For Immediate Release
Mar 11, 2004

EMILY'S List Endorses Lois Murphy for Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District

WASHINGTON, D.C. - EMILY's List, the largest financial resource for women running for elective office, today announced its support for Lois Murphy in her bid for Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

EMILY's List will recommend Murphy to its nationwide network of members, opening the door to tens of thousands of donors eager to elect a Democratic woman to Congress who will fight for the issues they care about. Murphy is an attorney with a distinguished career representing small businesses, charities, and families. She has dedicated her practice to helping her clients with charitable giving and with tax, estate, and financial planning. Murphy was appointed to the Pennsylvania Commission for Women and has been a board member and president of NARAL Pro-Choice Pennsylvania.

Murphy is the sole Democrat challenging freshman Rep. James Gerlach (R) in this district that Gerlach won by just over 5,000 votes in 2002. Murphy has received the support of Gov. Ed Rendell, who is serving as Honorary Chair of her campaign, and has garnered the endorsement of Rep. Joe Hoeffel (D-Penn.), state Sen. Connie Williams, who is serving as Murphy's Montgomery County Chair, Berks County Commissioner Judy Schwank, who is serving as the campaign's Berks County Chair, and 2002 6th district Democratic nominee Dan Wofford, who is serving as the campaign's Chester County Chair.

"Lois Murphy has been a fierce advocate for women, families, and small businesses alike in her 16-year legal career," said EMILY's List President Ellen R. Malcolm. "Pennsylvania needs strong leadership on economic issues, health care, and job creation – and Lois Murphy is focusing on those issues."

With almost 73,000 members nationwide, EMILY's List expects to be a considerable fundraising force for Murphy in her campaign. EMILY's List has a long history of electing pro-choice Democratic women to office across the country, and hopes to make Lois Murphy part of that history. Murphy joins the list of 14 women already endorsed by EMILY's List this cycle that are sure to change the face of power come November.

"The support of EMILY's List early on in my campaign is crucial to me reaching victory in November," said Murphy. "My top priorities in Congress will be to create more jobs for Pennsylvanians, to provide all children with an excellent education, and to enact fair tax laws for families that are struggling to pay their bills."

In its 19-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.