Subheadline: Republican incumbent tops Rebecca Prendergast 54% to 46% in Upper Bucks race
URL slug: staats-wins-reelection-145th-district
Meta description: State Rep. Craig Staats won re-election in Bucks County’s 145th District, defeating independent Rebecca Prendergast by 2,456 votes, according to unofficial results.
Tags: Bucks County, Election 2026, Craig Staats, Rebecca Prendergast, Pennsylvania House, Quakertown, Upper Bucks
Photo caption: State Rep. Craig Staats, R-145th District. (Photo: [credit])
QUAKERTOWN, Pa. — State Rep. Craig Staats has won re-election in Upper Bucks County’s 145th House District, defeating independent challenger Rebecca Prendergast on Tuesday.
The Richland Township Republican received 15,589 votes, about 54%, to 13,133 votes, about 46%, for Prendergast of Springfield Township. That is a margin of 2,456 votes, according to unofficial results.
The win sends Staats back to Harrisburg for a seventh term.
A two-way race after a withdrawal
The race began as a three-way contest. Prendergast, a former Republican, launched an independent bid against Staats and Democratic nominee Les Mavus. Mavus later withdrew, leaving Prendergast as the incumbent’s only opponent.
Prendergast pitched her campaign to voters frustrated with the two major parties. She focused on affordability, taxes and development pressure in Upper Bucks. When she announced her run, she said area families feel “ignored, left behind, and unheard” after more than a decade with Staats in office.
Staats’ campaign and record
Staats ran on holding down spending, encouraging economic development and lowering costs for residents and businesses.
He first won the seat in 2014, succeeding retiring Rep. Paul Clymer. This year’s margin was narrower than his recent wins. In 2024 he beat Democrat Vera Cole, 58.8% to 41.0%.
A mixed night for Bucks Republicans
Staats’ win came as Democrats gained ground elsewhere in the county. Unofficial results show Democrats flipping at least two Republican-held state House seats in Bucks, and possibly a third. Republican Rep. Kristin Marcell also appeared headed to victory in the 178th District.
About the 145th District
The district covers the Upper Bucks townships of Bridgeton, Durham, East Rockhill, West Rockhill, Haycock, Milford, Nockamixon, Richland and Springfield. It also includes the boroughs of Quakertown, Richlandtown, Riegelsville and Trumbauersville, plus the Bucks County portion of Telford.
Results will become official once the Bucks County Board of Elections certifies the vote.
Stay with [Your News Page] for more Election 2026 results from the Lehigh Valley, Bucks and Berks counties.
