Pennsylvania Rep. Chrissy Houlahan declines to run for Senate, will seek reelection

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) declined on Tuesday to run for Pennsylvania’s open Senate seat in 2022, announcing instead that she will seek reelection in her House district.

Houlahan’s decision to run for reelection removes a potentially formidable contender from one of the most wide-open and competitive Senate races of the 2022 midterm cycle. The Democratic field has so far been dominated by Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta and Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh.

Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Pa.) is also considering a bid for retiring Sen. Pat Toomey’s (R-Pa.) seat. If he enters the race, he would likely join the pack of top-tier Democratic contenders.

So far, the Republican field has attracted five contenders: former congressional candidates Sean Parnell and Kathy Barnette, former Senate candidate Everett Stern, businessman Jeff Bartos and attorney Sean Gale.

Houlahan’s decision to forego a Senate bid is likely to soothe concerns among some Democrats, who see her reelection as their best chance of holding Pennsylvania’s suburban 6th Congressional District, which could see some changes next year as part of the decennial redistricting process.