Hundreds of Democrats packed Charles Boehm Middle School in Buckingham Township on Sunday, Oct. 11. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Gov. Josh Shapiro headlined the rally for congressional challenger Bob Harvie.

The event marked the highest-profile national Democratic investment yet in the PA-01 race, where Harvie, a Bucks County commissioner, is trying to unseat five-term Republican incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick. It was Shapiro's second consecutive weekend campaigning in Bucks County for Harvie, the Bucks County Beacon reported. Jeffries' visit came days after House Speaker Mike Johnson held a private meeting with Fitzpatrick in Bucks County, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Two days before the rally, the Cook Political Report shifted its PA-01 rating from "Likely Republican" to "Lean Republican," saying the race "could be quite close." A Democrat has not represented the Bucks County area since 2011.

U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania's 4th District, Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chair Eugene DePasquale and state Senate candidate Eileen Hartnett-Albillar also spoke.

Buckingham Township Supervisor Maggie Rash, a former Republican who previously supported Fitzpatrick, opened the rally. Rash told the crowd she switched her party registration to Democrat a few months ago and endorsed Harvie, saying the independent leadership she once believed in was no longer what she saw. She described how Harvie and fellow Commissioner Diane Marseglia helped her family through a mental health crisis.

"They saved my grandson's life," Rash said.

Jeffries framed the race as a referendum on Republican leadership, telling the audience that a vote for Harvie would be "a vote to make Congress a check and balance on an out of control president." Shapiro told supporters that Harvie's first vote in Congress would be to make Jeffries the next Speaker of the House.

Harvie, who grew up in Bristol Borough and taught social studies at Bucks County Technical High School for 20 years before entering politics, told the crowd that outside groups had spent $1 million a month against him since May. He said his average individual campaign contribution was $67. Those figures are Harvie's own claims and have not been independently verified.

He also addressed billboards across Bucks County that he said falsely link him to an FBI investigation. Harvie categorically denied being the subject of any FBI probe.

He filed a defamation lawsuit Aug. 5 in federal court against Defending America PAC Inc. and its president Chris Pack over the claims, seeking more than $150,000 in damages. Harvie has acknowledged appearing before a federal grand jury as a witness in 2021 in his former role as a Falls Township supervisor and says he has not been in contact with federal investigators since 2022, according to PhillyBurbs. The federal probe reportedly ended with no charges filed.

Through June 30, 2026, Fitzpatrick held a significant fundraising advantage, with $6.4 million in cash on hand compared to Harvie's $795,000, according to PoliticsPA. But Democrats swept five Bucks County offices in November 2025, including flipping the sheriff and district attorney seats. The House Majority PAC has called the PA-01 contest a "statistical tie."

No response from the Fitzpatrick campaign regarding the rally appeared in available reporting.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.