PA 1st Congressional District Race Preview: Fitzpatrick Vs. Ehasz
BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District, formerly the 8th District, has been represented by Brian Fitzpatrick since 2016. Voters on Nov. 5 will decide if a changing of the guard is needed as the Republican faces a familiar foe in Democrat Ashley Ehasz.Fitzpatrick faced Ehasz, a West Point graduate, U.S. Army veteran, and former Apache helicopter pilot, in 2022. He won re-election that year collecting 54.9 percent of the vote with Ehasz receiving 45.1 percent.Fitzpatrick earned his J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law and his bachelor's from Penn State University. He graduated from Bishop Egan High School. Fitzpatrick was first elected to represent the 8th Congressional District in 2016, replacing his older brother Michael G. Fitzpatrick (R) who decided not to run for re-election because of self-imposed term limits. Prior to that, he worked as an FBI supervisory special agent and special assistant United States attorney.Brian Fitzpatrick defeated State Rep. Steve Santarsiero (D) in the 2016 General Election to retain the seat for the Republicans. Fitzpatrick won re-election again in 2018 against Democratic challenger Scott Wallace, in 2010 against Christina Finello and in 2022 against Ashley Ehasz.In Congress, he serves on the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), Oversight, and the Committee on Ways and Means.Fitzpatrick has received multiple endorsements in his re-election bid, including the AFL-CIO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Action, American Conservation Coalition Action, Humane Society Legislative Fund, Animal Wellness Action, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, Gabby Giffords, Brady PAC, National Association of Social Workers, Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), PA Professional Fire Fighters, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 269, Steamfitters Local 420, National Electrical Contractors Association, American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the American Ukraine PAC, among others."We stand at a pivotal moment in our history, and the path forward demands sound bipartisan leadership and a particular understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities facing our community," said Fitzpatrick. "I have proven we can turn thoughtful dialogue into meaningful action and achieve results for our hardworking families, business owners, veterans, senior citizens, and every individual in our PA-1 community. But I am not content with past achievements alone. "My vision is forward-looking — building on what we’ve accomplished to tackle the challenges ahead with the same unwavering dedication, conviction, and integrity that have always defined my service," he said. "Our community is not far-left or far-right — we are centrist and pragmatic. Centrist is who I am to my core. It’s who our community is, and it’s what our nation desperately needs."Click here to read Fitzpatrick's full profile on Patch.After graduating from West Point, Ashley Ehasz was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army aviation branch. Her first duty station was Fort Rucker, Alabama, where she attended flight school and trained to become an AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter pilot. She graduated in January 2012 as the only woman in her Apache class. Following her promotion to captain as the battalion logistics officer and pilot-in-command, she deployed to Kuwait and Camp Taji, Iraq, with Operation Inherent Resolve. She commanded two aviation troops, including an aviation maintenance troop, with the 1st Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment out of Fort Riley, Kansas, from where she also deployed to South Korea in 2017. After her service, she used the G.I. Bill to get her Master’s degree from the University of Oxford. During the pandemic, she worked as a policy writer and project coordinator to implement the CARES Act for county government and now serve as a government and public service sector consultant.Ehasz has been endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers, Black Economic Alliance, Bucks County Democratic Committee, Council for a Livable World, Democratic Jewish Outreach PA, Democrats Serve, Elect Democratic Women, EMILYs List, Her Bold Move, J Street PAC, Jewish Democratic Council of America, Keystone Equality, Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate, Moms Fed Up, National Women’s Political Caucus, New Dems Action Fund, Nurses for America, Patriotic Millionaires, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Reproductive Freedom for All, Sierra Club, SwingLeft, Transport Workers Union Local 234, United Auto Workers, VoteVets, and Way to Lead."The January 6th insurrection was a turning point for me as I thought about whether or not to run for public office," said Ehasz. "I joined the Army at 17 to defend the Constitution and protect our nation from all enemies, both foreign and domestic. Our current representative, Brian Fitzpatrick, voted twice against impeaching Trump after January 6th and later voted for two men for Speaker of the House (Jim Jordan, twice, and Mike Johnson) who tried to overturn votes here in Pennsylvania. "In addition, with the recent increase in the assaults on reproductive healthcare and women’s bodies, I deeply believe that PA-01 deserves a pro-choice representative," said Ehasz. "Constituents in this district are overwhelmingly pro-choice, and our current representative is vehemently anti-choice. I grew up in Pennsylvania to a single mother for most of my childhood, in a challenging home-life, watching my parents struggle with mental health and substance abuse issues. I understand the challenges that children and families in my district are facing every day, and I was given the opportunity to serve my country and defend these families abroad, while their condition worsened at home. I want to fight to defend the Constitution and give families in my community an honest opportunity to grow and succeed."Click here to read Ehasz's full election profile on Patch.Polling Locations and Ballot Drop Off BoxesVoters can find their polling locations using the tool online here. For those not voting in person, Bucks County ballot drop off box locations can be found here.Patch will be following the results of this race on election night with live updates.The article PA 1st Congressional District Race Preview: Fitzpatrick Vs. Ehasz appeared first on Doylestown, PA Patch.
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