More On A 2018 Role For Hillary-- In Pennsylvania's 7th District

Earlier today we ran a post about Hillary's promise/threat-- depending on your point of view-- to campaign for Democratic candidates next year in the districts she won. She did relatively well in the suborn collar counties around Philly-- although her coattails were... nonexistent and all three Republican districts are still represented by Republicans. Of the 3, Hillary did best in the ridiculously gerrymandered PA-07, Pat Meehan's district (formerly Joe Sestak's district). In 2008 Obama beat McCain there 53% to 46% but 4 years later it was Romney's win-- 50-49%, less than 7,000 votes (out of 360,000 cast). Last year Hillary beat Trump 49.3% to 47.0%.

The Blue America-endorsed candidate, Mary Ellen Balchunis, beat the DCCC corporate shill in the primary-- 52,792 (74%) to 18,509 (26%) and the DCCC was so outraged that a progressive beat their garbage candidate that they sabotaged Balchunis' campaign and guaranteed another term for Meehan. While Hillary was racking up her win there, Meehan beat Balchunis 225,678 (59.5%) to 153,824 (40.5%). Meehan raised $2,419,636 to Balchunis' $201,162, the DCCC not just refusing to help, just urging institutional Democratic donors to "not waste their money." That was all Pelosi, pulling those strings by the way-- the one who babbles incoherently about how we all win when women win or something like that.

Balchunis may run again; she hasn't announced yet. But 6 Democrats-- although one, Elizabeth Moro is an "ex"-Republican-- have: Daylin Leach, John McGinty, Dan Muroff, Paul-David Perry and Molly Sheehan.

Balchunis was happy to go on the record with how she feels about campaigning with Hillary. To look at her platform, you'd think she's a Berniecrat; but she's also a personal friend of Hillary's. She said that she'd "be honored to campaign with Hillary for the following six reasons:

1. In the November election, Hillary was by far the best candidate and most qualified candidate ever for President. As a former First Lady of a state, she is familiar with the work of our Governors. As a former U.S. Senator and a healthcare expert, she has personal experience in Congress. As a former Secretary of State, she has foreign experience.

2. Many Trump supporters thought Trump would make the cost of their healthcare go down, not go away! I have some Republican friends who voted for Trump and now have buyers' remorse. They are now part of the Resistance and they talk about how much better Hillary would have been. Not to mention how much more scholarly her tweets are!

3. There is no way that Hillary would allow maternity care to be removed from healthcare nor would she decrease medicaid or heavily increase healthcare cost for individuals in their sixties. I was one of those women who had the 24 hour drive by deliveries when insurance companies were only paying for 24 hours. Babies were dying because their new moms didn't recognize the signs of jaundice when they got home from the hospital. I worked and lobbied with the students in my Women in Politics class for the Baby Bill to increase Maternity stays from 24 hours to a minimum of 48 hours. When Pres. Clinton signed that bill, I was invited with my two year old daughter by First Lady Hillary Clinton to the Rose Garden signing ceremony. She has proven that she is pro-healthcare.

4. Hillary had 3 million more votes, if the Russians didn't hack her campaign, troll her campaign and put fake news stories out, I firmly believe that she would be our President. I was one of the dozen of Congressional campaigns that was hacked by the Russians. I know that if they hacked my race in PA-07, they hacked Hillary's campaign. I had very knowledgeable Democrats asking me if the story about Hillary having a fatal disease was true? I said: "Where are you getting your news?" I was told the "internet"! Furthermore, Hillary was up by 21% in my district before the Comey letter.

5. As former Secretary of State, I know that Hillary would defend our Democracy, our elections and our country against further hacking by the Russians, unlike Pres. Trump. PA-07 is considered by some as the most gerrymandered district in the nation. In defending our democracy, I include fighting against gerrymandering that is rigging our system. I won a national award for my work on Ethics in government from the American Society for Public Administration. Gerrymandering and hacking are cheating to me.

6. Finally, Hillary came around to support Bernie's policies. My policies are Bernie's policies, the fight for $15, universal healthcare and free college tuition. As a former Fulbright in Sweden, I saw first hand the benefits of universal healthcare, women also had over a year off with pay for maternity care and men had 6 weeks of paternity care, and my Swedish students had free tuition. I really like that Sen. Sanders said our candidates should be from the middle class (I resemble that!) and we should help them raise funds. "They shouldn't be fundraisers." Unlike Jon Ossoff, I live in the district; and no one can tie me to Nancy Pelosi. She never helped me, even after I defeated her DCCC candidate 74%- 26% in the primary. I would love Hillary's help: PA has 0 women in Congress out of 18 Congressmen. I would love Bernie's help too!

One of the other Democrats in the race-- also a progressive-- state Senator Daylin Leach just got back to me on the Hillary question too:

I would be honored to have Hillary come campaign with me in my district. She is extremely well thought-of and would be a huge draw.