NEW HOPE, Pennsylvania — Mark Hoke describes his arrest and subsequent acquittal on federal charges that he pushed a Planned Parenthood volunteer outside an abortion clinic in Philadelphia, leading conservatives in this corner of eastern Pennsylvania to It appeals strongly to Republicans.
The account has been a key element since taking office in Houk's first bid for the U.S. House of Representatives in suburban Philadelphia, a central battleground for the 2024 election.
“I say this because this is how I became a target of the federal government, a target of government weaponization,” he said at last week's meeting of the New Hope Solebury Republican Club.
Mr. Houk's campaign to unseat four-term Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick in Tuesday's primary election is at the center of a battleground Republican sentiment in one of the most volatile White House races in years. may provide hints for understanding.
There are few truly competitive House seats, so the 1st Congressional District that Fitzpatrick represents is one of 16 nationally held by Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, where voters sent Republicans to Washington. It is one of the electoral districts. By comparison, the five seats won that year by then-incumbent Donald Trump, now the party's nominee in 2024, are now held by Democrats.
Republicans have a slim majority in the House, so Democrats only need to flip four seats in November to regain control. That makes the “Biden 16” an important group of competitive seats that could go a long way in determining whether the president-elect next year will have a friendly or hostile House of Representatives.
Fifteen of those seats are in states Biden won in 2020. The exception is Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, represented by Republican Rep. Don Bacon. There are five seats in California, four in New York, two in Arizona, and one each in New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Several of the “Biden 16” resemble Fitzgerald, winning each year by walking a tightrope between challengers in the primaries and general elections. Nine of them won their first terms in 2022, when Republicans gained a House majority for the first time in four years.
In the fall, many will win against the same Democrats they defeated last time, sometimes by close margins.
The winner of Fitzpatrick-Hauck will face Democrat Ashley Ehas, a former Army helicopter pilot, who is uncontested in the primary. Fitzpatrick, a former FBI supervisor who outperformed Mr. Ehass by 10 points in 2022, has a combined millions of dollars ahead of Mr. Houk and Mr. Ehass.
By November, several other members of the “Biden 16” must fend off key challenges from conservative Republicans.
In Nebraska, Bacon faces perhaps his strongest primary test yet. If he wins, he will face fellow Democratic rival, state Sen. Tony Vargas, whom he defeated by less than 3 points two years ago.
Mr. Bacon has been a vocal supporter of sending more military aid to Ukraine, but his main opponent, second-time House candidate Dan Frye, opposes it.
Mr. Fry argues that the Republican base is tired of Mr. Bacon, who has ignored his campaign promises and voted to increase spending and stop the flow of immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. He accused them of voting in favor of bills that do nothing.
Almost all of the 16 races are considered toss-ups.
Republicans hope to hammer home a message about lax border security and high inflation under the Biden administration. Democrats pursue nationwide abortion ban as Democrats bring up an issue that has consistently worked in their favor at the ballot box since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion in 2022 Then he warns you.
North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson, chairman of the House Republican Campaign Committee, said the “Biden 16” have developed a strong identity in their districts and are focused on local issues.
Hudson said that with Biden's unpopularity and the president's turnout model increasingly favoring Republicans, Republicans are attracting more working-class voters who are likely to vote in the presidential election. He said there was a high possibility that Trump would have an advantage in these districts.
“Presidential turnout actually favors Republicans,” Hudson said in an interview. “And if you look at where our battlegrounds are state-by-state, presidential turnout is going to help us.”
Washington state Rep. Susan DelBene, who heads the House Democratic campaign arm, said Democrats would highlight the chaos at the highest levels of government if Republicans were in charge of the House and Trump was in the White House. . They say Trump is a threat to democracy and that Republicans are extremists and hypocrites who voted against major spending bills under the Biden administration and took credit for projects realized in their own districts. I would say it is.
DelBene said in an interview that voters “want people to govern,” adding, “They don't want extremism. So what we have to do is make sure we It's just about making sure voters know what they're doing. … Their rhetoric sometimes tries to be more moderate, but hold them accountable to their actual votes.”
In Pennsylvania, there is a gut feeling among some Republicans that Houk's efforts to oust Mr. Fitzpatrick, supported by some labor unions and business groups, resonate with him.
At a Solebury Republican Party rally on the grounds of a luxury hotel and wedding venue, Hauck explained the circumstances of his arrest, explaining that in 2022, federal agents with guns swarmed his Bucks County home.
They arrested him in connection with an incident outside a family planning clinic in Philadelphia. Mr Houk defended his actions, saying he had acted to protect his 12-year-old son from verbal abuse by clinic volunteers. The trial ended with an acquittal in 2023, and Houk, who runs a Catholic missionary organization, said it had begun responding to calls for him to run.
Fuch's story resonated with Rose Cipriano, who came to hear him speak. Cipriano, whose husband picked up a sign from Houk's yard and previously supported Fitzpatrick, said she changed her mind about Houk in the approaching primary.
“I'm looking for fresh ideas and I'm going to take my chances and vote for him on Tuesday,” Cipriano said. “I've known his story since the time of the incident and I support him. ” he said.
Houk's campaign mirrors Trump's own defense of the criminal charges against him. The content centered around the slogan “Freedom for Families of Faith,” while Houk talked about defunding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the federal Departments of Agriculture, Education, and Justice, all of which are unconstitutional. It is said that there is.
Mr. Hauck has raised more campaign contributions than previous Fitzpatrick primary challengers. But he lags far behind Mr. Fitzpatrick's fundraising and name recognition in the county where his brother previously served as a congressman.
Mr Fitzpatrick has the backing of the county party and the police and fire unions, and large campaign signs supporting him appear every two years.
Bob Brooks, president of the Pennsylvania Professional Firefighters Association, said Fitzpatrick represents blue-collar workers as well as union members.
“And I think if we had more blue-collar members, we would get more support from firefighters,” Brooks said in an interview. “We support those who support us, and Brian supports us on many levels.”
Republicans present at the Solebury meeting encouraged Mr. Houck to remain involved in party politics.
Houk said he would support Fitzpatrick in the general election if he wins the primary, but will not campaign because Fitzpatrick failed to check on Houk's family after his arrest. said. Mr. Fitzpatrick did not respond to requests for an interview.
Mr Cipriano said he was disappointed in Mr Fitzpatrick but said the stakes were too high for the party to split in November. She promised to support Fitzpatrick if he won the primary.
“I support the Republican Party 100 percent,” she said. “So no matter who runs, they will have my support from top to bottom.”
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Follow Marc Levy at @timelywriter and Mike Catalini at @mikecatalini.
