WHAT’S AT STAKE
Who’s on the ballot in November? Pages 3-5
While much of the focus of the Nov. 3 election has been at the presidential level, there are many other important reasons to cast your ballot in Delaware County, including seats open in the U.S. congressional district, as well as state legislative and Senate races.
5TH U.S. CONGRESSIONAL
In the 5th District congressional race, U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-5 of Swarthmore, faces Republican Dasha Pruett for the two-year post.
Scanlon si mu lt a ne - ously won a special election to fill the remainder term in the
7th District in 2017 and the newly drawn 5th District. In that time, her office noted she’s brought
$1 billion in various forms of aid back to the district and was thrown into the national spotlight for her role in the impeachment proceedings as vice chair of the House Judiciary Committee.
In terms of fundraising, Scanlon has raised
$1,035,919.08 and Pruett has raised $18,923.50 as of June 30, according to the Federal Elections
Commission.
“I have the same priorities when I ran initially working for families and children in the district,” the congresswoman said, adding that people here weren’t getting a fair shake even before COVID.
T hat ’s why she said she’s put a huge focus on securing good-paying jobs for the district, whether it was her fight to restore funding for the Chinook, which thousands of Boeing employees build here in Delco or her support to obtain a $650 million contract to create jobs at the Philadelphia Shipyard.
She also wants to continue to work on health care and hunger and child care as ways to help the economy get back on track, as well as ensuring that college and vocational training is viable and affordable.
Throughout the pandemic, Scanlon said her focus has been to “help people stay safe and fed and housed.”
“What’s been rewarding and heartening is how the community has really come together,” the congresswoman said, adding she’s seen it in action herself. “I’m out and about in the district meeting with constituents to find out what they need and what they want me to do in D.C.”
This term along, she said the House has passed 650 bills - 150 of which have been signed into law and 350 bipartisan ones which remain sitting in the Senate. At the district level, she said her office has a 98 percent response rate to emails and calls.
Scanlon said it’s been an honor to represent the 715,000 people in the district that stretches from South Philadelphia all throughout Delaware County and out to Chester County.
“Issues aren’t binary,” she said explaining that suppor ting gun safety laws doesn’t mean taking away guns from responsible gun owners or that addressing the impact of systemic racism doesn’t mean someone hates cops. “We’re trying to work with folks across the aisle. We’re trying to work with folks in the district. That’s how we’re going to make things better.”
Pruett decided to run for Congress because of her love and appreciation for the United States after witnessing firsthand the effects of a authoritarian government.
“Growing up in Moscow USSR under socialism/totalitarian regime where my family experienced religious and political persecution, and immigrating to America, gives me a true appreciation for this land of freedom, liberty and opportunity,” she said, adding that she sees history repeating itself here.
“I am horrified to watch the Socialist platforms that are being proposed, as well as the attack on our Constitution,” Pruett said. “The government overreach is out of hand. This will lead to the destruction of everything that this country was built on and stands for. Many do not understand that under Socialism, individuals become slaves to the government. Their government will control every thing. We are heading down this path very quickly.”
She has concerns for the “cancel culture” she sees as erasing histor y, remov ing statues and painting over murals, the destruction of First Amendment rights and propaganda in the media.
“I cannot sit quietly and watch this destruction of the country that I love,” Pruett said. “I want to make sure that my children and future generations grow up with the same freedoms and opportunity.
“We must elect officials who are willing to work with their community leaders, despite their party affiliation, in order to help their communities,” she continued. “We have too much partisanship, too much division. Nothing is getting accomplished, because of all of the infighting. Many politicians forgot that they are ‘T he People’s Servant,’ and not vice versa. We represent everyone, and must fight for our communities. We become their voice in D.C. If no one reaches out to their communities, we will never know the needs. I think many in D.C. have forgotten that we are the United States of America, and united we must stand.”
9TH STATE SENATE
In the 9th District state Senate race, state Sen. Tom Killion, R-9 of Middletown, is challenged by Democrat John Kane, who faced a tough primary battle with Brett Burman.
Killion was first elected to the Senate in
2016 after serving as the
168th state representative from 2003 through
2016. He also served on Delaware County Council from 1992 to 2000 and was instrumental in convincing SAP America to establish its North America headquarters in Delaware County.
“Tom Killion is focused on helping our communities and commonwealth recover from the CO
VID-19 pandemic,” his campaign manager Cody Bright said. “Specifically, Sen. Killion wants to make sure we protect the most vulnerable and our front-line and essential workers; reclaim jobs lost to the lockdown and grow our economy; and ensure the safe education of our children during the pandemic.”
Br ight explained that the senator is active in the battle against CO
VID-19. “Tom Killion agrees with Dr. Steven Shapiro, Chief Medical and Science Office for (Universit y of Pittsburgh Medical Center), the state’s largest health care system, who noted in a Senate hearing he co-chaired that we can manage society in the presence of this pathogen if we focus on these preexisting conditions,” Bright said. “Tom Killion believes we can and must protect both lives and livelihoods as we fight COVID-19.”
Kane, who ran unsuccessfully for the 26th District Senate seat in 2014, outlined his reasons for running for state Senate.
