Republican Brian Fitzpatrick on Tuesday is projected to win Pennsylvania’s 8th District and keep the seat in the family.
{mosads}Fitzpatrick, a former FBI agent and the brother of retiring incumbent Mike Fitzpatrick, was expected to defeat Democratic state Rep. Steve Santarsiero in what was considered a toss-up race.
Incumbent Republican Mike Fitzpatrick, who served in Congress from 2005 to 2007 and was elected again in 2010, decided not to seek reelection because of self-imposed term limits, leaving the seat open.
The younger Fitzpatrick left the FBI and moved back to Pennsylvania from California before announcing he would run for his brother’s seat, a move that got him labeled a carpetbagger by his opponent.
Brian Fitzpatrick ran on his FBI experience and focused on national security and law enforcement issues.
He supported Republican nominee Donald Trump before the release of the video in which the party’s nominee made vulgar comments about women. He then said he wouldn’t vote for Trump or for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
More than $10 million has been spent by both candidates and outside groups, according to news reports.
Mike Fitzpatrick, who was considered a moderate while in Congress, was a member of the House Financial Services Committee.