Brian Fitzpatrick wins the first congressional district election

U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican, won his fifth term in Congress Tuesday night after defeating Democrat and Army veteran Ashley Ehasz.

The former FBI agent, who risked his political reputation by being a moderate, won his rematch against Ehasz as a representative Bucks County.

Fitzpatrick, 50, ran a quiet campaignavoiding the media and questions about whether he was supportive Donald Trump.

His re-election is yet another show of power for the Republicans in the purple province. Fitzpatrick managed to keep the seat he has held since 2017, even as Republican lawmakers in Philadelphia’s other counties lost their races to Democratic challengers.

Fitzpatrick thanked supporters in a statement and pointed out their “values ​​of unity, bipartisanship and independence.”

“I will continue to work tirelessly to represent all of us, our one community, as a bridge builder, well into the future as the #1 Most Independent Member of Congress, as we seek to build consensus and cooperation, while consistently addressing the issues expose forces that seek to divide our community,” he said. “We are so fortunate to live in the most vibrant community in America, a community that I have been proud to call home my entire life.”

Fitzpatrick does received 55.9% of the votes against Ehasz’s 43.1%, with 99% of the expected votes. This was Ehasz’s second consecutive bid to unseat Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick has built a reputation as an independent-minded Republican who puts distance between himself and Trump even as he avoided outright criticism of the former president.

Ehasz said in a statement Wednesday was “a dark morning in America,” with Fitzpatrick calling on him to “stand up for our democracy and the hundreds of thousands of women he represents to protect our freedom.”

“As a war veteran who risked my life for our country, I will always fight for our democracy and securing equal rights – for all of us,” Ehasz said.

The National Republican Congressional Committee congratulated Fitzpatrick on his victory and highlighted his “proven record of reaching across the aisle to get things done for his district.”

“Voters know that Rep. Fitzpatrick will continue to fight relentlessly in Congress to ensure Pennsylvania communities are safe, prosperous and free,” NRCC spokesperson Mike Marinella said in a statement.

This year, Democrats hoped that Trump, who would be on the ballot again, in addition to a message on abortion rights, would help 36-year-old Ehasz to victory.

But national Democrats did not devote the same amount of resources to Ehasz’s race as they did to other competitive districts, and the Democratic challenger largely relied on the same messaging she used in her failed 2022 campaign.