ABSTRACT
A party on the wrong side of the momentum in a nationalized election will see a number of incumbents defeated who never appeared vulnerable, while a few vulnerable incumbents will withstand the tide. The general election campaign followed a common pattern for suburban districts in 2018: Democrats wanted to make President Donald J. Trump the focus of the race, while the Republicans tried to avoid any mention of the president. Scott Wallace relied heavily on his personal fortune to fund his campaign. While the Fitzpatrick campaign racked up endorsements from across the aisle, the Wallace campaign secured backing from only progressive and Democratic-leaning groups like the Sierra Club and MoveOn. Brian Fitzpatrick succeeded despite running down-ballot of uninspiring Republican US Senate and gubernatorial candidates in Pennsylvania. The campaign strategies used by the candidates coupled with the final results suggest the impressions that voters in Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District are likely to have formed about the two candidates.
