The Democratic primary field hoping to take on U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks) in 2026 just got more crowded.
Attorney Tracy Hunt, a longtime Bucks County resident and self-described “modern Democrat,” has formally announced his candidacy, joining Bucks County Commissioners Chair Bob Harvie Jr. and political newcomer Rob Strickler in the race for the Democratic nomination in Pennsylvania’s First Congressional District.
Hunt, 57, unveiled his campaign in a video where he framed his candidacy as a response to the political direction of the country. “Donald Trump’s America is off the rails,” Hunt said. “We used to depend on the Democratic Party to keep us on track. But let’s face it: we’ve forgotten how to be a party for everyone. And we keep losing.”
Until two months ago, Hunt was a registered Republican. He says he was disillusioned by what he called the GOP’s “embrace of authoritarianism” and “a wannabe king.” He said he sees the Democratic Party of John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama as his new political home.
“There’s a lot of us out there, and our ranks are growing each day,” he added.
Hunt has practiced law in Bucks County for more than 20 years, primarily representing small businesses and individuals in disputes with large corporations. He also teaches business law at Delaware Valley University and is a member of the American Federation of Teachers.
Hunt met his wife, who is also named Tracy, while they were students at Widener Law School. She grew up in Bucks County, so they decided to move there, first to Doylestown, then New Hope. Hunt noted that Bucks County is “a good place to raise a family.”
A political newcomer, Hunt contrasted his background with that of Harvie, a veteran politician who has served as Falls Township supervisor and now chairs the county board of commissioners.
“I’m a constituent. I’m not a politician,” said Hunt, when DVJournal asked him what he’d like to say to our readers. “And if you share some of these values that hardworking people should at least be able to make a living wage, be able to afford as good a life as they can, then I at least hope you would give me a chance.
The race to unseat Fitzpatrick, a five-term incumbent, is expected to be one of 2026’s most closely watched congressional contests. Though Fitzpatrick holds a $6.5 million campaign war chest and was recently rated the most bipartisan Republican in Congress, Democrats say the district is within reach.
PoliticsPA recently ranked Fitzpatrick the fourth most vulnerable member of the state’s congressional delegation. While registered Republicans now outnumber Democrats in Bucks County by roughly 12,000 voters, the district narrowly backed Kamala Harris over Donald Trump in 2024.
“Democrats smell blood in the water in next year’s mid-term elections,” said GOP strategist Christopher Nicholas of Eagle Consulting Group. “And combined with their distaste for the president, we are seeing a lot of them looking to run for Congress.”
Hunt said that while he may have once voted for Fitzpatrick, he no longer sees him as the moderate he claims to be. “I’ve seen Brian not be the moderate that he portrays himself to be,” Hunt said.
Hunt also addressed a blemish on his professional record. He was suspended from practicing law for six months for failing to complete continuing legal education requirements and then improperly continuing to act in a legal capacity during that suspension. The state Supreme Court’s Disciplinary Board reinstated him in 2021.
“I made a mistake,” Hunt said. “I owned up to it. I took responsibility and held myself accountable.”
In contrast, Hunt criticized Fitzpatrick, saying, “I can’t tell you that I’ve seen Brian Fitzpatrick stand up and say he’s taking responsibility for anything he’s done.”
The National Republican Congressional Committee dismissed Hunt’s entry into the race with a mocking statement.
“Between corrupt Bob Harvie, the subject of an FBI investigation, loser Bob Strickler, and now out-of-touch Tracy Hunt, the PA-01 Democratic primary has become quite the clown car,” said NRCC spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole. “Whichever candidate out-crazies the rest will come out on top in the primary, albeit bruised, penniless, and with no chance against Brian Fitzpatrick.”