Hi everyone,
A year ago today, I became the first Democrat to flip a GOP-leaning Pennsylvania state House seat since 2010 – in large part because the DailyKos community banded together in the last crucial weeks to infuse our campaign with the cash we needed to run a robust GOTV operation.
I'm writing on today’s August 4th anniversary of our win to update you on what we’ve been able to accomplish, what is still undone, and what we’re up against in the November election. Because I was elected in a special election last summer, I’m on the ballot again this November for my first full term.
The day after our historic win, I gathered my team to strategize about how to keep our momentum going and use what we learned and what we accomplished to not only advance our issues, but to flip more seats. We set out to build bridges with labor, who were largely against us in the special election since the Republicans attempted to peel off Democratic votes by running a local AFL-CIO leader, and to recruit candidates for the 2016 cycle (more on this later).
When I was sworn in on the morning of August 25th, our state budget was almost two months late. That afternoon, I put up my very first votes against an unconstitutional attempt to override Governor Tom Wolf’s veto of an irresponsible Republican spending plan. Our victory was already helping Governor Wolf and House Democrats to stand their ground against the extremist Republican majority. I’d step up to partner with Governor Wolf again and again over the next year.
The Republican majority has repeatedly refused to allow a vote for a tax on Marcellus shale, even though PA is the only fracking state in the country without a severance tax. The budget finally passed in March, nine months late, but not without another $12 million in handouts to the oil and gas industry.
Then came the attacks on women’s health. The most restrictive abortion ban in the country, HB1948—a 20-week abortion ban without exceptions for rape, incest, or the health of the mother—was fast-tracked from introduction to its very first House committee vote in a mere 24 business hours. With Republicans holding a supermajority in the House and the state Senate, Governor Wolf’s veto was the only protection against this unconstitutional bill becoming law.
Frightened by the national media scrutiny that came when Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards came to our state capitol and stood alongside our Governor, Republicans relented and stalled the vote. But that was only temporary. Less than two months later, HB1948 was back on the calendar.
As a freshman lawmaker with less than nine months on the job, I stood up and was the first person to interrogate the prime sponsor of the bill on the floor of the House. I forced her to state on the record that the bill was written without any input from the medical community and that the only meetings about the bill were “private” and “privileged.” Since there were no public hearings on this bill, no chance for the medical community to weigh in, I shared a story from a high-risk OB/GYN who lives in my district about how catastrophic this bill would be for her patients if it was signed into law. There weren’t enough of us voting no to stop it in the House, so the bill passed and went to the Senate, also controlled by Republicans.
Our next battle was over yet another basic human right: clean air and clean water. Republicans (and many Democrats, unfortunately) took just 12 days to start dismantling commonsense drilling regulations that had been approved by an independent commission after an unprecedented amount of public participation. Again I rose, this time to speak up against the oil and gas industry. And once again, the Republican supermajority won the day.
I'm proud to stand up for my constituents in these legislative fights, but I can only continue to do this work if I'm re-elected. Republicans hold a massive registration advantage in the 161st District, which is why my victory last year was a shock to the entire state. I'm not just fighting for my district: Through partnership with local party leaders, I have recruited more women candidates than we’ve ever fielded in Delaware County and helped them get their campaigns off the ground. I've not only refused to keep my head down, I'm challenging the status quo throughout Pennsylvania -- and now I’ve got a huge target on my back.
The historically powerful Delaware County Republicans recruited a woman (with two last names, can you imagine?!) from the most Republican part of the district to run against me in the hopes that they can take us down. And no matter my opponent’s background or political savvy, she will be well-funded and backed by her party in a way our opponent last summer was not. It is likely that, due to the size of both our media market and the target on my back, this campaign will exceed $500,000—a hefty sum, but one we’re working hard to raise.
So, I return to the community that helped me over the hump last summer with a plea to get involved again, re-up your recurring contributions, and help us keep the 161st legislative district Blue!
I am forever grateful to you all for helping me get this far, and together I know we can continue fighting for progressive change in Pennsylvania.
With gratitude,
Leanne.
PS. Be among the first to contribute and receive a “commemorative” “Vote August 4th” bumper sticker while supplies last!