# Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district

Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district is a district in the state of Pennsylvania. It includes almost all of Chester County and the southeastern portion of Berks County including the city of Reading and its southeastern suburbs. The district is represented by Democrat Chrissy Houlahan, who has served in Congress since 2019. As currently drawn, the district is among the wealthiest in Pennsylvania. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania redrew the district in February 2018 after ruling the previous map unconstitutional.
Jim Gerlach served as the district's Representative from 2003 to 2014. In 2004 and 2006, Gerlach won re-election against fellow attorney and now Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Judge Lois Murphy. In 2008, he successfully ran for re-election against businessman and veteran Bob Roggio. In the 2010 and 2012 elections, Gerlach defeated physician and Iraq War veteran Manan Trivedi, the Democratic nominee.
In January 2014, Gerlach announced that he would not stand for reelection to the 114th Congress. In the race to succeed Gerlach, Chester County Commissioner Ryan Costello won the Republican nomination and physician and Iraq war veteran Manan Trivedi secured the Democratic party's nomination.
In February 2018, following the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania's ordered redrawing of congressional districts, Costello announced he would not stand for reelection and retire at the end of the 115th Congress, leaving businessman Greg McCauley as the sole Republican candidate while the Democrats nominated Air Force veteran Chrissy Houlahan. Houlahan defeated McCauley in the general election.

## Recent election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2008 | President | Obama 55% - 43% |
| 2008 | Attorney General | Corbett 55% - 45% |
| 2008 | Auditor General | Wagner 54% - 46% |
| 2010 | Senate | Toomey 53% - 47% |
| 2010 | Governor | Corbett 56% - 44% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 52% - 48% |
| 2012 | Senate | Casey Jr. 53% - 47% |
| 2014 | Governor | Wolf 52% - 48% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 52% - 44% |
| 2016 | Senate | Toomey 48.5% - 48.0% |
| 2016 | Attorney General | Shapiro 51% - 49% |
| 2016 | Treasurer | Torsella 49% - 45% |
| 2016 | Auditor General | Brown 48% - 46% |
| 2018 | Senate | Casey Jr. 59% - 39% |
| 2018 | Governor | Wolf 61% - 37% |
| 2020 | President | Biden 57% - 42% |
| 2020 | Attorney General | Shapiro 54% - 43% |
| 2020 | Treasurer | Torsella 52% - 45% |
| 2020 | Auditor General | Ahmad 50% - 46% |
| 2022 | Senate | Fetterman 56% - 41% |
| 2022 | Governor | Shapiro 61% - 37% |
| 2024 | President | Harris 55% - 44% |

## Historic geography
### 2003 to 2012

Prior to the court-ordered redistricting, the 6th district's incarnation dated back to 2002. Its strange shape brought charges of gerrymandering by Democrats who argued it "looms like a dragon descending on Philadelphia from the west, splitting up towns and communities throughout Montgomery and Berks Counties." The combination of very affluent suburban areas of Philadelphia and sparsely populated rural areas was possibly designed to capture Republican voters, but changes in voting patterns in southeastern Pennsylvania has made the district much more competitive. The district had a Cook Partisan Voting Index score of R+1 after the 2012 redistricting. It was rated D+4 before then. The district included parts of Montgomery County, Chester County, Berks County and Lehigh County. The largest cities in the district were Reading and Norristown.

### 2013 to 2018

The redistricting of 2011/2012 changed it to include parts of Chester, Montgomery, Berks and Lebanon counties. The following municipalities constituted the sixth district:
Berks County
| Townships | Boroughs |
| Alsace Bern Colebrookdale Cumru District 1,4,6,7 Exeter Heidelberg Herford District 2 Lower Alsace District 2 Lower Heidelberg Maidencreek Marion Muhlenberg 2,3,5,6,7,8,9 North Heidelberg Ontelaunee Penn Richmond Rockland Ruscombmanor South Heidelberg Spring District 5,7,8 Washington | Bally Bechtelsville Bernville Birdsboro Boyertown Fleetwood Kenhorst Laureldale District 1(part) Leesport Robesonia Shillington Sinking Spring St. Lawrence Wernersville Womelsdorf Wyomissing District 1,2,4,5 |
Chester County
| Townships | Boroughs |
| Caln Charlestown East Bradford District 1 East Brandywine East Caln East Goshen East Nantmeal East Pikeland East Whiteland Easttown Londonderry North Coventry Schuylkill South Coventry Thornbury Tredyffrin Upper Uwchlan Uwchlan West Bradford District 1,2,3 West Goshen West Pikeland West Vincent West Whiteland Westtown Willistown | Downingtown Malvern Phoenixville Spring City West Chester |
Lebanon County
| Townships | Boroughs |
| Heidelberg Jackson Millcreek North Lebanon District E South Lebanon West Cornwall | Cornwall Myerstown Richland City of Lebanon Wards 1,2,4,5,7,8,9,10 |
Montgomery County
| Townships | Boroughs |
| Douglass Limerick Lower Pottsgrove Lower Providence New Hanover Perkiomen District 1,2 Upper Hanover District 3 Upper Pottsgrove Upper Providence West Norriton District 1,2,3 West Pottsgrove | Collegeville East Greenville Pennsburg Pottstown Red Hill Royersford Schwenksville Trappe |

### 2019

The court-ordered map made the 6th a more compact district in Berks and Chester counties.

