EMILY'S List Races Prevail in 2003

Campaign Corps provides key staff for winning campaigns in New Jersey and Virginia

EMILY's List is the largest political action committee in the nation and provides support for pro-choice Democratic women running for elective office. In addition to being the largest fundraising force for women candidates, EMILY's List provides extensive strategic advice for campaigns and training for candidates and staff. EMILY's List provided support for races in New Jersey and Virginia yesterday.

Campaign Corps, a project of EMILY's List, trains recent college graduates and places them on targeted, progressive Democratic campaigns. Formerly known as Participation 2000, the program has placed hundreds of staffers on some of the most important political campaigns in the country. Since becoming a project of EMILY's List earlier this year, Campaign Corps has sent 33 staffers to work on campaigns of progressive Democratic candidates, including 28 who worked on races in New Jersey and Virginia.

Ellen Karcher Hands Republican Senate President Bennett His Walking Papers

Ellen Karcher, Democratic nominee for New Jersey's 12th Senate district, defeated John Bennett (R), the current Senate president, in the state's hottest legislative race. Karcher's win ended Bennett's 24-year legislative career and helped return control of the Senate to the Democrats. With help from Campaign Corps staffers, Karcher garnered 52% of the vote.

Incumbent Senator Deflects Republican Attacks to Hold Seat

Sen. Linda "Toddy" Puller, running for her second term in Virginia's Senate, faced a massive onslaught of attacks in the final days of the campaign from her opponent, Chris Braunlich. Undeterred, Puller's campaign ran an aggressive get-out-the-vote operation supplemented with Campaign Corps staffers and volunteers from EMILY's List staff. Puller won with 55% of the vote.

Delegate Retains Her Seat, Defeating Opponents' Attacks

Virginia Delegate Kris Amundson's opponent, David Kennedy, unleashed a barrage of attacks on Amundson - who stuck to her message and implemented a winning campaign strategy. With a great deal of hard work, and help from EMILY's List and Campaign Corps staff, Amundson was re-elected with 56% of the vote.

More Big Wins in New Jersey

Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein won her seat in New Jersey's 14th district, winning 25% of the vote in this two-person seat.

Campaign Corps staffers helped four additional state assembly races claim victory, including John Burzichelli in the 3rd district, David Mayer in the 4th district, and Robert Morgan and Michael Panter, who ran jointly in the 12th district.

More Victories in Virginia

Virginia state Senator Janet Howell defeated Republican Dave Hunt in Virginia's 32nd district. Howell received 56% of the vote with the help of her Campaign Corps staffer.

Campaign Corps staffers also helped lead three other state House campaigns to victory, including Steve Shannon in the 35th district, Mark Sickles in the 43rd district, and Lynwood Lewis in the 100th district.

In its 18-year history, EMILY's List has helped elect seven women governors, 11 women to the United States Senate, and 55 women to the U.S. House of Representatives. In the 2002 elections, EMILY's List and its almost 73,000 members contributed nearly $9.7 million to pro-choice Democratic women candidates; members contributed $23 million to fund EMILY's List operations and political program, including the nationwide WOMEN VOTE! project to mobilize women voters on behalf of Democrats.

For more information on Campaign Corps, visit www.campaigncorps.org.