U.S. Congress: Early Results Show Houlahan Leading Ciarrocchi

CHESTER COUNTY — U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a Democratic incumbent, garnered 55.4 percent of the votes in a race against Republican challenger Guy Ciarrocchi, according to 11 p.m. reports by the Pennsylvania Department of State.

The district consists of all of Chester County and portions of southeastern Berks County.

Houlahan garnered 75,348 votes, including 63,773 in-person votes and 11,575 mail-in votes in Chester County, according to Chester County results.

Ciarrocchi garnered 44.9 percent of the votes, including 2,053 mail-in votes and 58,578 in-person votes, according to results in Chester County.

In Berks, Houlahan garnered 54.9 percent of the votes 35,956 votes, including 24,797 in-person votes and 10,159 mail-in votes, according to the Department of State.

Ciarrocchi earned 45.06 percent of the Berks votes, including 27,797 in-person and 2,136 mail-in votes.

The polls closed at 8 p.m. The results will be available as the returns come in on the Chester County voter services website here.

Nov. 16 is the last day for the county board of elections to receive military and absentee ballots.

The Sixth District has a population of 731K with a median age of 39.6 and an average household income of $87,682.

Houlahan, 55, an Air Force veteran, is an incumbent who was elected in 2018 and took office in 2019.

Houlahan of Eassttown Township has campaigned on her history of working across the aisle to respond to the needs of her constituents.

Chiarrocchi, 58, a former Tredyffrin Township supervisor and chairman of Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry, was initially running for governor and switched in February to running for Congress.

Ciarrocchi served as president of the Chester County Chamber of Commerce.

He questioned, “Are we better off now than we were two years ago.”

Houlahan, a former U.S. veteran

Houlahan grew up on naval bases. She is a graduate of Stanford University, where she earned a bachelor’s of science in engineering and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she earned a master’s in technology and policy.

She spent three years in the Air Force, separating as a captain. She was a science teacher at Simon Gratz High School in Philadelphia, and a small business owner.

Houlahan serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Small Business Committee.

She is the recipient of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award which “recognizes members who demonstrate the bipartisan leadership and constructive governing necessary to move our country forward.”

Ciarrocchi, no stranger to the government

Ciarrocchi was chief of staff to Lt. Governor Jim Cawley, U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach, and State Sen. Melissa Hart.

He also served as the director of Affairs for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

In June 2005, Guy was appointed as Philadelphia regional director of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He is a graduate of St. Joseph University and Villanova Law School.
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“I want us to know that our children can do better," Ciarrocchi said.

Issues

Houlahan and Ciarrocchi recently participated in an hour-long debate that was organized by Greater Reading Unity Coalition.

Anthony Orozco, reporter at Harrisburg-based WITF, moderated the debate held in Reading Area Community College.

Protecting environment:

• Houlahan said climate change is real. "We saw 100-year floods twice. We can work to make sure we are moving toward renewable energy. We have legislation that talks about electric vehicles and combating flooding."
• Ciarrocchi: “One way to do this is to protect family farms. A lot of our farms go under assault. Well run, good farms protect our quality of life.”

Ending the conflict in Israel and Palestine

• Houlahan: “I am the daughter of a Holocaust survivor. Peace in the Middle East and Peace for Israel is very, very crucial. I am hopeful we will find a pathway to peace."
• Ciarrocchi: “We need to make sure that the United States is in a position of strength. When it comes to the Middle East, we need an administration that speaks clearly that we know what we mean. When it comes to the Middle East, we are seeking a lasting peace."

Hearings on Jan 6:

• Ciarrocchi: “It’s time to bring this to a close. It’s been two years. We have an economy that’s falling apart. We have problems with safety in our communities. We need Republicans and Democrats to stop fighting with each other. People need to be charged, or we need to bring this to a close."
• Houlahan: “Congress cannot simply put the past behind us. Literally, our Democracy is at stake. This was a free and fair election. We need to make sure that we protect the right of every voter eligible to vote. This was an insurrection. It’s really important that we identify it, recognize it, and make sure it never happens again."

Here is a Patch story on the candidates' views on inflation.

Here is a Patch story on the candidates' campaign expense reports.

Here is a Patch story on the candidates' advertising campaigns.