[3] In 2000, Democratic Congressman Ron Klink vacated Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district to challenge Republican Rick Santorum for the United States Senate.
Van Horne won an 8-way primary election to win the Democratic nominee to succeed Klink.
[4] He defeated the state and national party's preferred candidate, Matthew Mangino, the Lawrence County, Pennsylvania district attorney.
[5] Van Horne lost the election to then-Pennsylvania Senator Melissa Hart.
[6] In July 2007, Van Horne was hired as the municipal manager for Penn Hills, Pennsylvania.