Blue Wave Shakes Up Political Landscape In Bucks County

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — What a difference two years makes.

After going red for President Donald Trump in 2024, Bucks County emerged solidly blue on Tuesday, with voters sweeping incumbent Democrats back into office and defeating several longtime Republican officeholders.

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In a major about-face from 2024, which saw Trump win the county by 300 votes over Kamala Harris, voters flipped the county back to blue on Tuesday, electing Democrat Bob Harvie to Congress and sending incumbent Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick home after five terms in Washington.

On Tuesday, Harvie, a Bucks County Commissioner and former school teacher, won 52.74 percent of the vote as a nationwide tidal wave of political unrest swept across the nation, driven, in part, by the Iran War, high gas prices, and affordability.

"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," said Harvie.

According to the unofficial vote count, Harvie won 188,011 votes, or 52.74 percent, while Fitzpatrick won 168,470 votes, or 47.26 percent.

Two years ago, Fitzpatrick defeated his Democratic challenger, Ashley Ehasz, with 57 percent of the vote. Fitzpatrick won 261,390 votes that year while Ehasz received 202,042.

In Tuesday's midterms, Harvie polled strongly in reliably Democratic Lower Bucks County, winning in his hometown of Bristol Borough and in Falls Township, where he served as supervisor.

Harvie also polled well in traditionally red Bensalem Township, winning 20 of the township's 27 precincts. Harvie also found strong support in Bristol Township, where he won every precinct except 1st 1st, and in Fitzpatrick's home township, Middetown, where he won 19 of 21 precincts.

In Central Bucks County, Harvie was the top vote-getter for Congress in Buckingham, coming out strong in six of the township's eight precincts. He also found strong support in Doylestown and in New Hope-Solebury.

Fitzpatrick posted a strong showing in the county's reliably Republican stronghold, but it wasn't enough to fend off the blue wave of discontent from the electorate.

Fitzpatrick, who has governed as a moderate and worked across the aisle on a number of issues, was painted by his opponents as an enabler of the Trump agenda.

Fitzpatrick was the top vote-getter on Tuesday in Upper Southampton, Lower Southampton, Northampton Township, Wrightstown, Warminster, several precincts in Upper Makefield and the more rural areas of Upper Bucks County, including Bedminister, Springfield, Nockamixon, Milford, Haycock, Durham, Dublin Borough, East Rockhill, West Rockhill and Telford Borough.

In addition to the race for Congress, voters flipped three House seats and two state senate seats in Bucks County to blue as Tuesday's blue wave swept through the nation.

Voter turnout was 62.7 percent, with 305,378 ballots counted of Bucks County's 487,385 registered voters in Tuesday's general election.

Following his win, voters flooded Harvie's Facebook page with comments, most of which commended the commissioner on his win.

Others took shots at Fitzpatrick, while one said it will now be up to Harvie to work with others and not rubber-stamp what Democratic leadership says.

"Proud to have been a tiny part of a new direction for Bucks County and the Commonwealth," wrote Julie.

Another wrote, "Great news. I feel like a seven-year-old on Christmas morning. We finally got rid of Fitz. Congratulations Bob Harvie."

Another wrote, "Fitzpatrick had five terms to make history. Instead, he became history."

Kathy added, "Can't wait to see what you do for the people in our community. There's a lot of need."

And Elaine wrote, "Proud to have supported the best of the best. We will continue to support you. Now the work begins. Here's hoping that you, and others we trusted with our vote, time, and donations, will try and 'normalize' this country. Remember the people."