As one Democrat running for Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District exited the race Monday, two others gained votes of confidence.
State Rep. Leanne Krueger-Braneky, D-161 of Swarthmore, endorsed fellow Swarthmorean and pro bono attorney Mary Gay Scanlon for the position in a release from the Scanlon campaign.
“I know Mary Gay from her service on the Wallingford-Swarthmore School Board and as a supporter of women running for public office,” said Krueger-Braneky. “She has deep roots in Delaware County and throughout the newly formed 5th Congressional District, and offers the best chance for Democrats up and down the ticket to secure victory in November.”
The newly drawn 5th District was created by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court after the Republican-controlled state Legislature and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf were unable to reach unanimity on new maps. It is comprised of Delaware County, parts of South Philadelphia and a sliver of Montgomery County.
The old 7th District and 1st Districts no longer exist and the incumbents there, U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan, R-7 of Chadds Ford, and Rep. Bob Brady, D-1 of Philadelphia, are not seeking re-election.
The Delaware County Democratic Committee could not come to a consensus last month on an endorsed candidate for the position, but Scanlon did come closest to securing the necessary 263 votes after four rounds of voting with 218.
“As a longtime resident of Delaware County and progressive activist, I’ve seen first-hand the investment and hard work that Rep. Leanne Krueger-Braneky has put in and she has been instrumental in laying the groundwork for a stronger and more progressive Democratic Party,” said Scanlon. “As your next congresswoman, I will be proud to work with Rep. Krueger-Braneky to continue electing progressive candidates. We must continue to empower more progressive women and Democrats to run for office at all levels of government.”
Pennsylvania currently does not have any women in Congress and ranks 49th in the nation for gender parity in elected office, according to metrics from the nonpartisan Represent Women initiative.
Democrat Ashley Lunkenheimer, a former federal prosecutor and health care advocate, has meanwhile been endorsed by the membership of the Mid-County Democratic Committee.
“I am honored and grateful to have gained the support of the Mid-County Democrats and know that this will be a tremendous boon to the grassroots momentum behind my candidacy,” said Lunkenheimer in a release. “This endorsement is another strong indicator that my message is resonating and the people of the 5th District trust that I will be a strong voice in Washington against the NRA and Donald Trump.”
Mid-County Democratic Committee Chairman John Nee noted that more than 90 percent of membership representing Chester Heights, Edgemont, Middletown, Thornbury and Upper Providence came out to vote.
“Furthermore, it is exciting to see our membership coalesce their support behind such a strong candidate like Ashley Lunkenheimer,” he said. “Moving forward, MCDC will be working hard to push Ashley across the finish line on May 15th and beyond.”
No longer running is David Wertime, of Lower Merion, a journalist and entrepreneur whose platform consisted mainly of health care-related issues. He said in a release announcing his departure that he is proud to see those issues are on the table in this race and that he would support the Democratic nominee following the May 15 primary election.
Other Democrats still in the race include Philadelphia’s former Deputy Mayor of Labor Rich Lazer; former Morgan Stanley wealth manager Lindy Li of Malvern; South Philadelphia scientist Dr. Molly Sheehan; Opioid Crisis Action Network founder Larry Arata of Haverford; Chester Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland; political science professor Mary Ellen Balchunis of Ardmore; entrepreneur Theresa Wright of Norristown; and state Reps. Greg Vitali, D-166 of Haverford, and Margo Davidson, D-164 of Upper Darby.
The winner will face the sole Republican candidate on the ballot, Pearl Kim, of Radnor, a former Delaware County assistant district attorney and former state attorney general senior deputy counsel.