## Current counties and municipalities
### Berks County (19)

    Birdsboro, Brecknock Township, Caernarvon Township, Cumru Township, Exeter Township (part; also 4th; includes Baumstown, Jacksonwald, Lorane, Reiffton, and part of Pennside and Stony Creek Mills), Kenhorst, Lower Alsace Township, Mohnton, Mount Penn, New Morgan, Reading, Robeson Township, St. Lawrence, Sinking Spring, Shillington, Spring Townwship, Union Township, West Reading, Wyomissing
Chester County (73)
    All 73 municipalities

## List of members representing the district
### 1791–1793: one seat

District created in 1791 from the at-large district.
| Representative | Party | Years | Cong ress | Electoral history |
| District first established March 4, 1791 |||||
| Andrew Gregg (Carlisle) | Anti-Administration | March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793 | 2nd | Elected in 1791. Redistricted to the at-large district. |
District redistricted in 1793 to the at-large district.

### 1795–1823: one seat, then two

District created in 1795.
| Cong ress | Years | Seat A | Seat A | Seat A | Seat B | Seat B | Seat B |
| Cong ress | Years | Representative | Party | Electoral history | Representative | Party | Electoral history |
| 4th | March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797 | Samuel Maclay (Shippensburg) | Democratic-Republican | Elected in 1794. Lost re-election. | Second seat added in 1813 | Second seat added in 1813 | Second seat added in 1813 |
| 5th 6th 7th | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1803 | John A. Hanna (Harrisburg) | Democratic-Republican | Elected in 1796. Re-elected in 1798. Re-elected in 1800. Redistricted to the 4th district. | Second seat added in 1813 | Second seat added in 1813 | Second seat added in 1813 |
| 8th | March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1805 | John Stewart (York) | Democratic-Republican | Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 1802. Lost re-election. | Second seat added in 1813 | Second seat added in 1813 | Second seat added in 1813 |
| 9th 10th | March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1809 | James Kelly (Philadelphia) | Federalist | Elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Lost re-election. | Second seat added in 1813 | Second seat added in 1813 | Second seat added in 1813 |
| 11th 12th | March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1813 | William Crawford (Gettysburg) | Democratic-Republican | Elected in 1808. Re-elected in 1810. Redistricted to the 5th district. | Second seat added in 1813 | Second seat added in 1813 | Second seat added in 1813 |
| 13th | March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1815 | Samuel D. Ingham (New Hope) | Democratic-Republican | Elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Re-elected in 1816. Resigned. | Robert Brown (Weaversville) | Democratic-Republican | Redistricted from the 2nd district and re-elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Retired. |
| 14th | March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817 | Samuel D. Ingham (New Hope) | Democratic-Republican | Elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Re-elected in 1816. Resigned. | John Ross (Easton) | Democratic-Republican | Elected in 1814. Re-elected in 1816. Resigned to become president judge of the seventh judicial district of Pennsylvania. |
| 15th | March 4, 1817 – February 24, 1818 | Samuel D. Ingham (New Hope) | Democratic-Republican | Elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Re-elected in 1816. Resigned. | John Ross (Easton) | Democratic-Republican | Elected in 1814. Re-elected in 1816. Resigned to become president judge of the seventh judicial district of Pennsylvania. |
| 15th | February 24, 1818 – March 3, 1818 | Samuel D. Ingham (New Hope) | Democratic-Republican | Elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Re-elected in 1816. Resigned. | Vacant | Vacant | |
| 15th | March 3, 1818 – July 6, 1818 | Samuel D. Ingham (New Hope) | Democratic-Republican | Elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Re-elected in 1816. Resigned. | Thomas Jones Rogers (Easton) | Democratic-Republican | Elected to finish Ross's term. Also elected 1818 to the next term. Re-elected in 1820. Redistricted to the 8th district. |
| 15th | July 6, 1818 – October 13, 1818 | Vacant | Vacant | | | Thomas Jones Rogers (Easton) | Democratic-Republican | Elected to finish Ross's term. Also elected 1818 to the next term. Re-elected in 1820. Redistricted to the 8th district. |
| 15th | October 13, 1818 – March 3, 1819 | Samuel Moore (Doylestown) | Democratic-Republican | Elected to finish Ingham's term. Also elected 1818 to the next term. Re-elected in 1820. Resigned. | Thomas Jones Rogers (Easton) | Democratic-Republican | Elected to finish Ross's term. Also elected 1818 to the next term. Re-elected in 1820. Redistricted to the 8th district. |
| 16th | March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1821 | Samuel Moore (Doylestown) | Democratic-Republican | Elected to finish Ingham's term. Also elected 1818 to the next term. Re-elected in 1820. Resigned. | Thomas Jones Rogers (Easton) | Democratic-Republican | Elected to finish Ross's term. Also elected 1818 to the next term. Re-elected in 1820. Redistricted to the 8th district. |
| 17th | March 4, 1821 – May 20, 1822 | Samuel Moore (Doylestown) | Democratic-Republican | Elected to finish Ingham's term. Also elected 1818 to the next term. Re-elected in 1820. Resigned. | Thomas Jones Rogers (Easton) | Democratic-Republican | Elected to finish Ross's term. Also elected 1818 to the next term. Re-elected in 1820. Redistricted to the 8th district. |
| 17th | May 20, 1822 – October 7, 1822 | Vacant | Vacant | | | Thomas Jones Rogers (Easton) | Democratic-Republican | Elected to finish Ross's term. Also elected 1818 to the next term. Re-elected in 1820. Redistricted to the 8th district. |
| 17th | October 7, 1822 – March 3, 1823 | Samuel D. Ingham (New Hope) | Democratic-Republican | Elected to finish Moore's term. Redistricted to the 8th district. | Thomas Jones Rogers (Easton) | Democratic-Republican | Elected to finish Ross's term. Also elected 1818 to the next term. Re-elected in 1820. Redistricted to the 8th district. |

