First Congressional District Borders Change With New PA Congressional Map

The First Congressional District will get a slightly different look, but it will keep all of Bucks County represented by one member of Congress.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Wednesday picked a new map that lays out the state’s updated congressional districts.

For the 2022 preliminary and general elections, the First Congressional District will cover all of Bucks County and expand into a larger section of Montgomery County. While the district previously covered parts or all of seven Montgomery County municipalities along the County Line Road corridor near Lansdale Borough, it will now cover all or parts of 12 towns in Montgomery County.

The new map picked by the judges removes Lansdale Borough from the district and adds more parts of Horsham Township and communities that abut Upper Bucks County and the Lehigh Valley, including Franconia Township and Upper Hanover Township.

The district will go from about 733,000 residents to 765,000 residents with the changes.

The map appears to keep the district competitive.

Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Middletown Township, currently represents the First Congressional District. He is running for reelection and several others are running in the primary on the Democratic, Green, and Republican tickets.

Democratic and Republican officials had advocated to keep Bucks County in one congressional district, as it has been for more than 170 years.

There were proposals submitted to break up the county.

Before Wednesday’s decision, the state’s congressional districts were up in the air and left to the highest court after lawmakers and the governor could not agree on a map.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court chose 4-3 the map submitted by the Carter petitioners, who are connected to the National Redistricting Action Fund.

The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reported the National Redistricting Action Fund was a “dark money affiliate of National Democratic Redistricting Committee.” Its case was argued by high-profile Democratic attorney Marc Elias.

Several other groups had submitted proposed maps, and a lower court judge said the higher court should chose a proposal from Republicans in the legislature.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which has more liberal justices than conservatives, heard arguments on the map last Friday.

The order issued by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court authorizes candidates to begin collecting signatures to get on the primary ballot starting Friday, February 25 and ending Tuesday, March 15.

The primary election remains scheduled for Tuesday, May 17.

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