Greetings all. Excited to introduce you to the fourth Pennsylvania candidate in a strong position to flip a red seat blue this year, Commissioner Bob Harvie, running in PA-01, one of the most Democratic districts in the country currently held by a Republican. Last month Harvie won his competitive House primary by 30 points, 65%-35% - an impressive showing, and an encouraging sign for November.
Here’s Bob’s overview of the race, taken from our conversation:
I got into this race over a year ago… announced my candidacy because I saw what was happening in this county that I love, in this district that I was raised to love and still love. It really got me to the point where I couldn’t stand by anymore. Obviously, as an elected official in a county this size, I’m not on the sidelines, but I felt like I was. I felt like I couldn’t do enough to help heal what’s going wrong in this country. People are really hurting in this district. I see it every day. We’re facing real serious problems with affordability — in terms of housing, health care, energy, food, gasoline. And the trust that we have in our government — the trust that I was raised to believe that we should have as citizens in the government that we elect — that’s been eroding, for decades. It’s just getting worse and worse. People want a government that works for them. A government that solves problems, that doesn’t create them, that makes their lives easier, not harder.
And Brian Fitzpatrick is really a major part of this. It’s easy just to sit back and say, “Well, Donald Trump has done this and Donald Trump has done that,” because you’re letting members of Congress off the hook. The Republican leadership, the Republican Members who have stood by and watched it happen and have done nothing to stop — and in some cases voted to enable — this president to do the damage he’s done. We can’t let them off the hook, and I’m not going to let Brian Fitzpatrick off the hook…
According to Downballot Harris won this district in 2024 by 0.3, and it has a Cook PVI rating of +1 Dem. With Gov. Josh Shapiro running 20 points of his opponent, and the swing we’ve seen to Democrats this year this is a very winnable seat. But as you can see, Harvie’s opponent, Brian Fitzpatrick, has performed way above his party here, and it is going to take some work to beat him this time. So it’s a good thing we have an experienced, proven-vote getter in a famously swing county like Bob Harvie who has stepped up and is running hard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Excited to bring another another conversation with one of our candidates on the front lines to you today, and keep working hard all. We have a country to save, and elections to win, together! - Simon
Biography - Commissioner Bob Harvie, US House Candidate Running In PA-01
Born and raised in Bristol Borough, Harvie is a lifelong Bucks County resident. After graduating from Bristol High School, Harvie attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in history. He also has a master’s degree in education from Holy Family University.
Harvie was raised in a family that emphasized community service, from youth sports to PTO to local government. This upbringing was a major catalyst for his wanting a career centered on public service and led to his becoming a high school social studies teacher, a career he maintained for 26 years.
For 20 years, Harvie was a teacher and chairman of the Social Studies Department at Bucks County Technical High School (BCTHS). While at BCTHS, he initiated and ran the Beyond the Books program, which brought dozens of area military veterans, from World War II to the War on Terror, into classrooms to share their experiences with students.
In 1999, he moved to Falls Township. Soon after, Harvie became involved in government in Falls, serving on the Falls Township Planning Commission for two years. He then was elected to the Falls Township Board of Supervisors in 2003.
Harvie served as chairman of the Board of Supervisors from 2008 to 2020, longer than anyone in the history of Falls Township. As a board member he was instrumental in bringing a new level of civility and professionalism to Falls Township government, and led the effort to invest in township infrastructure and improve the quality of life for all Falls residents.
Bob Harvie was elected to the Board of Bucks County Commissioners in November 2019, and was sworn into office on January 6, 2020. He was named chair of the board on January 5, 2022. Harvie was re-elected to a second term in November 2023 and sworn into office on January 2, 2024. During reorganization of the Board, he was named Vice Chair and named Chair again during the reorganization on January 6, 2025.
Now, Bob Harvie is running for Congress because he believes our country is failing to live up to its promise — and working families are paying the price. While people work longer and harder just to stay afloat, Washington is stuck in chaos, ignoring the struggles of everyday Americans. Bob knows firsthand how bad policies have made things worse, including devastating cuts that have left local nonprofits with fewer resources to help families in need. He is running to change that — to fight for the middle-class and working families, rebuild the American Dream, and ensure everyone who works hard can build a better future. He won’t stand by while Washington prioritizes billionaires like Elon Musk over the people who make this country strong — he’s ready to fight for Bucks County and deliver the leadership we deserve.
Learn more about Commissioner Harvie and his run for Congress here.
