by Molly Bilinski for Spotlight PA<\/p>\n
Spotlight PA<\/a> is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters<\/a>.<\/p>\n BENSALEM \u2014 Ahead of the Nov. 3 election, Pennsylvania voters have identified<\/a> the economy as a top issue, driven by concerns about the cost of living, unemployment and utility prices.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a key focus in the 1st Congressional District race between Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a former FBI agent seeking his sixth term, and Democratic candidate Bob Harvie, a Bucks County commissioner and former public school teacher.<\/p>\n Located outside Philadelphia, in the southeastern corner of the commonwealth, the purple district covers all of Bucks County and a portion of Montgomery County. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report<\/a> changed its rating of the race from \u201clikely Republican\u201d to \u201clean Republican\u201d in early October.<\/p>\n U.S. representatives, elected for two-year terms, vote on legislation that affects the economy, including changes to federal taxes and budgets, as well as government spending. They can also secure federal funding and advocate for the district they represent through shaping and voting for legislation.<\/p>\n Neither campaign responded to Spotlight PA\u2019s requests for comment about the candidates\u2019 positions on key economic issues.<\/p>\n But a review of publicly available information shows Harvie opposes both President Donald Trump\u2019s tariffs and the war in Iran, which have contributed to increases in the prices of groceries and gas. Fitzpatrick has tried to walk a fine line on both issues: He voted against Trump\u2019s Canada tariffs but only after voting several times to prevent such a vote from happening; he also voted to end the war in Iran after rejecting previous efforts for being too broad<\/a> and early<\/a>.<\/p>\n The economic issues they most align on are healthcare reform and increasing the minimum wage. Below, we break down the candidates\u2019 public positions on tax policies, affordability and jobs.<\/p>\n Tax policies<\/p>\n On his campaign website, Fitzpatrick says he has supported a \u201csimpler, fairer tax code\u201d during his tenure in Congress, adding that \u201csmall businesses are already hiring more while their workers receive bonuses and higher take-home pay.\u201d<\/p>\n Fitzpatrick was one of only two House Republicans to vote against<\/a> Trump\u2019s \u201cOne Big Beautiful Bill Act.\u201d<\/p>\n Signed into law on July 4, 2025, the OBBBA made permanent most of the individual and business tax cuts from 2017\u2019s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, including reducing the top corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21 percent, doubling the standard deduction and expanding the Child Tax Credit. It also created federal income tax deductions for tips, overtime pay and taxpayers 65 and older through 2028.<\/p>\n While the OBBBA is expected to boost the economy in the short term, researchers at Brookings, a nonpartisan think tank, said in a preliminary analysis released in March<\/a> that it will raise federal deficits by between $3.7 trillion and $5.1 trillion over the next decade. High-income households are expected to see the largest benefits, with many of the spending cuts, particularly to Medicare, Medicaid and SNAP, falling on low-income and immigrant families.<\/p>\n Fitzpatrick initially voted in favor of the bill, but said he changed his position<\/a> after the Senate incorporated deeper cuts to Medicaid.<\/p>\n The OBBBA included nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid<\/a> over the next decade, as well as imposed work requirements, more frequent eligibility checks and higher cost-sharing, among other provisions.<\/p>\n Harvie supports a tax cut for the middle class, saying on his campaign website that \u201cWorking families shouldn\u2019t pay a higher effective tax rate than multinational corporations. We need a tax system that is built on fairness.\u201d<\/p>\n Fitzpatrick has expressed opposition to \u201cblanket and indiscriminate\u201d tariffs. He cast several votes that prevented the issue from coming up before the House, but later voted against Trump\u2019s Canada tariffs.<\/p>\n In March 2025, he voted in favor of a procedural measure<\/a> that effectively took away House members\u2019 power to bring up resolutions to end the emergency declaration Trump used to levy tariffs. ABC News described the vote, tied to a funding bill, as a \u201csneaky legislative maneuver<\/a>\u201d designed to prevent Republican members from having to directly vote on ending the tariffs.<\/p>\n Fitzpatrick voted \u201cyes\u201d on similar procedural measures as recently as Feb. 10 of this year.<\/p>\n On that day, the procedural measure failed<\/a>, and House members were forced to vote on whether to disapprove of the national emergency. Fitzpatrick was one of six House Republicans who joined Democrats to vote yes<\/a>.<\/p>\n He did so shortly before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the president lacked the authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs.<\/p>\n \u201cCongressman Fitzpatrick applauds today\u2019s Supreme\u2019s Court decision, which validates the Congressman\u2019s opposition to blanket and indiscriminate tarriffs that are not narrowly tailored, and that do not lower costs for the American consumer,\u201d a spokesperson said in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n Harvie has criticized<\/a> the tariffs, saying he\u2019s not going to \u201croll over for Donald Trump the way Brian Fitzpatrick and Republican leadership do,\u201d adding tariffs \u201creally aren\u2019t doing anything to help anybody. All they\u2019re doing is costing the average consumer more money and they\u2019re hurting small businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n He says on his campaign website he \u201cwill fight to roll back Trump\u2019s tariffs,\u201d saying they \u201cunnecessarily increase the cost of food and household essentials for American consumers.