Republican-turned-Democrat Tracy Hunt launched a campaign on Monday seeking to oust Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) from his House seat in Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District.
Hunt made overtures to both disillusioned Republicans and Democrats in a video announcing his campaign, framing himself as the moderate candidate who could unseat Fitzpatrick in a Republican-leaning district. The incumbent congressman won a fifth term by a wide margin last year despite representing a district that Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris carried by 1 percentage point during the 2024 presidential election, besting President Donald Trump in the suburban Philadelphia area.
For years, Hunt said, “I was registered Republican, but watching the Republicans embrace authoritarianism and a wannabe king — I’ve had enough, and I know I’m not alone.”
“I found a home in the Democratic Party — party of Kennedy, Clinton, Obama, not because it’s perfect, but because the tent is big enough, even for guys like me,” he continued. “And there’s a lot of us out there, and our ranks are growing each day, because if you believe, like I do, that we can still solve problems, that no one is above the law, the government has a place, but not between my daughters and their doctor. … You’ve got a place in this party and on this campaign.”
Bob Harvie, who serves on the Bucks County Board of Supervisors, is also running in the Democratic primary, providing Hunt with some competition as he attempts to stir up momentum for his campaign against Fitzpatrick.
The incumbent lawmaker won his last congressional race by nearly 13 percentage points, helping Republicans maintain a crucial majority in the House. He defeated Democrat Ashley Ehasz for the second consecutive election in 2024 after previously defeating her by nearly 10 percentage points in 2022.
Fitzpatrick has kept his distance from Trump during his campaigns as he seeks to keep his appeal broad. In 2020, he won the seat even as Democrat Joe Biden carried the district during his successful campaign for the White House that year.
Earlier this year, Fitzpatrick kept his feet to the center with a vote against Trump’s signature “big, beautiful” tax cuts bill, which has raised outrage among Democrats due partly to accusations that it made cuts to Medicaid.
While Democrats have not won a race against Fitzpatrick in years, Hunt on Monday expressed confidence he could change the state of the game.
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“We used to depend on the Democratic Party to keep us on track, but let’s face it, we’ve forgotten how to be a party for everyone, and we keep losing to guys like” Trump and Fitzpatrick, Hunt said. “It’s time for Democrats to start winning again, first hearts and minds and then elections.”
“I’m Tracy Hunt, modern Democrat, former Republican,” he concluded. “Let’s go win again.”