Keith Rothfus

2010

Rothfus decided to run for Congress in Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. In the Republican primary, he defeated U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan 65%–35%.[6] Rothfus challenged Democratic U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire, losing 51%–49%.[7][8]

2012

After redistricting, most of the 4th District was merged with the Johnstown-based Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district. Rothfus won the Republican primary unopposed. In the general election, he faced incumbent Democrat Mark Critz, who had defeated incumbent Jason Altmire in the Democratic primary. Rothfus led Critz in fundraising for the second half of 2012. It was a highly competitive election, with outside groups spending nearly $10 million.[9]

Rothfus defeated Critz 52%–48%.[8][10][11] He took office when the 113th Congress convened on January 3, 2013.

2014

Rothfus sought a second term in the U.S. House in 2014. He was re-nominated in the May 20 Republican primary and faced Democratic nominee Erin McClelland in the general election. He defeated McClelland 59%–41%, winning a second term.[12]

2016

Rothfus sought a third term in the U.S. House in 2016. He again faced Democratic candidate Erin McClelland in the general election. He defeated McClelland 62%–38%, winning a third term.[13]

2018

For his first three terms, Rothfus represented a district stretching from the northwestern suburbs of Pittsburgh to Johnstown. After the Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out the old congressional map as unconstitutional and replaced it with a map of its own, Rothfus' district was renumbered as the 17th District and reconfigured as a more compact district in the northern and western suburbs of Pittsburgh. Democrat Conor Lamb, who won a special election for the neighboring 18th District, had his home drawn into the new 17th and filed to run for a full term there on March 20.[14] On paper, the new 17th is far less Republican than its predecessor; President Trump carried the old 12th by 20 points, but would have carried the new 17th by just 2.5 points.[15] In the November 2018 general election, Rothfus was defeated by Lamb. Lamb won 56% of the vote to Rothfus's 44%.[16][17]

The political action committee America First Policies bought advertisements in support of Rothfus's campaign.[18]

• Committee on Financial Services
  • Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
• United States House Judiciary Committee

• Friends of Wales Caucus

On July 20, 2017, Rothfus introduced H.J.Res.111, which nullifies a rule submitted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.[20]

In early 2017, efforts were made to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Approximately 130 of Rothfus's constituents requested a town hall to discuss their concerns about removed/reduced health coverage. Frustrated citizens sponsored and invited Rothfus to a town hall; he declined.[21] Some of Rothfus's constituents reportedly started a PAC to motivate him to meet with them.[22] On June 3, activists and constituents purportedly frustrated with Rothfus's refusal to host a town hall interrupted a Chamber of Commerce meeting that Rothfus was attending.[23]

Along with Congressman Juan Vargas (D-CA), Rothfus introduced the "Fight Illicit Networks and Detect Trafficking Act" (or the FIND Trafficking Act), H.R. 6069. On July 17, 2018, the House passed the S.488, the JOBS and Investor Confidence Act of 2018, which contained the text of the FIND Trafficking Act. The FIND Trafficking Act directs the Comptroller of the Currency to study how virtual currencies can facilitate human trafficking.[24]

On September 12, 2018, a bill that Rothfus had introduced, the State Insurance Regulation Preservation Act (H.R. 5059), passed in the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation would tailor the supervision of the Federal Reserve over holding companies that own thrifts (savings and loans banks). The bill streamlines regulator's approach to insurance savings and loan holding companies (ISLHCs) by enacting several reforms.[25]

In 2015, he signed onto a resolution which would amend the U.S. Constitution so that only marriages between men and women are legal.[26] Rothfus has a 0 rating from the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBT rights advocacy group.[27]

In 2013, Rothfus voted against a bill to provide disaster relief funding to victims of Hurricane Sandy. Referring to the bill's funding offsets for the National Flood Insurance Program, he said it was "irresponsible to raise an insolvent program's debt ceiling without making reforms."[28]

In January 2017, Rothfus issued a statement in support of President Trump's executive order on refugees.[29]

In May 2017, Rothfus voted to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act,[30][31][32] including provisions to defund Planned Parenthood.[33] The bill included an exemption for Congress that was later removed,[34] and the MacArthur amendment, which allowed states to opt out of covering preexisting conditions.[35]