A Republican, he was his party's nominee for the March 2018 special election to fill in the vacant U.S. House seat for the 18th congressional district.

[2] He posted a video of himself on Facebook while standing in view of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol.

[12] Saccone's official biography states that he worked in North Korea on "an agreement meant to prevent the development of nuclear weapons there.

Former U.S. and Southern Korean colleagues said that Saccone had embellished his role, and that he was present at negotiations with North Korea only as a low-level observer.

[15] In February 2017, Saccone filed with the FEC to run for United States Senate in the 2018 election, seeking to challenge incumbent Bob Casey Jr., and officially declared his candidacy later that month.

[8] On October 8, 2017, he suspended his U.S. Senate campaign to announce that he would seek the Republican nomination for the 18th Congressional District special election.

[18] On November 11, 2017, Saccone became the Republican nominee for the 18th congressional district special election held on March 13, 2018.

[21] The result of the election was considered too close to call by most news outlets, since the candidates were separated by only 0.2 percent, and a recount was expected.

[26] On January 6, 2021, Saccone took part in the pro-Trump riots outside the United States Capitol building.

[8] In January 2018, Saccone was endorsed by Trump after winning the Republican nomination for the 18th congressional district special election.

[31][32][33][34][35] Saccone has purposely stoked this portrayal, and called the special election a referendum on the Presidency of Donald Trump.

The resolution passed unanimously, but was criticized by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

U.S. District Judge Christopher C. Conner dismissed the suit on the grounds of legislative immunity, but criticized the legislature for using state resources to "provide a re-election sound bite for use by members of the General Assembly.

[48] Saccone supported the federal Republican tax legislation enacted in 2017, saying "I'm sorry I wasn’t there to vote for it.

[51] While in office Saccone has consistently called for spending cuts, including to funding for early childhood and K-12 education, public libraries, and child welfare.

[54] Saccone introduced legislation that would prohibit public officials from accepting "transportation, lodging or hospitality or anything of economic value as a gift" from lobbyists.

[55] Saccone advocated for waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and other forms of torture in articles and his book.

[56][57] In 2017, during a special election campaign for a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama, Saccone defended Republican nominee Roy Moore, who had been accused of sexual misconduct involving teenage girls; after a reporter asked a different Republican state representative (Kathy Rapp), whether she found it "compassionate that your party may soon elect an accused child molester to the United States Senate," Saccone remarked, "Do you believe in the presumption of innocence?

"[39] According to The Intercept, records from the Pennsylvania General Assembly showed that Saccone used his legislative expense account, which is funded by taxpayers, "for meals, per diem payments, and other items at a rate higher than most lawmakers".