\u201d<\/p>\n Affordability<\/p>\n Healthcare, grocery and gas prices are key affordability issues as the cost of living continues to squeeze voters\u2019 budgets.<\/p>\n On his campaign website, Fitzpatrick says, \u201cEvery man, woman, and child should have affordable health insurance but skyrocketing costs are forcing thousands in Pennsylvania to be uninsured. This is unacceptable. In Congress, I\u2019m fighting for a health care system that works for everyone and lowers the cost of prescription drugs.\u201d<\/p>\n The Affordable Care Act included premium tax credits to help make health insurance less costly. Those credits were enhanced in 2021 when the American Rescue Plan Act passed, and extended in 2022\u2019s Inflation Reduction Act. However, they expired at the end of last year.<\/p>\n In December, Fitzpatrick introduced the Bipartisan Health Insurance Affordability Act<\/a>, which would extend enhanced premium tax credits through 2027, in addition to other healthcare reforms.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom the outset, I committed to delivering a bipartisan solution to prevent devastating premium spikes\u2013today, we are doing exactly that. Our bill keeps the ACA\u2019s premium tax credits in place, so families are not blindsided with unaffordable increases in the care they depend on,\u201d Fitzpatrick said in a news release announcing the legislation<\/a>. \u201cThis is a practical, people-first fix that protects families now, while preserving the space to keep working toward a stronger, smarter, more affordable healthcare system.\u201d<\/p>\n Fitzpatrick was one of 17 House Republicans to vote in January in favor of the Breaking the Gridlock Act<\/a>, a bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (D., Massachusetts) and aimed at reinstating enhanced ACA health insurance subsidies for three years. The legislation has not yet seen a vote in the Senate.<\/p>\n Since those tax credits expired at the end of 2025, nearly 202,000 enrollees on Pennie, Pennsylvania\u2019s state health insurance exchange, have dropped<\/a> their coverage.<\/p>\n If elected, Harvie says he\u2019ll \u201cfight to permanently restore and expand those [ACA] tax credits so families don\u2019t wake up to hundreds of dollars in higher monthly premiums simply because Congress failed to act.\u201d<\/p>\n During an interview<\/a> with WHYY, Harvie did not directly answer a reader question about whether he supports \u201cuniversal healthcare,\u201d either through a federal Medicare for All bill or local legislation.<\/p>\n \u201cWe absolutely have to expand access to affordable healthcare in this country. I believe that we need to do things like allow people who are 55 [to] buy into Medicare. I believe we need to have more transparent pricing,\u201d he said. \u201cOur healthcare system in this country is way too complex and way too difficult to solve, I think, with one bill that\u2019s going to come along and make everything better.\u201d<\/p>\n The cost of groceries, which has risen due to compounding factors including inflation and tariffs, has also been a key issue for voters.<\/p>\n Harvie says he will \u201cban AI-driven surveillance pricing on essential goods like groceries and strengthen federal enforcement against corporate price gouging so families know they\u2019re paying a fair price,\u201d arguing that \u201ccorporations are using artificial intelligence and personal data to adjust prices and maximize profits.\u201d<\/p>\n Through personalized pricing, also called surveillance pricing,<\/a> retailers can offer customers different charges and discounts based on their locations, incomes, and web-browsing habits, among other variables. So far, legislators in at least 30 states, including Pennsylvania<\/a>, have introduced legislation to ban surveillance pricing.<\/p>\n Fitzpatrick does not include affordability or groceries as an issue on his platform, and his campaign did not respond to an inquiry about the representative\u2019s position.<\/p>\n Fitzpatrick currently co-chairs the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. Earlier this year, the caucus released its Affordability Agenda<\/a>, which included several proposals aimed at lowering grocery prices and modernizing nutrition programs.<\/p>\n They include the Lower Grocery Prices Act<\/a> and the Hot Foods Act<\/a>, both co-sponsored by Fitzpatrick. The former would require the Government Accountability Office to study U.S. grocery costs and recommend ways prices could be lowered. The latter would allow people to use SNAP benefits to buy hot, ready-to-eat food.<\/p>\n In addition, Fitzpatrick introduced the MODERN WIC Act<\/a>, which would allow certifications and recertifications for the federal program via phone or video teleconference. It would also permit state agencies to grant temporary, income-based interim eligibility so participants can receive immediate support without waiting for a full risk assessment.<\/p>\n All three were introduced in early 2025, and none has seen a vote.<\/p>\n \u201cHalf the country, perhaps more, live paycheck to paycheck,\u201d Fitzpatrick said during a July discussion at the Cato Institute<\/a>, a libertarian think tank in Washington, D.C. \u201cAnd they are sitting down at the kitchen table every week, sometimes more often than that, figuring out how to make their budgets work. And those are the people that we really need to be mindful of when we\u2019re making policy decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n Residents are also feeling pressure at the pump, as oil and gas prices have risen nationwide since the start of the Iran war in late February.