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Race: U.S. House of Representative - 17th District In the News:
U.S. Rep. HoldenU.S. Rep. Holden
U.S. Rep. Tim Holden
(Democrat)
U.S. Rep. GekasU.S. Rep. Gekas
U.S. Rep. George Gekas
(Republican)

Holden Wins Close Race for PA 17
Incumbent Rep. Tim Holden (D) is the winner in Pennsylvania's redrawn 17th Congressional District race, according to results published by the Pennsylvania secretary of state. Holden earned 103,483 votes to narrowly defeate 10-term incumbent Rep. George Gekas (R) who earned 97,802 votes. This was one of only four incumbent vs. incumbent elections. (12/11)

National GOP Aids Gekas as Papers Endorse Holden
Update: A recent deluge of media reports say the Republican Party is worrying more and more that Rep. George Gekas may lose to Rep. Tim Holden, a key loss as both parties vie for control of the U.S. House.

According to UPI and Time Magazine, the National Republican Party has sent staff to aid the struggling incumbent and the National Rifle Association, after pledging to remain neutral, gave Rep. Gekas a higher grade on its election scorecard.

These moves come as two key newspapers, the Allentown Morning Call and Gekas' hometown Harrisburg Patriot-News, endorsed Holden. "This is not the same district that Gekas was elected to serve 20 years ago. ... It wants and needs a congressman who gives this district a higher profile in the affairs of the nation, an independent thinker who can represent the broad interests of a diverse region. Tim Holden is that man," the Patriot-News editorialized. (10/22)

A Close Race at Labor Day
Kwame Holman reports on the high-stakes political fight between two incumbents in central Pennsylvania.
(8/30)

Money Matters: How Much Do They Have?
A closer look at each campaign's finances as they head into the final weeks of the contest.
-- From the Center for Responsive Politics

District Profile
When Pennsylvania lost two Congressional seats last year, the counties of Schuylkill and Dauphin found themselves in an unlikely partnership. These two home regions of sitting House members joined with Lebanon and portions of Berks and Perry counties to form the new seventeenth district, bordered by the Susquehanna River and Harrisburg to the west, I-81 to the north and the historic railroad city of Reading to the east. While Dauphin County encompasses the expanding metropolitan area of the state capital, Schuylkill lies in the heart of Pennsylvania's aging anthracite coal industry, its population steadily declining.

Candidate Profile:
This centrist with local roots appeared to be in trouble after his home territory surrounding Schuylkill County joined with Rep. George Gekas' Harrisburg stronghold to form the new seventeenth district, but Tim Holden has impressed national party leaders by turning this race into a possible upset.

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Candidate Profile:
George W. Gekas, the Republican Congressman from Pennsylvania's 17th District, has never ventured too far from home, especially when politics were involved. Born in 1930 in Harrisburg, Pa., Gekas has represented Dauphin County in Congress since 1983, and he has lived in that same county all of his life.

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