[4] Prior to being elected to the House, Petri was a practicing attorney, he served as counsel to Upper Makefield Township and New Britain.

Petri filed his Statement of Candidacy with the Federal Election Commission in October 2015 for the PA-8 2016 Congressional Race to succeed fellow Republican Michael G. Fitzpatrick, who was retiring.

[6][7] Petri subsequently dropped out of the congressional race after Republicans successfully recruited Mike Fitzpatrick's younger brother, Brian Fitzpatrick, to leave his job as a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in California to move back to Bucks County in order to run for Congress.

2015 - "State Public Official of the Year" by Pennsylvania Bio (statewide trade association representing the life science industry).

2012 - "State Public Official of the Year" by Pennsylvania Bio (statewide trade association representing the life science industry).