### 1823 – present: one seat

| Member | Party | Years | Cong ress | Electoral history |
| Robert Harris (Harrisburg) | Jackson Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825 | 18th 19th | Elected in 1822. Re-elected in 1824. Retired. |
| Robert Harris (Harrisburg) | Jacksonian | March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1827 | 18th 19th | Elected in 1822. Re-elected in 1824. Retired. |
| Innis Green (Dauphin) | Jacksonian | March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1831 | 20th 21st | Elected in 1826. Re-elected in 1828. Retired. |
| John C. Bucher (Harrisburg) | Jacksonian | March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833 | 22nd | Elected in 1830. Redistricted to the 10th district. |
| Robert Ramsey (Hartsville) | Jacksonian | March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835 | 23rd | Elected in 1832. Retired. |
| Mathias Morris (Doylestown) | Anti-Jacksonian | March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837 | 24th 25th | Elected in 1834. Re-elected in 1836. Lost re-election. |
| Mathias Morris (Doylestown) | Whig | March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839 | 24th 25th | Elected in 1834. Re-elected in 1836. Lost re-election. |
| John Davis (Davisville) | Democratic | March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841 | 26th | Elected in 1838. Lost re-election. |
| Robert Ramsey (Hartsville) | Whig | March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843 | 27th | Elected in 1840. Retired. |
| Michael H. Jenks (Newtown) | Whig | March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845 | 28th | Elected in 1843. Lost re-election. |
| Jacob Erdman (Coopersburg) | Democratic | March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847 | 29th | Elected in 1844. Lost re-election. |
| John Westbrook Hornbeck (Allentown) | Whig | March 4, 1847 – January 16, 1848 | 30th | Elected in 1846. Died. |
| Vacant | Vacant | January 17, 1848 – March 5, 1848 | 30th | |
| Samuel A. Bridges (Allentown) | Democratic | March 6, 1848 – March 3, 1849 | 30th | Elected to finish Hornbeck's term. Retired. |
| Thomas Ross (Doylestown) | Democratic | March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1853 | 31st 32nd | Elected in 1848. Re-elected in 1850. [data missing] |
| William Everhart (West Chester) | Whig | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 | 33rd | Elected in 1852. [data missing] |
| John Hickman (West Chester) | Democratic | March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1859 | 34th 35th 36th 37th | Elected in 1854. Re-elected in 1856. Re-elected in 1858. Re-elected in 1860. [data missing] |
| John Hickman (West Chester) | Anti-Lecompton Democratic | March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861 | 34th 35th 36th 37th | Elected in 1854. Re-elected in 1856. Re-elected in 1858. Re-elected in 1860. [data missing] |
| John Hickman (West Chester) | Republican | March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863 | 34th 35th 36th 37th | Elected in 1854. Re-elected in 1856. Re-elected in 1858. Re-elected in 1860. [data missing] |
| John D. Stiles (Allentown) | Democratic | March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1865 | 38th | Elected in 1862. [data missing] |
| Benjamin M. Boyer (Norristown) | Democratic | March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1869 | 39th 40th | Elected in 1864. Re-elected in 1866. Retired. |
| John D. Stiles (Allentown) | Democratic | March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1871 | 41st | Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1868. Retired. |
| Ephraim L. Acker (Norristown) | Democratic | March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873 | 42nd | Elected in 1870. Lost re-election. |
| James S. Biery (Allentown) | Republican | March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875 | 43rd | Elected in 1872. Retired. |
| Washington Townsend (West Chester) | Republican | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877 | 44th | Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1874. Retired. |
| William Ward (Chester) | Republican | March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883 | 45th 46th 47th | Elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Retired. |
| James B. Everhart (West Chester) | Republican | March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887 | 48th 49th | Elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Lost renomination. |
| Smedley Darlington (West Chester) | Republican | March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1891 | 50th 51st | Elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Retired. |
| John B. Robinson (Media) | Republican | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1897 | 52nd 53rd 54th | Elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Lost re-election. |
| Thomas S. Butler (West Chester) | Independent Republican | March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1899 | 55th 56th 57th | Elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. [data missing] |
| Thomas S. Butler (West Chester) | Republican | March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1903 | 55th 56th 57th | Elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. [data missing] |
