PennEnvironment and the Environment America Action Fund to spend $750,000 on mostly closed watched races in PA

PennEnvironment

Today PennEnvironment along with the Environment America Action Fund announced its environmental endorsements for Election Day 2016, as well as its kickoff of a massive grassroots voter education and mobilization campaign.

PennEnvironment’s endorsements include candidates in a number of State House races; key Congressional races; Katie McGinty for U.S. Senate; and Hillary Clinton for President of the United States (A full list of endorsements by county listed below).

“Our endorsement is a crucial tool to help voters support the best candidates for our environment on Election Day,” noted PennEnvironment’s Executive Director, David Masur. “These endorsements help voters sift through the barrage of advertisements and competing campaign messages to learn which candidates will best protect Pennsylvania’s air, water and beautiful outdoor places.”

PennEnvironment is announcing the following federal congressional endorsements

• Steve Santarsiero (8th Congressional District, Bucks County) 
• Dwight Evans (2nd Congressional District, Philadelphia)
• Brendan Boyle (13th Congressional District, Philadelphia and Montgomery County)
• Patrick Meehan (8th Congressional District, Delaware and Chester counties)
• Matt Cartwright for Congress (Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District)

PennEnvironment also announced the following endorsements for Pennsylvania’s General Assembly:

Delaware County

Leanne Krueger-Braneky (House District 161)

Barbarann Keffer for State House (District 163)

Elaine Schaefer for State House (District 165)

Greg Vitali for State House (District 166)

Diane Cornman-Levy for State House (District 168)

Philadelphia

Vincent Hughes for State Senate (District 7)

Matt Darragh for state House (District 170)

Mike O’Brien for State House (District 175)

Brian Sims for State House (District 182)

Jim Roebuck for State House (District 188)

Joanna McClinton for State House (District 191)

Pam DeLissio for State House (District 194)

Donna Bullock for State House (District 195)

Stephen Kinsey for State House (District 201)

Jared Solomon for State House (District 202)

Berks County

Judy Schwank for State Senate (District 11)

Mark Rozzi for State House (District 126)

Chester County

Carolyn Comitta for State House (District 156)

Susan Rzucidlo for State House (House 158) 

Andy Dinniman for State Senate (District 19)

Bucks County

Gene Digirolamo for State House (District 18)

Warren Perry for State House (District 31)

Vera Cole for State House (District 145) 

Montgomery County

Daylin Leach for State Senate (District 17)

Matt Bradford for State House (District 70)

Joe Ciresi for State House (District 146)

Mary Jo Daley for State House (District 148)

Tim Briggs for State House (District 149)

Linda Weaver for State House (District 150)

Tom Murt for State House (District 152)

Madeline Dean for State House (District 153)

Steve McCarter for State House (District 154) 

Central PA (Harrisburg, Lancaster, State College)

Rob Teplitz for State Senate (District 15, Harrisburg area)

Mike Sturla for State House (District 96, Lancaster)

Melody Fleck for State House (District 171, State College)

Lehigh Valley

Peter Schweyer for State House (District 22)

Dan McNeil for State House (District 133)

Steve Samuelson for State House (District 135)

Bob Freeman for State House (District 136)

Philip Armstrong for State House (District 183)

Allegheny County

Dan Frankel for State House (District 23)

Dan Miller for State House (District 42)

Berks County

Judy Schwank for State Senate (District 11)

Mark Rozzi for State House (District 126)

Northeastern Pennsylvania

Maureen Madden for State House (District 115)

Karen Boback for State House (District 117)

Bob McDonald for State House (District 120)

Erie County

Sean Wiley for State Senate (District 49)

Pat Harkins for State House (District 1)

At the same time, the two groups announced the launch of their massive door-to-door electoral campaign. All told, the organizations are expected to spend nearly $750,000 in the most hotly contested state-level and federal races taking place in Pennsylvania, and are planning to knock on the doors of over 150,000 targeted voters in critical swing regions of the Commonwealth to inform voters and get out the vote. 

“Poll after poll shows that Pennsylvanians care deeply about protecting the state’s environment and public health—and they expect the same from their elected officials,” remarked Masur.  “Through our massive grassroots election campaign, we’ll be able to let voters know which candidates they can trust to get the job done when it comes to supporting these values and policies.”

For federal and statewide races, PennEnvironment’s endorsements include:

• Hillary Clinton for President of the United States
• Katie McGinty for U.S. Senate
• Josh Shapiro for PA Attorney General
• Eugene DePasquale for PA Auditor General

“At so many levels, the 2016 election is one of historic proportions,” Masur stated. “And local voters have the opportunity to cast their ballot in support of some of Pennsylvania’s strongest environmental candidates vying for a seat in the General Assembly, Congress and the White House.  Our work will help voters know which candidates to get behind on Election Day.”

“At PennEnvironment, we know that we’ll never be able to compete with the deep pockets of the polluters, who have high-powered lobby firms, make millions in campaign contributions and run glitzy ad campaigns,” noted Masur. “So while we can’t go dollar-for-dollar with the polluters, we know we can go vote-for-vote with them because Pennsylvanians from all walks of life want clean air, clean water and to protect the natural heritage of the Commonwealth. And on Election Day, our endorsements and massive grassroots electoral campaign will help voters take that message to the polling booth.”

PennEnvironment is informing its members and the general public about the candidates’ positions and views, and is urging voters to support their endorsed candidates on the November 8th ballot.

Information about all of PennEnvironment’s endorsements for federal and state races can be found on the organization’s website atwww.PennEnvironment.org/2016endorsements.

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Paid for by PennEnvironment and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.  Contact us at: www.PennEnvironment.org.