Val Arkoosh is the only one of the four Democratic candidates in PA-13 without any political experience, which would seem to make her the perfect candidate to be a game changer.
That is just what she’s been labeled by the Women’s Campaign Fund. The WCF is a non-partisan group that seeks to elect pro-choice women into office regardless of party.
Their Game Changer initiative was set up to highlight 40 different women throughout the country. “It’s a vision of the future we want to see for our government,” they write. “And a roadmap of how we’re going to get there.”
“Dr. Valerie Arkoosh isn’t a career politician,” the WCF says in explanation of her designation as a game changer. “She is a physician, parent of three, and a community leader. As a practicing obstetric anesthesiologist, she has helped thousands of women of all ages, incomes, and backgrounds. In Congress, she would be a credible, vocal advocate for women’s healthcare and reproductive rights.”
“Women’s Campaign Fund is exceptionally proud to endorse Val Arkoosh in her race for Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District,” said Clare Bresnahan, Political & Programs Director for WCF. “It would be fitting if the seat currently held by the only woman in the Pennsylvania delegation were to be represented by another strong, highly qualified woman leader like Val.”
“Women’s Campaign Fund has been with me since the beginning of my campaign last year, and I’m honored to be selected for their “Game Changer” initiative,” Arkoosh responded. “WCF believes that we change the political game by changing the players. That’s how we’re going to challenge the status quo and stand up for the most critical issues facing women and families in our communities.”
Other Democratic candidates in the race for PA-13 include State Rep. Brendan Boyle, State Sen. Daylin Leach and former Congresswoman Marjorie Margolies.
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5 Responses
Melvin –
You have missed my point. It seems very hypocritical for Arkoosh to implicitly criticize “career politicians” when her husband has been so involved with career politicians. It does not pass the smell test.
More important is her views on term limits. You seem to know quite a bit about Arkoosh, so can you tell us her views?
Most important is whether Arkoosh has pledged to voluntarily retire from Congress after a couple of terms (without running for a separate office like Governor). Has she pledged to do so? I am unaware of such a pledge, though I assume that she should make it if she is so concerned about career politicians.
If she has made this pledge, then I give her credit. If not, then her criticisms of career politicians are a crass attempt at playing politics.
People have been so critical of her position as a non-politician, but then people turn around and bitch about how we have these career politicians in office not doing anything. I love it. She’s fresh air. AND with all the women’s reproductive issues out there, anyone from the 13th would be wise to vote for Dr. Arkoosh because she will be EVERYWHERE. Every talk show and Sunday morning program will want her on when these (common) issues arise, making her valuable to Democrats AND residents of the 13th. And who cares what her husband does. He didn’t go to jail, did he?
I am not as concerned about Valerie Arkoosh’s lack of experience as her hypocritical statement that she is not a career politician. The statement may be technically correct, but her husband was Allyson Schwartz’s campaign treasurer and I understand that he is a township official in MontCo. I really can’t see her honestly criticizing her opponents considering her husband’s involvement in politics. Arkoosh might have a little more credibility if she promised to serve only two or three terms.
The previous comment represents everything that is wrong with politics today.
She would be a game-changer, all right, in the same way that inserting a tenth-round draft pick out of high school directly into your playoff lineup would be: lots of errors, off-target throws, strikeouts and pop-ups. And many embarrassing post-game interviews and off-the-field hijinks as well, no doubt. We have seen what happened when the Tea Party elected a bunch of rookies with zero experience. Go pay your dues, Valerie. You’re not Entitled to represent us, no matter how entitled you feel yourself to be in every other aspect of your life.