Mary Gay Scanlon is back in the news this morning.
Yesterday she joined her U.S. House Democrat compatriots in approving a War Powers Resolution, basically a move to rein in President Donald Trump's ability to wage war in light of this week's clashes in the Middle East.
Scanlon, D-5 of Swarthmore, was one of the four women Democrats swept into office with the Blue Wave that rolled over the region in the 2018 mid-terms. Also winning were Democratic Reps. Chrissy Houlahan of Chester County; Madeleine Dean of Montgomery County; and Susan Wild of Lehigh County.
Before their wins at the polls, there were zero women in the Pa. delegation in D.C.
All four were helped by a spike in voter interest in a midterm, as many saw their vote as a way of expressing their displeasure with Trump.
But they also had something else working in their favor.
The battle over redistricting was settled when the state Supreme Court drew up new boundaries of its own. The old 7th District - which earned more than its share of scorn as the poster boy for gerrymandering, featuring enough zigs and zags, touching parts of four counties, that its bizarre shape earned it the nickname "Goofy Kicking Donald Duck" - was tossed out.
In its place was the new 5th District, which put all of Delaware County into one basket, along with a sliver of Montgomery County and a piece of southwest and south Philly.
Republicans complained that the court had engaged in a little gerrymandering of its own.
But it stood, and Scanlon, after besting 10 other Democrats for the nomination, rolled to an easy win over Republican Pearl Kim.
A cynic would say Kim was made something of a sacrificial lamb. The GOP did not exactly do a lot for her.
Well, time flies when you've having fun.
Remember, U.S. representatives, like their state House counterparts, run for office every two years.
That means Scanlon et al will be back on the ballot in November.
Which leads me to an interesting question?
Who will the GOP run against her? The party has been unusually quiet on this front.
Scanlon has been one of the most high-profile freshmen to hit Washington in some time. Her seat on the House Judiciary Committee, where she was vice chair, gave her a front-row seat on the impeachment inquiry. Dean also sat on that panel.
Scanlon never shied away from her stance that President Trump should be impeached and removed from office. She was a frequent guest on the cable TV talk shows.
That would seem to me to make the 5th District race a heated one come November.
So who will the Republicans put up against her?
Former County Council Chairman John McBlain is now available.
So if vanquished District Attorney Katayoun Copeland.
I have not heard of any Republicans announcing their intention to seek the nod to challenge Scanlon.
This would seem to be set up for a pro-Trump acolyte to take on Scanlon and put the focus squarely on her opposition to the president.
But so far it's been all quiet on the Republican front.
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