Democratic civil rights attorney Mary Gay Scanlon easily beat Republican former prosecutor Pearl Kim Tuesday in the race to represent Pennsylvania’s 5th District, in a pickup for Democrats.
The 5th district, which consists of mainly of suburban Philadelphia Delaware County, is a new district, owing to Pennsylvania’s court-mandated redistricting this year.
The district replaces the area represented by Republican Pat MeehanPatrick (Pat) Leo MeehanBottom line Freshman lawmaker jokes about pace of Washington politics Many authors of GOP tax law will not be returning to Congress MORE, who resigned amidst sexual harassment allegations by an aide.
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The race was seen early on as an easy win for Democrats in an area that voted heavily for Democrat Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhite House accuses Biden of pushing ‘conspiracy theories’ with Trump election claim Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton qualifies to run for county commissioner in Florida MORE in 2016, though she lost the state to President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE.
The race was also one of only a handful in the country in which two women were running against each other. Scanlon will be the first woman representing Pennsylvania in Congress since then-Rep. Allyson SchwartzAllyson Young SchwartzEx-Democratic lawmaker: Medicare needs have changed ‘dramatically’ over last 50 years Dem Scanlon wins House seat in Pennsylvania House members in Tues. primaries miss votes MORE (D) resigned in 2015.
Scanlon ran on core Democratic issues like health care and gun rights. She earned former President Barack ObamaBarack Hussein ObamaHarris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Five ways America would take a hard left under Joe Biden Valerie Jarrett: ‘Democracy depends upon having law enforcement’ MORE’s backing.
Kim ran largely as a centrist, emphasizing her independence from the GOP on issues like immigration.
Scanlon will get to serve the remainder of Meehan’s term, and then serve a new term starting on Jan. 3.