Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick kept his distinction of being the only Republican in Congress who backs a carbon tax after hanging on to his seat in the Philadelphia suburbs. Previous supporters of the policy are retiring or have lost their seats.
Fitzpatrick, a centrist Republican, defeated his Democratic opponent Christina Finello in Pennsylvania’s 1st District, the Associated Press projected on Wednesday.
Climate change was not a dominant issue in his race, but Fitzpatrick offered proposals that challenge GOP orthodoxy in order to win the support of college-educated suburban swing voters who value environmental protection and pragmatism.
Fitzpatrick, along with Rep. John Katko of New York and Rep. Mike Garcia of California, was one of three House Republican incumbents up for reelection in districts won by Hillary Clinton in 2016. Katko is ahead in his race, while Garcia is slightly trailing.
Fitzpatrick narrowly won reelection in 2018 after his district was redrawn in a way that made it slightly more left-leaning.
In addition to climate, Fitzpatrick, a former FBI agent and accountant, ran on other policies normally associated with Democrats, including gun control and immigration reform, in order to keep distance from President Trump atop the ticket.
Supporters expected Fitzpatrick to avoid the fate of other Republicans who have backed carbon taxes because he has managed not to alienate the Left or the Right.
Fitzpatrick was endorsed by a host of environmental groups across the political spectrum, including the left-leaning League of Conservation Voters.
His opponent, Finello, a county health and human services official, mostly emphasized Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and tried to tie Fitzpatrick to the president’s opposition to Obamacare.
