Emily’s List endorses Peña-Melnyk in 4th District Md. Congressional race
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Version 0 of 1. The national Democratic group Emily’s List is endorsing Maryland state Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk’s bid to succeed Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) in Congress. The fundraising behemoth’s support could help Peña-Melnyk overtake rival Glenn Ivey, a former Prince George’s county state’s attorney. According to the latest available data, Ivey is leading in campaign contributions in a crowded Democratic primary race for the 4th Congressional District. Edwards, who is giving up her seat to run for the U.S. Senate spot being vacated by retiring Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), is also supported by Emily’s List. In addition, the group is backing Kathleen Matthews of neighboring Montgomery County in the 8th Congressional District. She is running to succeed Rep. Chris Van Hollen, who is giving up his seat to run against Edwards in April’s Democratic Senate primary. [Emily’s List puts $1 million into Maryland Senate race] Peña-Melnyk emigrated from the Dominican Republic as a child and was raised by a single mother. A former federal prosecutor, she has sponsored legislation abolishing the death penalty in Maryland, prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation, and establishing the state’s Dream Act for undocumented immigrant students. In a statement, Emily’s List President Stephanie Schriock said Peña-Melnyk “has successfully fought to strengthen equal pay laws, expand women’s access to health care, and increase educational and job opportunities for all Marylanders.” Emily’s List raised more than $40 million in the 2014 cycle to help elect pro-choice Democratic women to state, local and federal offices. The group says it is on track to raise up to $60 million in the next cycle and can also help connect candidates to vast numbers of women voters — a crucial voting bloc. Last week, Emily’s List pledged to spend $1 million on advertisements for Edwards, who has struggled to raise money for the Senate race. The group was started in 1985 and gave its first endorsement to Mikulski. In addition to Ivey and Peña-Melnyk, candidates for the 4th Congressional District seat in the April 26 Democratic primary include former lieutenant governor Anthony G. Brown, Del. Dereck E. Davis (Prince George’s), former Prince George’s County Council member Ingrid Turner, educator Alvin Thornton, Army veteran Warren Christopher and former Census Bureau statistician Terence Strait. |