Election Results In PA01: Democrat Bob Harvie Says His Win 'Belongs To The People'

DOYLESTOWN, PA — Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie has declared victory in the race for U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania’s 1st District.

Riding a blue wave that swept through Bucks County and across the nation on Tuesday, the former school teacher defeated incumbent Republican Congressman Brien Fitzpatrick flipping the seat from red to blue to help Democrats take back control of Congress.

“Bucks and Montgomery County voters have sent an unmistakable message: this seat doesn’t belong to one person or one political party, it belongs to the people,” said Harvie. “And the people have put their trust in a guy from Bristol Borough – raised on Roosevelt St., and the first in my family to graduate from college – to fight for them and their families in the halls of Congress. Only in America.

“We shocked a whole lot of political pundits who said for months that this race wasn’t winnable,” said Harvie. “We did it with a simple message: if you want to change Washington, we’ve got to change who we send there. And change Washington is exactly what we’re going to do.

“My promise to Bucks and Montgomery County voters is that I will go to the mat for you and fight to lower costs, clean up corruption, end this reckless war in Iran, and put a check on Donald Trump. I am ready to do all of that and more,” he said.

“Republicans and my opponent spent millions lying about me and my record,” said Harvie. “Voters saw through those lies and false attacks and chose to set our country on a different path. Tonight, Bucks and Montgomery punched back. In the face of those lies, our campaign stayed focused on talking about how, together, we can restore the promise of the American Dream.

“People want a government that works,” said Harvie. “Working families are working harder than ever, playing by the rules, but still struggling to get by. I will be a Congressman that fights for their needs. I am humbled by every voter, volunteer, staff member, and supporter who helped get us over the finish line to this historic win. This win belongs to all of us. Tomorrow, the hard work of changing Washington begins.”

Fitzpatrick Issues Unity Statement

Following his defeat on Tuesday, Fitzpatrick issued a “unity message” to Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District and congratulated Harvie on his win.

"There are fewer honors greater than being called to serve. But to serve the very community that raised you, that is the honor of a lifetime,” said Fitzpatrick.

“Bucks County is where I grew up. It is where my family put down their roots, where my father taught us the meaning of service, where my mother showed us how to lead with compassion and grace, where my big brother Mike showed me what it meant to lead with conviction and independence. It is where I first learned our differences need not divide us. That no party has a monopoly on good ideas nor people, and the true measure of life is found in what we give to others.

“Tonight is not the ending we had hoped or envisioned,” he continued. “But when I look back on all we have built, the extraordinary coalition of people we have brought together, and the countless people we have come to know as partners, friends, and family, I am overwhelmed not by what is ending, but by all we have been fortunate to experience together. I am filled with profound gratitude and pride in knowing that we gave our very best to something we believed in.”

Fitzpatrick added, “To the remarkable coalition that stood with us - Republicans, Democrats, and Independents; the men and women of organized labor; teachers, nurses, law enforcement officers, first responders, veterans, small business owners, advocates, neighbors, and community leaders - thank you. Your support told a story far larger than any one campaign.

“Our people's movement was built upon that simple conviction: people before party, partnership over partisanship, and the belief that diversity of thought is a strength to be welcomed, not a difference to be feared. That leadership is measured not by political allegiance, but the courage to do what is right for the people we serve.”

Fitzpatrick also shouted out his team, who he said “has worked tirelessly and given their hearts and souls to our community. To every volunteer, organization, family, and neighbor who opened their doors and placed their faith in our work, I will never be able to thank you enough.

“I wish Bob Harvie success as he assumes a responsibility that is both extraordinary and humbling. The responsibility to represent every person in our community, whether they voted for him or not. To lead with independence, to welcome differences of opinion, and to remember the people we serve must always come before party. I wish him well in that responsibility, and his success in serving our community is something we should all hope for.”

And he added, “To the people of Bucks and Montgomery counties, thank you for the honor of my life,” he said. “May God bless you, may God bless this beautiful community we call home, and may God bless the United States of America."