Pennsylvania's 9th Congressional District elections, 2014
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November 4, 2014 |
May 20, 2014 |
Bill Shuster  |
Bill Shuster |
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Cook Political Report: Solid Republican[1] Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe R[2] |
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The 9th Congressional District of Pennsylvania held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent, Bill Shuster defeated Alanna Hartzok, who run unopposed in the Democratic primary, in the general election. Shuster fended off two challengers, Art Halvorson and Travis Schooley, in the Republican 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 Bill Shuster (R), who was first elected in 2001.
Pennsylvania's 9th Congressional District is located in the south central portion Pennsylvania and includes Bedford, Blair, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, and Indiana counties. Areas of Cambria, Greene, Huntingdon, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland counties are also included in the district.[7]
Candidates
General election candidates
- Bill Shuster - Incumbent
[8] 
Alanna Hartzok[8]
May 20, 2014, primary results
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Election results
General election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Bill Shuster Incumbent |
63.5% | 110,094 | |
| Democratic | Alanna Hartzok | 36.5% | 63,223 | |
| Total Votes | 173,317 | |||
| Source: Pennsylvania Department of State | ||||
Republican primary
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bill Shuster Incumbent |
52.8% | 24,106 | ||
| Art Halvorson | 34.5% | 15,761 | ||
| Travis Schooley | 12.7% | 5,802 | ||
| Total Votes | 45,669 | |||
| Source: Results via Associated Press |
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Race background
Politico published a list in August 2013 of the five primaries to watch in 2014. Pennsylvania's 9th Congressional District was included on the list.[11]
Bill Shuster defeated Art Halvorson and Travis Schooley in the Republican primary. Halvorson won early endorsements from RedState founder Erick Erickson and the Madison Project, a conservative group that ran a 60-second radio ad criticizing Shuster for his votes to raise the debt ceiling.[11] Halvorson, a wealthy commercial real estate developer who put more than $100,000 towards his campaign, was critical of Shuster for his record on spending issues. Schuster also defeated U.S. Army veteran Travis Schooley in the primary.[11] It was not the first time Shuster faced a serious primary. In 2004, he held off Republican challenger Michael DelGrosso, 51 percent to 49 percent.[11]
Key votes
Below are important votes that Shuster cast during the 113th Congress.
National security
DHS Appropriations
Shuster 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.[12]
Keystone Pipeline Amendment
Shuster 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.[12]
CISPA (2013)
Shuster 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.[13] The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party.[12]
NDAA
Shuster voted in support 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.[12]
Economy
Farm bill
On January 29, 2014, the U.S. House approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, also known as the Farm Bill.[14] The bill passed by a vote of 251-166. The nearly 1,000-page bill reformed and continued various programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that would kick in when prices drop.[15][16] It also cut the food stamp program an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states.[16] Shuster voted with 161 other Republican representatives in favor of the bill.