| George D. McCreary (Philadelphia) | Republican | March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1913 | 58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd | Elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Retired. |
| J. Washington Logue (Philadelphia) | Democratic | March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915 | 63rd | Elected in 1912. Lost re-election. |
| George P. Darrow (Philadelphia) | Republican | March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1923 | 64th 65th 66th 67th | Elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Redistricted to the 7th district. |
| George A. Welsh (Philadelphia) | Republican | March 4, 1923 – May 31, 1932 | 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd | Elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Resigned to become a district court judge. |
| Vacant | Vacant | May 31, 1932 – November 8, 1932 | 72nd | |
| Robert L. Davis (Philadelphia) | Republican | November 8, 1932 – March 3, 1933 | 72nd | Elected to finish Welsh's term. [data missing] |
| Edward L. Stokes (Philadelphia) | Republican | March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935 | 73rd | Redistricted from the 2nd district and re-elected in 1932. Retired to run for Governor. |
| Michael J. Stack (Philadelphia) | Democratic | January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1939 | 74th 75th | Elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Lost renomination and lost re-election under a different party. |
| Francis J. Myers (Philadelphia) | Democratic | January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1945 | 76th 77th 78th | Elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. [data missing] |
| Herbert J. McGlinchey (Philadelphia) | Democratic | January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1947 | 79th | Elected in 1944. Lost re-election. |
| Hugh Scott (Philadelphia) | Republican | January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1959 | 80th 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th | Elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. |
| Herman Toll (Philadelphia) | Democratic | January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1963 | 86th 87th | Elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Redistricted to the 4th district. |
| George M. Rhodes (Reading) | Democratic | January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1969 | 88th 89th 90th | Redistricted from the 14th district and re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Retired. |
| Gus Yatron (Reading) | Democratic | January 3, 1969 – January 3, 1993 | 91st 92nd 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd | Elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Retired. |
| Tim Holden (St. Clair) | Democratic | January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2003 | 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th | Elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Redistricted to the 17th district. |
| Jim Gerlach (Chester Springs) | Republican | January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2015 | 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th | Elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Retired. |
| Ryan Costello (West Chester) | Republican | January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2019 | 114th 115th | Elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Retired. |
| Chrissy Houlahan (Devon) | Democratic | January 3, 2019 – present | 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. |

## Recent election results
### 2012

Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jim Gerlach (Incumbent) | 191,725 | 57.1 |
| | Democratic | Manan Trivedi | 143,803 | 42.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 335,528 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2014

Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ryan Costello | 119,643 | 56.3 |
| | Democratic | Manan Trivedi | 92,901 | 43.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 212,544 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2016

Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ryan Costello (incumbent) | 207,469 | 57.2 |
| | Democratic | Mike Parrish | 155,000 | 42.8 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 362,469 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2018

Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district, 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Chrissy Houlahan | 177,704 | 58.9 |
| | Republican | Greg McCauley | 124,124 | 41.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 301,828 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### 2020

Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Chrissy Houlahan (incumbent) | 226,440 | 56.1 |
| | Republican | John Emmons | 177,526 | 43.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 403,966 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2022

Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district, 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Chrissy Houlahan (incumbent) | 190,386 | 58.3 |
| | Republican | Guy Ciarrocchi | 136,097 | 41.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 326,483 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## Historical district boundaries

* 2003–2013
* 2013–2019
* 2019–2023