 Potential Republican candidates included State Senator Chuck McIlhinney, State Representatives Gene DiGirolamo and Scott Petri and Bucks County Commissioner Rob Loughery.Former Lieutenant Governor Jim Cawley had been speculated to run, but he instead became president and CEO of the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.The 9th district was in South Central Pennsylvania and included Cambria, Blair, Huntingdon, Franklin, Fulton, Bedford, Somerset, Fayette, Greene and Washington counties.