United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2000
Encyclopedia
The 2000 United States House elections in Pennsylvania was an election for Pennsylvania
's delegation to the United States House of Representatives
, which occurred as part of the general election of the House of Representatives on November 7, 2000.
vacated Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district
to challenge Republican Rick Santorum
for the United States Senate
. Pennsylvania State Senator Melissa Hart won the Republican nomination unopposed. State Representative
Terry Van Horne
won an 8-way primary election to win the Democratic nomination. Van Horne's victory was He defeated the state and national party's preferred candidate, Matthew Mangino, the Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
district attorney. Shortly after Van Horne's victory, the National Republican Congressional Committee
began re-circulating 1994 newspaper accounts alleging that he had been overheard using a racial slur in the halls of the Pennsylvania State Capitol
to describe fellow State Representative Dwight E. Evans
, who was opposing reduction in welfare.
The race was expected to be a close one, with accusations of illegal phone calls, stolen signs, and misleading mailers sent to constituents. Surrogates for both candidates, funded with soft money, aired television advertisements throughout the Western Pennsylvania
district. National dignitaries, including Republican Senator John McCain
and Democratic Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy
of Rhode Island visited the area to advocate for their party's candidates. In the end, Hart won the district with 59% of the vote.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
's delegation to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, which occurred as part of the general election of the House of Representatives on November 7, 2000.
1st Congressional district
2nd Congressional District
3rd Congressional district
4th Congressional district
Prior to the 2000 election, Democratic Congressman Ron KlinkRon Klink
Ronald "Ron" Klink is a Democratic politician and former United States Representative from Pennsylvania.Klink was born in Canton, Ohio, and graduated from Meyersdale High School in Pennsylvania in 1969. Klink originally worked behind the scenes at WTAJ-TV in Altoona, Pennsylvania...
vacated Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district
Pennsylvania's fourth district is located in western Pennsylvania and includes suburbs of Pittsburgh as well as Beaver County, Lawrence County, and Mercer County....
to challenge Republican Rick Santorum
Rick Santorum
Richard John "Rick" Santorum is a lawyer and a former United States Senator from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Santorum was the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference -making him the third-ranking Senate Republican from 2001 until his leave in 2007. Santorum is considered both a social...
for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. Pennsylvania State Senator Melissa Hart won the Republican nomination unopposed. State Representative
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
Terry Van Horne
Terry Van Horne
Terry E. Van Horn is a former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, where he represented the 54th legislative district....
won an 8-way primary election to win the Democratic nomination. Van Horne's victory was He defeated the state and national party's preferred candidate, Matthew Mangino, the Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 91,108. The county was added to the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2003. The county seat is New Castle....
district attorney. Shortly after Van Horne's victory, the National Republican Congressional Committee
National Republican Congressional Committee
The National Republican Congressional Committee is the Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives....
began re-circulating 1994 newspaper accounts alleging that he had been overheard using a racial slur in the halls of the Pennsylvania State Capitol
Pennsylvania State Capitol
The Pennsylvania State Capitol is the seat of government for the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is in downtown Harrisburg. It was designed in 1902 in a Beaux-Arts style with Renaissance themes throughout...
to describe fellow State Representative Dwight E. Evans
Dwight E. Evans
Dwight Evans is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 203rd District . He currently serves as Majority Appropriations Committee Chairman.-Early life and education:...
, who was opposing reduction in welfare.
The race was expected to be a close one, with accusations of illegal phone calls, stolen signs, and misleading mailers sent to constituents. Surrogates for both candidates, funded with soft money, aired television advertisements throughout the Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
district. National dignitaries, including Republican Senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
and Democratic Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy
Patrick J. Kennedy
Patrick Joseph Kennedy II is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1995 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes all of Bristol County and Newport County, and parts of Providence County. Kennedy did not seek re-election in 2010.A member of the Kennedy...
of Rhode Island visited the area to advocate for their party's candidates. In the end, Hart won the district with 59% of the vote.
5th Congressional district
6th Congressional district
7th Congressional district
8th Congressional district
9th Congressional district
10th Congressional district
11th Congressional district
12th Congressional district
13th Congressional district
14th Congressional district
15th Congressional district
16th Congressional district
17th Congressional district
18th Congressional district
19th Congressional district
20th Congressional district
21st Congressional district
See also
- United States congressional delegations from PennsylvaniaUnited States Congressional Delegations from PennsylvaniaThese are tables of congressional delegations from Pennsylvania to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives.-United States Senate:-United States House of Representatives:-1789–1793: 8 Seats:...
- 108th United States Congress108th United States CongressThe One Hundred Eighth United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 2003 to January 3, 2005, during the third and fourth years of George W. Bush's...