It’s that time of the year again. Well, actually there are four times like this every year.
It’s quarterly deadline season, that period when campaigns across the nation plead with contributors to give just $5, $10, $5,000 more because these fundraising reports will be how political pundits judge their electoral chances.
As a result, candidates like to bring out the big guns for these occasions. In PA-8’s Democratic primary, Shaughnessy Naughton’s campaign is bringing out one of the biggest guns in the commonwealth.
“Shaughnessy Naughton needs your urgent support,” former Governor Ed Rendell writes. “Shaughnessy can win this race, but only with your support.”
The ex-Governor goes on to point out the Keystone State doesn’t have any female representatives in Congress before transitioning to his final pitch.
“I know Shaughnessy has what it takes to win this race,” Rendell concludes. “She’s an accomplished scientist, she understands Bucks and Montgomery counties, and she knows how to get things done for working families. Let’s give Pennsylvania’s 8th District the strong progressive voice it deserves.”
Rendell endorsed Naughton when she first announced back in March and also delivered some last-minute support in 2014.
Naughton is running against State Rep. Steve Santarsiero in the Democratic primary. The 8th district is represented by retiring Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick. It consists of Bucks County as well as part of upper Montgomery County.
2 Responses
Naughton can’t stop lying. She lied about Strouse’s positions the last time she ran, and having received her latest fundraising letter, I can see she’s up to her old tricks. She calls Santarsiero a “career politician” when anyone with even a vague knowledge of his background knows he practiced law and then taught high school for years. But these subtleties are lost on Naughton who will do or say anything to gain an advantage. She is becoming a perennial candidate which is similar to a career politician, only without the victories!
I recently sent the following open letter to Former Governor Rendell concerning his endorsement of Shaughnessy Naughton:
As an anti-gun violence activist I wanted to share my extreme disappointment regarding your support of Shaughnessy Naughton over Steve Santarsiero for the 8th Congressional District seat. Steve has a long record of advocacy and support of gun safety legislation and, in fact, was the sponsor of HB 1010 to expand universal background checks in Pennsylvania.
In many forums I have heard you state that we should become single issue voters if we are to realize meaningful gun safety legislation. In your support of Ms. Naughton you are breaking this rule by failing to support one of the Commonwealth’s leading advocates for common sense gun laws. You are also overlooking his solid record of accomplishment in the PA House.
Hopefully, CeasefirePA and other members of our anti-gun violence coalitions will not follow suit and abandon a true friend of our movement.