(The Center Square) – U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-1st District, continues to add to his fundraising advantage over the Democrats attempting to unseat him in his bid for a sixth term in Congress.
Fitzpatrick’s campaign raised $1.17 million from the beginning of January to the end of March. His first quarter haul is the fourth-highest among candidates running for the U.S. House in Pennsylvania. The candidates who raised more than Fitzpatrick in the first three months of the year are Democrats Janelle Stelson and Paige Cognetti, who are running for the 10th and 8th Congressional Districts, respectively, and U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan, R-8th District.
Most notably, Fitzpatrick has millions more than any of the challengers attempting to unseat him and holds the largest war chest among all Pennsylvania congressional candidates.
Fitzpatrick’s campaign entered April with $7.65 million on hand, which is $7.05 million more than any of the Democrats running for the purple district.
Two Democrats have filed paperwork to appear on the primary ballot next month for the seat: Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie and Lucia Simonelli, a scientist.
Harvie received endorsements from the Bucks County Democratic Committee and the Montgomery County Democratic Committee, as well as a bevy of local elected officials, while Simonelli is supported by Indivisible Greater Jenkintown, Indivisible Lower Merion, and Track AIPAC.
Harvie raised just under $430,000 from the beginning of January to the end of March, while Simonelli raised just under $25,000 during that same time period. Harvie also holds a sizable cash-on-hand advantage over Simonelli. He entered October with just under $605,000 on hand, while Simonelli began the month with $30,000.
During Q1, Fitzpatrick outspent every other U.S. House candidate in Pennsylvania. During the first three months of the year, Fitzpatrick’s campaign spent just under $875,000. Harvie spent just under $430,000 during that same time period, while Simonelli spent just over $20,000.
For the first time since winning a seat in the U.S. House, Fitzpatrick does not have a Republican primary challenger on the ballot in April.
In addition to having the most cash-on-hand among Pennsylvania congressional candidates, Fitzpatrick also has raised more than any other U.S. House candidate in the state this cycle. His campaign has raised $5.49 million to date in the election cycle. Harvie’s campaign has raised $1.35 million since he declared his candidacy in April 2025, while Simonelli has raised just over $50,000 since joining the race later in 2025.
Fitzpatrick is in a better financial position over his challengers, in comparison to this point in the 2024 election cycle.
In early April 2024, Fitzpatrick’s campaign had $3.65 million on hand, while Democrat Ashley Ehasz’s campaign had $820,000 on hand weeks before the primary election.
The 1st District, located in the suburbs north of Philadelphia, is widely viewed as a purple district. In 2024, Fitzpatrick won his bid for reelection by double digits, while Vice President Kamala Harris narrowly carried these boundaries over President Donald Trump.
In Nov. 2025, Trump issued a series of endorsements of Republican incumbents in Pennsylvania, but did not include Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick is the only Republican in Pennsylvania, and just one of three nationwide, to represent a district Harris won over Trump in 2024.
National ratings outlets view Fitzpatrick as the favorite for a sixth term, although some vary on how competitive the race may be.
Inside Elections describes the race in the 1st Congressional District as “Lean Republican,” while the Cook Political Report rates the race as “likely Republican.”
