Westmoreland's western towns shifted to Pittsburgh-based Congressional district

Some Republican strongholds along the western edge of Westmoreland County will be part of a new Democratic-based Congressional district under a redistricting plan approved Wednesday by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

The county will continue to have two representatives in Congress.

Irwin, Jeannette, Murrysville, North Huntingdon, Penn Township, Sewickley and part of Hempfield west of Greensburg will be moved into a district that includes Pittsburgh and its eastern suburbs as part of a newly drawn 12th District. The remaining portions of the county will be part of the 14th District, along with Fayette, Greene, Somerset and Washington counties.

“Obviously, I was hoping for a unified Westmoreland County,” said Commissioner Sean Kertes.

The redistricting comes as Republicans continue to widen the party’s registration edge in the county, accounting for more than 48% of its 245,000 voters. They hold nearly every countywide, state and federal office in the area.

The new map moves several of the county’s largest municipalities, which skew heavily in favor of the GOP, into the district that is projected to be a safe seat for Democrats to hold. Of the Westmoreland communities shifted to the 12th District, only Jeannette has a Democratic majority, according to the most recent voter registration statistics.

In all, Democrats account for more than 61% of registered voters in the new 12th District.

Republicans hold a significant advantage in voter registration, nearly 60%, in the new 14th District.

Kertes, a Republican, said the new map could limit the county’s political influence.”It’s obviously an Allegheny County, downtown seat and it’s hard to see an equitable voice for the rural areas of Westmoreland County. We’ll make the best of it.”

Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Peters, is expected to seek a third term representing the 14th District. Reschenthaler did not respond to a request for comment.

The shift of Westmoreland’s western communities into the 12th District came as a surprise to local Republican leaders.

“It’s not something that anyone here was expecting,” said county Republican Committee Chairman Bill Bretz. “The good news is we will still have two voices in Washington and this is now an opportunity to seat a Republican in Congress to represent Pittsburgh.”

Westmoreland has long been divvied-up among multi Congressional seats. Reschenthaler currently represents the western two thirds of the county. The remaining towns eastward from Unity have been part of a sprawling 13th District that stretches 150 miles to Adams County and is now represented by Rep. John Joyce, R-Altoona.

Tara Yokopenic, chairwoman of the county Democratic Committee, said the new Congressional map could give the party momentum to reverse what has been a decaying brand for the last decade.

“I am happy we will have a Democratic portion of the county since the 12th District is safely blue. In some respect, this is better than what he have now, which is nothing,” Yokopenic said

Regionally, the new Congressional maps — which eliminated one district in Pennsylvania — are expected to have little political impact, said Joe DiSarro, a political science professor at Washington & Jefferson College.

“I don’t see any changes in the political culture,” DiSarro said. “I think this is about the best both parties can hope for.”

Statewide, the new maps shifts about 10% of Pennsylvania into new Congressional districts, said Chris Borick, a political science professor and director of the Institute of Public Opinion at Muhlenberg College in Allentown.

“There aren’t a whole lot of changes. It passes the eye test,” Borick said.