(The Center Square) – U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick continues to have a massive cash advantage over the Democratic challengers running for the 1st Congressional District, however, the GOP incumbent is upping his spending in what may be an expensive race in the fall.
Fitzpatrick raised just over $245,000 from April 1 through April 29 and had $7.31 million on hand right before the beginning of May, according to campaign finance reports released last week.
Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie, who is viewed as the frontrunner for the Democratic Party nomination, raised just under $110,000 in that same time period. Lucia Simonelli, a scientist also vying for the Democratic Party nod, raised just under $20,000.
Harvie has received the bulk of big name Democratic endorsements in the race including Gov. Josh Shapiro, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Bucks County Democratic Committee and the Montgomery County Democratic Committee. Simonelli, however, is supported by Indivisible Greater Jenkintown, Indivisible Lower Merion, and Track AIPAC.
As of April 30, Harvie’s campaign had just under $605,000 on hand, while Simonelli had $35,000. Fitzpatrick’s $7.31 million on hand is the most of any congressional candidate running in Pennsylvania.
The latest filing was the final campaign finance report released prior to next week’s primary election.
Despite not having a primary challenger, Fitzpatrick spent more in April than any other U.S. House candidate in Pennsylvania.
From April 1 through April 29, Fitzpatrick’s campaign spent just over $585,000. No other congressional candidate in Pennsylvania spent more than $417,000 last month during that 29-day period.
From the beginning of 2026 until one day before the beginning of May, Fitzpatrick’s campaign has spent $1.46 million, which is the most of any congressional candidate in Pennsylvania.
However, no candidate in the state has also raised more than Fitzpatrick throughout the entire 2026 election cycle. He’s raised $5.74 million since winning his bid for a fifth term in 2024. The next closest Pennsylvania candidate is Democrat Janelle Stelson, who is attempting to unseat U.S. Rep. Scott Perry in the state’s 10th Congressional District. She’s raised $4.69 million since declaring her candidacy in July.
The Democratic candidate challenging Fitzpatrick that is closest to his fundraising total this cycle is Harvie. He’s raised $1.45 million since he announced his candidacy in April 2025, while Simonelli has raised just over $70,000 since joining the race later in 2025.
Despite significantly increasing his spending over the past four months, Fitzpatrick is still in a better financial position over his challengers, in comparison to a similar 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.
He defeated Ehasz by double digits, while Vice President Kamala Harris narrowly carried these boundaries over President Donald Trump.
The next fundraising quarter will close on June 30, with July 15 serving as the filing deadline for candidates.
Fitzpatrick is viewed as the frontrunner in the fall, although some national ratings outlets believe the race may be closer than his previous races.
Inside Elections describes the race in the 1st Congressional District as “Lean Republican,” while the Cook Political Report rates the race as “likely Republican.”