“I’m running for this seat because the issues at hand today are extremely personal to me,” he said. “Working people need a voice at the table in Harrisburg and right now we don’t have that. We must change the culture in Harrisburg that is dominated by lawyers and career politicians that only act when their campaign donors need something. I’ll be the champion that working people deserve so that we can have a government that works for the people, not special interests.”
A cancer survivor, the business manager for the Plumbers Union Local 690, said he’s acutely aware of the need for affordable health care, an issue made clearer by the pandemic. And with his wife as a teacher, he said he’s familiar with cuts to public education.
“People are struggling right now; they ’re out of work, they ’re out of money, and they’re lives have been upended,” Kane added. “I can look these people in the eye and tell them that I’ve been there myself in the early 90’s, and that I fought for my members when they were going through the same thing during the Great Recession. We need real leadership, t od ay. We cannot return to normal until we get a handle on this virus, and that will not happen with Republicans in Harrisburg refusing to engage in meaningful conversations with Gov. Wolf. We must follow the science and be vigi
lant in protecting communities.”
17TH STATE SENATE
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In the 17th ate race, both candidates are newcomers as incumbent Democrat Daylin Leach lost to Amanda Cappelletti in the pr imary.
A Montgome ry County resident, Cappelletti is vice chair of the East Norriton supervisors and is an attorney who’s worked with state Rep. Donna Bullock, D-195, of Philadelphia and the ACLU.
Her GOP opponent, Ellen Fisher, has been involved in the Haverford community for years. She co-founded the Haverford Township School District Education Foundation, where she still serves on the board and is executive director of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy, a year-long program to help middle and high school students start their own businesses. She was also co-founder of the Women’s Business Enterprise Center.
state Sen
159TH LEGISLATIVE
In the 159th Legislative District, incumbent state Rep. Brian Kirkland, D-159 of Chester, faces Republican Ruth Moton of Upper Chichester.
Elected in 2016, Kirkland comes from the Kirkland family dynasty with his uncle, Chester
Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland, ser ving as the
159th state representative for 23 years. Prior to that, the younger Kirkland wo rked as special projects coordinator for the city of Chester.
Mo ton has lived in Delaware County for more than
30 years and is running on her personal knowledge of having to work hard to make ends meet, having to work two jobs as a single mother when she was younger. She now lives with her Marine husband of 27 years and has three adult children and six grandchildren.
160TH LEGISLATIVE
T h e
160th Legislative District will have a new representative after state Rep. Stephen Barr a r, R-160 of Upper Chichester, announced he will not be seeking re-election after ser ving since
1997. Instead, Mar ine , federa l prosecutor and former deputy legal counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Craig Williams, a Republican, faces Democrat Cathy Spahr, the Codes, Planning and Zoning Administrative Coordinator for Newtown who spearheaded the grassroots effort “Send the Lorax to Washington,” sending copies of the Dr. Seuss book to members of Congress to underscore the importance of the environment.
161ST LEGISLATIVE
In the
161st, incumbent state Rep. Leanne Krueger,
D-161 of Ne the r Providence, faces Republican Ralph F. Shicatano Jr. Krueger has held the seat since w inning a special election in
2015, making a focus to be a leading voice for women, families and children. Shicatano is a small business owner who is a self-proclaimed law-and-order candidate who wants to stand “against the progressive creep towards socialism.”
162ND LEGISLATIVE
In the 162nd, state Rep. Dave Delloso, D-162 of Ridley Park, is opposed by Peter Thomas Gaglio Jr. of Prospect Park. Delloso, a truck driver and Teamster, won his first term starting in 2018 and is running for re-election to return power to the working people of Delco and get schools the funding they need while lowering property ta xes. Gaglio is an industr ia l boiler technician who came from a broken home of fighting, violence and drugs. His stepmom brought him to Delco, where he attended the Williamson School of Trades, where he used his skills to volunteer in the Dominican Republic and in Puerto Rico. He wants to make sure others have the opportunity to succeed and help make life easier for everyone who calls Delco home.
163RD LEGISLATIVE
State Rep. Mike Zabel, D-163 of Upper Darby, faces Republican Michael McCollum of Haverford for the seat. A former Latin and Greek teacher, Zabel, who’s a Delco native, entered his first legislative term in 2018. He wants to continue his work addressing gun violence, protecting victims of domestic abuse, improving recyc l ing , capping executive bonuses for companies that receive public funds, banning dangerous pesticides, and strengthening worker protections.
McCollum, a member of the American Postal Workers Union, said he’s running because the district needs someone who will fight for the issues of the area, not toe the party line. In particular, he said seniors should not be placed at risk and small businesses, workers and schools need an advocate, not someone taking orders from party
leadership.
164TH LEGISLATIVE
In the 164th Legislative District, state Rep. Margo Da v id - son, D -164 of Upper Darby, has held the seat since 2011. She has a writein opponent, Brian Sharif Taylor of Upper Darby, a 14-year Army veteran who served at the Pentagon during the recover y following 9/11 and in both Iraq and at Guantanamo Bay.
