Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Second challenger announces run against Leach
Democratic state Sen. Daylin Leach has a second woman challenging him for his seat in the 2020 primary.
Leach, who represents the 17th District, ran afoul of the Metoo movement after several women who worked with him complained about his behavior. Another woman, who he sued for defamation, made more serious
allegations.
If not for the MeToo Movement and these claims, Leach “would otherwise be very safe in his district,” said G. Terry Madonna, Ph.D., a professor and director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs and the Franklin and Marshall College Poll.
“It’s all about the allegations,” said Madonna, which Leach has denied.
He noted that major Democratic leaders have called for Leach to resign, including Nancy Patton Mills, the party chair, Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, and Gov. Tom Wolf.
That is “lots of pressure from many sources,” said Madonna.
The new challenger, Linda Fields, 64, of King of Prussia, a longtime labor organizer and political activist, joins Sara Atkins in vying to bump Leach from his political perch. They join current Norristown Area School District board president Shae Ashe in the race.
Fields said that “as a mother and grandmother,” she is concerned about “the severity and number of allegations” against Leach. These leave “large questions” in her mind, she said.
“I don’t invalidate any woman that says this happened,” said Fields. “It wasn’t one, it wasn’t two. It was nine women.”
Fields spoke to constituents and community leaders, thought long and hard and prayed before deciding to run, she said.
Party leaders were concerned about Leach’s effect on the ballot in a presidential year and did not want whoever the Democratic presidential candidate is to have “a hill to tackle.”
She also spoke to Leach, whose campaign spokesman declined to comment for this article on Monday.
“I can’t just stand and complain,” said Fields. “I have to do something.”
“I’m running to restore the people’s trust in their representation and the integrity of the elected office,” she said. “I will unite the 17th District and serve with honor, humility and respect.”
Not surprisingly for a labor leader, Fields has already garnered support from some unions. She is endorsed by AFSCME District Council 33, District 1199c NUCHHE ASCFME AFL-CIO, International Longshoremen Association Local 1291, and the Transportation Workers Union Local 234. She currently works as a special assistant for Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 135 in Norristown.
Last year, Fields ran as the Democratic candidate for the state Senate in the 24th District, a challenging a two-term incumbent across Montgomery, Berks and Bucks counties. She lost by 4.8 percent of the vote but won in Montgomery County and received nearly 50,000 votes. Active in the Democratic Party, Fields served as an elected delegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention. She also served on the advisory board for former Norristown City Council President Ed Turner for two terms.
For the past 20 years, Fields split her time between her two homes in King of Prussia and Pottstown. In the fall of 2015, she moved to Pottstown where she remained until January 2019, when she moved back to King of Prussia. She has been married for 43 years to her husband Charles. Fields is the mother of three children, sons Charles, 44, who works at Merck and is also a real estate agent and Chafie Fields, 42, a sports agent; and her daughter, Dr. Candis Fields Johnson. She is the grandmother of eight.
Fields “grew up a Navy brat” and spent her younger years in California before moving to West Philadelphia for middle school and high school.
If elected, Fields said that she will be an advocate for people and will listen to their concerns, building on her experience in labor and politics.
Fields said that she is very concerned about inequity in educational funding and would like to talk with school district superintendents and school board members about finding a solution.
“I’m pretty excited about the support I’m getting various organizations,” said Fields. “I think I can bring back the trust of the people and I would be able to alleviate any doubt about how women are treated,” she said. She said she is an advocate for equal pay and dignity in the workplace.
Fields met with Atkins and said, “We’re both advocates for health care and education. I’m more seasoned and experienced, not just in labor but simply because of my age and experience…At the end of the day the constituents will make the decision.” She pointed out that Atkins has young children while hers are grown. She believes that she has “the ability to do what is required in a senate seat. It takes a lot of time and effort.”
In addition to education, Fields is also concerned about healthcare and would advocate for affordable health care and reproductive rights. She formed her own non-profit called Heart to Heart Circle of Life to raise awareness for heart disease research and have volunteered for other charities.
She has also served as a trustee on the Pension Fund for Nursing Home and Healthcare Employees for two decades and a Board member for the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists.
In addition, Fields supports environmental protection and expanding trails and the “strategic preservation of woods and farmland,” as well as preventing environmental damage from fracking and pipelines.
When Fields ran in the 24th District, she received a $500 campaign contribution from Leach. She recently donated $500 from her campaign surplus to the Victim Services Center of Montgomery County and The Women’s Center of Montgomery County.
Meanwhile, an investigation by a law firm that was requested by the state Senate listed various allegations of misconduct against Leach but found “no evidence of actionable discrimination or harassment in violation of applicable law or (Senate) Caucus policies.” However, the law firm did find that Leach made “immature and unprofessional” jokes and noted that “jokes with a sexual context have the potential to create a hostile work environment.” It recommended training regarding sexual harassment and hostile work environment claims.
For more info, visit www. fields4senate.com.