<\/p>\n As of Oct. 21, the average price of a gallon of gas in Pennsylvania was $4.49, according to AAA<\/a>, higher than the $4.26 national average. This time last year, the average price of a gallon of gas was $3.18 in Philadelphia<\/a>.<\/p>\n Fitzpatrick, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, appears to support military action against Iran, saying in a May statement<\/a>, \u201cThe world is a safer place after Iran\u2019s nuclear capabilities have been degraded.\u201d But he\u2019s also stressed that Trump must follow the law and seek congressional approval after 60 days under the War Powers Act of 1973.<\/p>\n In March and April<\/a>, he voted against war powers resolutions that would have forced Trump to seek congressional approval to continue military actions against Iran. But in May<\/a>\u2013shortly after the 60-day deadline\u2013Fitzpatrick was one of three Republicans to vote yes<\/a> on such a measure. He voted yes again in June<\/a> and September<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe War Powers Act of 1973 has two essential requirements: 48-hour notification in advance and within 60 days of hostilities commencing approval by Congress,\u201d Fitzpatrick told PBS NewsHour in June. \u201cSo, as soon as we hit that 60-day mark, every resolution that\u2019s been brought to the floor, I have supported. It\u2019s just a simple, basic matter of following the law.\u201d<\/p>\n (Critics, including fellow Republican U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, say the president can only invoke the War Powers Act under certain conditions<\/a> that have not been met.)<\/p>\n Harvie opposes the war, promising<\/a> \u201cI will vote on day one of taking that oath of office in January to end this war in Iran,\u201d adding that it is \u201ca war that Donald Trump got into and doesn\u2019t know how to get out of.\u201d<\/p>\n Jobs<\/p>\n During his tenure, Fitzpatrick has co-sponsored legislation to support apprenticeship programs and workforce training and development. On his campaign website, Fitzpatrick says, \u201cWe need to focus on enhancing America\u2019s workforce and bring good-paying jobs to Bucks and Montgomery Counties.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2017, he co-sponsored the 529 OPTIONS Act<\/a>. Introduced by former U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan (R., Pa.), it would allow distributions from qualified tuition programs, also known as 529 plans, to be used for certain expenses associated with registered apprenticeship programs.<\/p>\n In 2019, he co-sponsored the Apprenticeship and Jobs Training Act<\/a>. Introduced by U.S. Rep. Linda T. Sanchez (D., California), it would create a $5,000 tax credit for the training of a qualified individual in an apprenticeship program or multi-employer apprenticeship program.<\/p>\n The next year, he co-sponsored<\/a> the Student Apprenticeship Act.<\/a> Introduced by U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D., California), it would require the Department of Education to award grants to certain partnerships to enable the development and implementation of a postsecondary apprenticeship program.<\/p>\n None of them saw a vote.<\/p>\n He co-sponsored the National Apprenticeship Act<\/a> in 2021. Introduced by U.S. Rep. Robert \u201cBobby\u201d C. Scott (D., Virginia), it would invest nearly $3.5 billion over five years to scale up apprenticeship opportunities, streamline access to these types of positions for workers and employers, and expand them into new in-demand industry sectors and occupations.<\/p>\n \u201cApprenticeship programs grow our economy by fostering training programs that will prepare workers for in-demand careers while addressing our nation\u2019s current shortage of trained workers,\u201d Fitzpatrick said in a news release<\/a> at the time.<\/p>\n While the legislation passed the House with a 247-173 vote, it died in the Senate.<\/p>\n In 2025, he co-sponsored the Youth Workforce Readiness Act<\/a>. Introduced by U.S. Rep. Josh Harder (D., California), it would provide funding for hands-on skills education at after-school programs for students starting in elementary school. It has not seen a vote.<\/p>\n Harvie does not list jobs as a priority on his campaign website, and his campaign did not respond to an inquiry on his position and plans.<\/p>\n However, during an interview with WHYY, Harvie briefly mentioned his support for the Protecting the Right to Organize Act<\/a>. Introduced in 2021, it would expand labor protections related to employees\u2019 rights to organize and collectively bargain. While it died in the Senate, the legislation was reintroduced in 2025 as the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act<\/a>.<\/p>\n Pennsylvania\u2019s unemployment rate dropped to 3.9 percent in July, according to the state Department of Labor & Industry<\/a>, lower than the national rate of 4.1 percent. It\u2019s the first time the commonwealth\u2019s unemployment has been below 4 percent since October 2024.<\/p>\n However, the department also projects the commonwealth will face a shortage of more than 300,000 skilled trade workers by 2030.<\/p>\n Raising the federal minimum wage is a point of agreement between the campaigns. Fitzpatrick supports a dynamic model, while Harvie wants a blanket increase.<\/p>\n In 2025, Fitzpatrick introduced the Fair Wage Act<\/a>, which would replace a standard federal minimum wage with a dynamic model that adjusts based on local cost-of-living data.<\/p>\n