Special Congressional Elections in PA since 1950

With the Republicans in Congress losing their seats in the last three special elections it got me thinking about special congressional elections in Pennsylvania. I went back to 1950 and took a look at all special elections. Since that time there have been 16 special elections in Pennsylvania. Of those 16, 15 were retained by the same party. The one special election where the incumbent party lost the seat was in 1973 when John Murtha won the seat by 121 votes.

Here is a quick look at the 16 special elections. I think I got them all, if you notice any I missed email me and let me know.

These elections are being listed by the current Congressional District in which the seat resides, which may be different than the actual CD they served at the time due to redistricting and loss of Congressional seats.

1st Congressional District

In 1997 Bob Brady won a special election when Thomas Foglietta resigned to become Ambassador of Italy. Both were Democrats.

2nd Congressional District

1956 Kathryn Granahan was elected in a special election to her husband William Granahan who died in office. Both were Democrats.

4th Congressional District

In 1959 Robert Nix, Sr won a special election to replace Earl Chundoff who had resigned to become judge of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Both were Democrats.

5th Congressional District

In 1964 William Green, III was elected to replace his father William Green, Jr who died in office. Both were Democrats.

8th Congressional District

In 1951 Karl King was elected in a special election to fill the term of Albert Vaughn who had died in office. Both were Republicans.

9th Congressional District

John Ware, III was elected to replace G. Robert Watkins in 1970 after Watkins died in office. Both were Republicans.

Bill Shuster replaced his father Bud Shuster in a special election in 2001 after Bud resigned for health reasons. Both were Republicans.

11th Congressional District

In 1980 Raphael Musto won a special election to replace Daniel Flood who resigned due to allegations of bribery. Both were Democrats. Musto lost his first reelection in Congress and has since served in the state Senate.

12th Congressional District

Leave it to John Murtha to stand out. Murtha a Democrat won a special election when Republican John Saylor died in office in 1973. Changed from Republican to Democrat.

14th Congressional District

In 1951 Joseph Carrigg was elected to fill the term of Wilson Gillette who had died in office. Both were Republicans.

15th Congressional District

Fred Rooney was elected to fill the term of Francis Walter in 1963 after Walter died in office. Both were Democrats.

16th Congressional District

John Kunkel was elected in a special election to fill the term of Walther Mumma who had died in office. Both were Republicans.

17th Congressional District

In 1960 Herman Schneebeli was elected to fill the term of Alvin Bush who had died in office. Both were Republicans.

18th Congressional District

In 1960 J. Irving Whalley was elected in a special election to fill the term of Douglas Elliot, who was elected in a special election to fill the term of Richard Simpson who also died in office. Elliot served less than two months in office. All three were Republicans.

In 1971 John Heinz III was elected in a special election to fill the term of Robert Corbett who had died in office. Both were Republicans.