress and they shall be our guide for what a legislature can and cannot do. These responsibilities deal primarily with military readiness, immigration, weights & measures and limiting government.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy that PA-01 can be proud of the man they sent to Congress to represent them. I would hope that all constituents can say that I was fair, honest and true to my promises and word.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Pope John Paul II’s visit to Philadelphia in 1979. I was five years old. This event was larger than my little world perspective time could fathom.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Squires Golf Club, Ambler, PA. I was a locker room attendant. I learned a lot about respect from great men who showed me respect as a young man who was tasked with serving them.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Holy Bible—the words contained are life giving

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Indiana Jones

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

You were always on my mind by Elvis Presley

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Trying to please everyone…this is not always achievable. There are always those who will not like you and those who believe you could be a better. This is a struggle at times because I strive to do what’s right and think of the general welfare of all people.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

They hold the purse (the money) and this requires prudence and discipline as regards the specific responsibilities & powers enumerated under the constitution.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

Perhaps but not always. Having a fresh perspective on the ways things should be versus the way things have been done might lend itself to some better, and more creative thinking and problem solving.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Immigration & national security at the Mexican border, foreign military entanglements & operations, and energy independence

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Maybe 4 might be better to get things done since it seems campaigning takes up a lot of Congress person’s time.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I am in favor of it

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Not in particular although I admire quite a few of existing representatives.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

The stories that I have heard have offered me great encouragement and hope for the district. Many have shared their frustration with incumbent & offered great excitement with our campaign. One story emerges from gun club which highlights such disappointment. The story is one of betrayal from existing congressman with a reciprocity vote on the house floor. Feeling abandoned by the house vote, the gun club banned existing congressman from attending their gun club meetings. Needless to say, my presence was positively supported.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Knock knock

Who’s there?
Interrupting cow
Interrupting cow…?

MOOO!!!!!

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Of course…depends on the issue but the ability to compromise is an important part of diplomacy both in foreign & domestic relations. Bi-partisan policy making can be good for America.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

Of course this responsibility is of great importance. Casting votes and being present for all votes on the house floor is one of my prime responsibilities and a sacred duty on behalf of my district.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

Very efficiently and in the best interest of the American people

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

NOM - National Organizationof Marriage

Phyllis Schlafley Eagles Council
Catholic Vote
NRA

USA Numbers

What committees interest you?

Freedom caucus, weaponization of the government, and education

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I believe the government needs accountability hence the three branches. Of course transparency is important especially with constituents who should be provided frequent town halls and opportunities to meet with their congress person should they so desire.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Mark Houck campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House Pennsylvania District 1	Lost primary	$173,105	$174,404
Grand total			$173,105	$174,404
Sources: OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission *This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

External links

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Candidate

U.S. House Pennsylvania District 1

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 14, 2024

[show]

Pennsylvania's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

John Fetterman (D)

David McCormick (R)

Representatives

District 1

Brian Fitzpatrick (R)

District 2

Brendan Boyle (D)

District 3

Dwight Evans (D)

District 4

Madeleine Dean (D)

District 5

Mary Scanlon (D)

District 6

Chrissy Houlahan (D)

District 7

Ryan Mackenzie (R)

District 8

Rob Bresnahan (R)

District 9

Dan Meuser (R)

District 10

Scott Perry (R)

District 11

Lloyd Smucker (R)

District 12

Summer Lee (D)

District 13

John Joyce (R)

District 14

Guy Reschenthaler (R)

District 15

Glenn Thompson (R)

District 16

Mike Kelly (R)

District 17

Chris Deluzio (D)

Republican Party (11)

Democratic Party (8)

[1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 14, 2024

[1]

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Mark Houck

Contents

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 1

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 1

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 1

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Campaign finance summary

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

2026 Elections

2024 Election analysis

Trending

Public Policy

Information for candidates

Get Engaged

Services

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