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.[17][18] The House voted 359-67 for the 1,582-page bill, with 64 Republicans and three Democrats voting against the bill.[18] The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations.[19] 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. Shuster voted with the majority of the Republican Party in favor of the bill.[17]
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.[20] 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.[21] Shuster voted to approve the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.[22]
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.[23] 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. Shuster voted for HR 2775.[24]
Immigration
Morton Memos Prohibition
Shuster 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.[12]
Healthcare
Healthcare Reform Rules
Shuster 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.[12]
Keep the IRS Off Your Healthcare Act
Shuster 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.[12]
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.[25] Shuster joined the other 224 Republicans in favor of the lawsuit. All Democrats voted against the resolution.[26][27]
Polls
| Republican primary candidates | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Bill Schuster | Art Halvorson | Travis Schooley | Undecided | Margin of Error | Sample Size | |||||||||||||
| Harper Polling September 30, 2013 - October 1, 2013 | 62% | 11% | 5% | 21% | +/-4.16 | 555 | |||||||||||||
| Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to [email protected] | |||||||||||||||||||
Media
Bill Shuster
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Campaign contributions
Bill Shuster
Candidates for Congress were required to file reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Bill Shuster's reports.[28]
| Bill Shuster (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| April Quarterly[29] | April 15, 2013 | $284,858.84 | $496,211.55 | $(168,733.27) | $612,337.12 | ||||
| July Quarterly[30] | July 15, 2013 | $612,337.12 | $651,974.36 | $(343,031.29) | $921,280.19 | ||||
| October Quarterly[31] | October 13, 2013 | $921,280.19 | $382,496.39 | $(141,712.11) | $1,162,064.47 | ||||
| Year-End[32] | January 31, 2014 | $1,162,064 | $550,730 | $(353,597) | $1,359,197 | ||||
| April Quarterly[33] | April 15, 2014 | $1,359,197.39 | $737,379.09 | $(844,093.76) | $1,252,482.72 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $2,818,791.39 | $(1,851,167.43) | ||||||||
Art Halvorson
| Art Halvorson (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| July Quarterly[34] | July 15, 2013 | $0 | $30,145 | $(4,115) | $126,030 | ||||
| October Quarterly[35] | October 15, 2013 | $126,030.00 | $13,760.00 | $(14,280.47) | $125,509.53 | ||||
| Year-End[36] | January 8, 2014 | $125,509 | $8,699 | $(61,810) | $72,398 | ||||
| April Quarterly[37] | April 15, 2014 | $72,398.64 | $8,821.21 | $(24,727.33) | $56,492.52 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $61,425.21 | $(104,932.8) | ||||||||
Travis Schooley
| Travis Schooley (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| October Quarterly[38] | October 15, 2013 | $0.00 | $6,721.53 | $(6,524.79) | $196.74 | ||||
| Year-End[39] | January 23, 2014 | $196 | $5,542 | $(5,068) | $670 | ||||
| April Quarterly[40] | April 13, 2014 | $670.66 | $9,602.49 | $(4,581.02) | $5,692.13 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $21,866.02 | $(16,173.81) | ||||||||
District history
| Candidate ballot access |
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2012
The 9th Congressional District of Pennsylvania held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012. Incumbent Bill Shuster (R) won re-election in the district.[41]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Karen Ramsburg | 38.3% | 105,128 | |
| Republican | Bill Shuster Incumbent |
61.7% | 169,177 | |
| Total Votes | 274,305 | |||
| Source: Pennsylvania Department of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
2010
On November 2, 2010, Bill Shuster won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Tom Conners (D) in the general election.[42]
| U.S. House, Pennsylvania District 9 General Election, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Bill Shuster incumbent |
73.1% | 141,904 | |
| Democratic | Tom Conners | 26.9% | 52,322 | |
| Total Votes | 194,226 | |||
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
- ↑ Art Halvorson for Congress, "Home," accessed June 5, 2013
- ↑ Travis Schooley for Congress, "Home," accessed October 23, 2013
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Politico, "5 House primaries to watch," accessed August 8, 2013
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 Project Vote Smart, "Bill Shuster Key Votes," accessed October 15, 2013
- ↑ The Library of Congress, "Bill Summary & Status - 113th Congress (2013 - 2014) - H.R.624," accessed August 27, 2013
- ↑ Clerk of U.S. House, "Roll Call Vote 31: H.R. 2642," accessed February 12, 2014
- ↑ Politico, "House clears farm bill," accessed February 12, 2014
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 New York Times, "Senate passes long-stalled farm bill, with clear winners and losers," accessed February 12, 2014
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 CNN.com, "House passes compromise $1.1 trillion budget for 2014," accessed January 20, 2014
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 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, "Bill Shuster 2014 Summary reports," accessed October 28, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "April Quarterly," accessed July 22, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "July Quarterly," accessed July 22, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "October Quarterly," accessed October 28, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Shuster Year-End," accessed February 5, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "April Quarterly," accessed April 21, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "July Quarterly," accessed November 11, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "October Quarterly," accessed November 11, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Year-End," accessed February 12, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "April Quarterly," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "October Quarterly," accessed November 11, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Year-End," accessed February 12, 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
