When Progressive Women of NEPA began organizing in 2016, 47 women made up less than 19% of the Pennsylvania State Legislature. The good news is today 81 women make up more than 32% of the state legislature. We are proud to say that in 2022 two of our endorsed candidates were elected to seats in the PA House and a previously endorsed candidate was re-elected. These progressive women serve under the first female Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton. PA’s legislature now ranks 26th in the nation in terms of female representation as opposed to 40th in 2016. We celebrate this progress while recognizing that the PA legislature is far from gender parity.
This year we have an opportunity to elect progressive women to represent two PA House Districts in NEPA. We are proud to endorse Megan Kocher in her PA Democratic Primary bid to represent the 119th House District and Fern Leard in her PA Democratic Primary bid to represent the 120th House District.