EMILY’s List serves Meehan ‘notice’ on women’s issues
Political action committee EMILY’s List took aim at 50 Republican U.S. senators and representatives across the country Thursday with the debut of an “On Notice” campaign designed to highlight congressional voting records on women’s issues.
Several House members from Pennsylvania made the list, including U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan, R-7 of Chadds Ford, who is facing a 2018 midterm challenge from six Democrats to date and one Republican in the primary.
The EMILY’s List PAC supports electing pro-choice Democratic female candidates to office. The “On Notice” campaign is the largest in the organization’s 32-year history and is targeting Republicans who have “amassed appallingly anti-woman, anti-family records,” according to a release.
“Women voters are furious at (Meehan’s) shameful lack of courage and leadership – especially when it comes to protecting the safety and well being of their families,” said EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock in the release. “Meehan has repeatedly voted to defund Planned Parenthood and undermine equal pay protections for women.”
The statement was virtually identical to similar releases targeting U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello, R-6, of West Goshen Township in Chester County and U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R-16, of West Lampeter Township in Lancaster County.
The releases were tailored to the voting records of each representative, citing various news articles and congressional rolls. The Meehan release identified seven votes EMILY’s List took exception to, including multiple votes to eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers, procedural votes on bills aimed at addressing the wage gap between men and women and a vote in favor of banning abortions after 20 weeks.
“Rep. Pat Meehan has failed to protect the people of Pennsylvania he was elected to represent – and EMILY’s List and our five million-strong community are aggressively looking to flip his seat,” said Schriock in the release. “… It’s clear that Rep. Meehan cares far more about the politics of Washington than helping the women and families of Pennsylvania’s 7th District.”
Meehan spokesman John Elizandro called the release “nonsense” and said it was “silly” that the Daily Times would treat it as newsworthy. He then directed attention to work Meehan has done as co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence, including urging Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to continue publishing the names of colleges and universities under Title IX investigation for allegedly mishandling sexual violence reports.
Meehan has also introduced bipartisan legislation including the Online Safety Modernization Act and Campus Accountability and Safety Act, and supported bills aimed at ending human trafficking.
A former Delaware County District Attorney and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Meehan is now in his fourth term representing the 7th District.
He defeated Democrat Bryan Lentz for seat in 2010 with 55 percent of the vote and has successfully fended off three challengers since, securing at least 60 percent of the vote in each race.
The Democratic candidates lining up for the 2018 general election to date are attorney Dan Muroff, bioengineer Molly Sheehan, realtor Elizabeth Moro, information technology consultant Drew McGinty, former Philadelphia teacher Paul Perry and state Sen. Daylin Leach, D-17 of Lower Merion. Folcroft native and U.S. Navy veteran Joe Billie is mounting a Republican challenge in the 2018 primary.
EMILY’s List does not appear to have endorsed either of the women running in the race as of Thursday.
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election on Nov. 6, 2018. Republicans currently hold a majority with 241 seats to the Democrats’ 194. U.S. Representatives are elected every two years.
There are also 34 Senate seats up for election in 2018, including the one held by Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey, who describes himself as a “pro-life Democrat” and has been vocal supporter of federal funding for Planned Parenthood.
Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., was elected to his second sixyear term in 2016 and does not face reelection until 2022.