Democrats are beginning to line up for a run in the 1st Congressional District.
Debbie Wachspress, a Pennsbury School Board member, has announced a bid to run as a Democrat for the district currently represented by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks). Wachspress and Bucks County Prothonotary Judi Reiss, are currently the only two Democrats that have filed paperwork with the FEC to run for the 1st District thus far.
During her campaign announcement, she detailed her platform, while slamming President Donald Trump’s administration and thought it was important to make a run for office to stand up to his policies.
“On Nov. 9, 2016, I woke up feeling like I was kicked in the stomach,” Wachspress said, referring to the election of Trump, according to the Bucks County Courier Times. “Months of attacks on everyone, immigrants, people of color, women, Muslims, a Gold Star family, the press, the facts, the truth. What planet were we now living on? Watching this kind of bad reality show really shook me to the core. My pet peeve, as my entire family knows, is when people would rather sit around and complain than find something to do to change things. I’ve always been a doer and a problem solver, that’s just how I’m wired.”
Wachspress has also voiced her opposition to the tax reform bill passed under the Trump administration, describes the current policies at the southern border from the current administration as “human rights abuse,” and pledged to reenter to Paris Climate Accord. On her campaign’s priorities page, she also writes that she supports a “public option” for healthcare insurance, “codifying” Roe V. Wade in federal law, being “unequivocal and unwavering in her support for the State of Israel,” among other issues. She has also pledged not to accept donations from corporate PACs.
Fitzpatrick is currently in his second term in Congress representing the Philadelphia suburban district. He bested pro-Trump Republican Dean Malik in the 2018 GOP primary by 34 points in 2018 and defeated Democrat Scott Wallace by just over 2.5 points in the November midterm. Fitzpatrick was just one of two Republicans nationwide to weather the blue wave in 2018 by winning boundaries that went to Sec. Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Fitzpatrick is set to face pro-Trump Republican and financial advisor Andrew Meehan, in the GOP primary in 2020.
7 Responses
Three women running for Congress in PA-1 huh? Diane Marseglia must be crying to herself every night that it isn’t her. To bad she doesn’t have the courage to run. Even though she is HORRIBLE she just might actually win with some name recognition. Guess she just wants to fade into oblivion in the suburbs and continue bleaching her hair into her 90s.
Fitzpatrick seems to be placing himself as an anti-Trump Republican. I’m still not sure how / why the flim flam of him coming in to replace his brother was acceptable to voters in the district in the first place. But the real truth for this country is that we have to get that Orange CANCER out of the White House.
What are you yapping about? Mike had announced his intention and promise in 2010 to run for no more than three terms and kept that promise.
Not presently qualified
You are missing the point Thanos. If Fitz stays an “R” he will lose. Trump is increasingly unappealing in the suburbs of Philly and it’s up to Fitz but if he stays an “R” he will be a one term Cong.
Great insight there, Abe. He’s already on his second term.
Fitz by 9
I am not sure you understand CD. 1 very well. It is not CD 7. A significant part of the district is rural. It is a split CD in essence between a very strong Trump area and burbs that are trending away from him. As such, Fitz is trying to walk a tightrope. He did win in an environment where everything was stacked against him. The conditions will not be worse than 18 unless the economy turns sour. Otherwise, Trump being on the ballot will bring out more rural voters who tend to just vote straight. I am not saying a victory is a given but Fitz changing parties would actually guarantee a loss since he would lose in a Dem primary. Not sure of your logic.