165TH LEGISLATIVE
In the 165th, state Rep. Jennifer O’Mara, D-165 of Springfield, faces Republican teacher Robert F. Smythe Jr.
Serving her first term, O’Mara outlined her top issues in this race.
“My top priorities are increa sing protections for veterans and first responders, expanding access to affordable health care, and increasing funding for public education.” she said. “That means we need to get Harrisburg working for us. These shouldn’t be partisan issues - they’re issues that affect everyone in our community. And I’ve been working for bipartisan change. I co-founded the bipar tisan Student Debt Caucus and co-chair the bipartisan Firefighters and Emergency Services Task Force, because my job is to work for the people and get things done for Delaware County.”
She explained she’s running for a ond term.
“I’m proud of the work why secthat I’ve done in my first term,” O’Mara said. “My office served thousands of constituents, I had two bills to fully fund the Veterans Trust Fund pass the House and one signed into law, and I held over
50 events and was named one of the most accessible legislators in the country. But this work is far from done. I’m running for reelection because I want to keep fighting for the people of the 165th.”
Smy t he, a William Penn School District teacher and captain of the Springfield Fire Co., wants to balance the state budget without raising taxes on working families and seniors. He also wants to prov ide support to small businesses and their employees, jeopardized by the impact of CO
VID-19. He wants to make health care more affordable while pro - tecting individuals with preexisting conditions and he opposes defund ing the police and wants to prov ide more funding for training to make communities safer. Smythe also wants to secure more funding for education and to solve the public school teacher shortage and to provide long-term solutions to the lack of volunteers in the community.
“I’m running because residents deser ve honesty from our state legislator, not the Delco Jenn O’Mara, who tells people what she thinks they want to hear, and then the Harrisburg Jenn
O’Mara, who votes the way her party leadership tells her to,” Smythe said. “She voted against both budgets that increased education funding and repeatedly voted to keep our small businesses and restaurants closed while corporate giants like Walmart and Home Depot made billions. Unlike my opponent, I will be upfront and honest, telling people what my positions are on issues and then voting that way.”
166TH LEGISLATIVE
In the 166th, state Rep. Greg Vitali, D-166 of
Haverford, is opposed by GOP candidate Christine Boyle. Vitali, who’s held the seat since 1993, is best known for his fierce support for the environment and Boyle, a lawyer, started her career as a public defender with the Legal Aid Society.
168TH LEGISLATIVE
In the 168th Legislative District, state Rep. Chris Quinn, R-168, of Middletown faces Democrat Deb Ciamacca.
First elected to this seat in 2016, Quinn wants to control the spread of COVID-19, while allow ing small businesses to reopen safely and get people back to work. In line with that, he wants to create suppor ts and policies to help businesses recover from the difficulties created by the pandemic.
He also supports quality and affordable health care with protections for those with pre-existing conditions and he opposes efforts to defund the police
while supporting common sense gun control reforms such as universal background checks, having been the prime sponsor of House legislation to close the “gun show loophole.”
His introduced legislation to hold compa - nies constructing pipelines accountable, such as Mariner East 2, as well as sharing information with emergency responders to keep residents safe, passed.
Quinn wants to hold the line on tax increases for families and seniors on fixed incomes and he introduced legislation to allow registered independents to vote in primary elections.
“Over the past four years, I have been an independent voice for local residents and worked with both Republicans and Democrats to pass important legislation such as a no-tax increase budget, increased education funding for our schools, an overhaul of the state’s animal welfare laws, and common sense gun policies,” the state representative said. “As the legislature addresses the devastating impact of COVID 19 on workers and locally owned businesses, my personal experience as a small business owner will be important as we put in policies and assistance that are effective and deliver results.”
In addition to having owned his insurance business in Delco for 20 years, Quinn serves on the board of directors of Wells for Relief International, a non-profit that constructs wells to provide safe drinking water for impoverished, at-risk
communities in Africa.
Ciamacca decided to run about two years ago.
“I was standing in my high school government classroom talking about the Parkland shooting, which killed 17 students and staff, when a tough question from one of my students made me realize that common sense gun reform was not going to be a priority in Pennsylvania unless people like me did something about it,” the former Conestoga High School teacher said. “That is when I decided to run for state representative.”
As a former Marine Corps captain and manufacturing ma nager, she said, “I learned that leaders always lead from the front; they set the example and work hard no matter the circumstances.”
After talking with thousands of people in the 168th District during her campaign, Ciamacca said, “One thing I have heard is that people want real leadership and
solutions to their everyday problems. Right now they are not getting solutions because Harrisburg politicians are blocking legislation that benefits real people. And my opponent is part of that problem.
“We need common sense legislation on guns that would require background checks for every weapon, trigger locks in homes, and red flag laws so that mentally disabled people won’t have access to weapons,” she said. “We need fair education funding that would provide more resources to underfunded schools. We need to protect our environment and hold pipeline companies accountable for the devastation they have caused to our homes, our families, and our neighborhoods.
“And,” she concluded, “we need to make decisions based on science and the advice of medical professionals to fight COVID, because we cannot truly reinv igorate our economy until we control the pandemic.”