Joyce retains seat in U.S. House
State Sen. Judy Ward, R-Blair, talks with U.S. Rep. John Joyce, R-13th District, and his wife, Alice, during a watch party at the Altoona Grand Hotel in Altoona on Tuesday evening. Both Ward and Joyce won their respective re-election bids. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Joyce
Farnham
State Sen. Judy Ward, R-Blair, talks with U.S. Rep. John Joyce, R-13th District, and his wife, Alice, during a watch party at the Altoona Grand Hotel in Altoona on Tuesday evening. Both Ward and Joyce won their respective re-election bids. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Joyce
Farnham
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U.S. Rep. John Joyce, R-Blair, overcame a challenge from Democratic candidate Beth Farnham in the race for Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, according to Tuesday night's unofficial election results.
NBC News and the Associated Press declared Joyce as the winner with 56% of votes counted before 9:30 p.m. As of 10:40 p.m. with 95% of the vote in, Joyce led with 171,109 votes, or 68.6%, while Farnham had 78,235 votes, or 31.4%.
Blair County voters chose Joyce, handing the incumbent 28,846 votes, while Farnham received 14,100 votes, according to preliminary election results.
"What a resounding victory in very challenging times," Joyce said. "It's an honor to represent southcentral Pennsylvania."
Joyce, who has represented Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District since 2019, has several priorities for his upcoming term. With four recent train derailments around Altoona, he said railroad safety improvements can be made, along with encouraging more young people to continue their healthcare residencies in central Pennsylvania hospitals.
"These are top agenda items of mine, and I'll continue with them when I'm sworn in next January," he said.
He hopes to see more expansions in manufacturing and healthcare in the 13th District.
"I look forward to working for the next two years for the individuals in Pennsylvania," he said.
Farnham said she was grateful for her team who put in the effort to take her campaign as far as it could go, but she's also disappointed in her neighbors for re-electing Joyce.
"Our current representative doesn't respond to the people," she said. "He doesn't hold town halls in person. There are so many complaints that he didn't respond to emails, phone calls or requests for meetings."
Considering the region's future, she hopes that Joyce "gets it right" for local residents in the 13th District.
"In the future, I hope that my neighbors will vote for someone who will actually work for the districts and not bow to a want-to-be-king," she said.
Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.