Congresswoman Madeleine Dean Will Not Run For Senate: Reports

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — Congresswoman Madeleine Dean announced this week that she will not run for the U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania in 2022, which is being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey. The announcement brings clarity to the hotly contested race, which could prove decisive to the balance of power in the U.S. Senate in 2023.

Instead, Dean will focus on her re-election campaign in the House.

"There is so much to accomplish in the Congress right now," Dean said in a statement, first reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer. She pointed to coronavirus recovery, economic relief packages, and an aspiration to earn a seat on the House Appropriations Committee.

Dean gained a national profile earlier over the past year in her criticisms of President Trump leading up to the election, and her leading role as a House Manager during his second impeachment trial in January. It's brought her an influence that could easily, hypothetically, sway key votes in her densely populated 4th Congressional District and across the state, and candidates with local ties, like Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh, will surely vie for her endorsement.

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But beyond that, Dean's decision not to run — a decision also made by close ally and fellow Philadelphia area Congresswoman, Chrissy Houlahan — is a boon to Arkoosh's chances based simply on numbers. Arkoosh will need to rely on as many votes from the heavily populated southeastern region as she can get to emerge from a crowded Democratic primary field, which already includes high profile candidates like progressive wing leader Lt. Gov. John Fetterman and State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta. Congressman Connor Lamb has not announced his candidacy, but could change the face of the race if he decides to run. The race could prove decisive to the balance of power in the U.S. Senate in 2023, as it is the only Senate seat up for grabs in a state which President Biden won in 2020.

The Republican side of the race is also chock-full of candidates with local ties, like Sean Gale (brother of Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale), Kathy Barnette (Dean's 2020 opponent for the 4th Congressional District seat), and Jeff Bartos (a local real estate developer).