Richard Lazer
Richard Lazer (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional District. He lost in the Democratic primary on May 15, 2018.
Biography
Lazer is the former Philadelphia Deputy Mayor for Labor. He has also worked for former Philadelphia City Councilman Jim Kenney. At the time of the 2018 election, he also served on the board of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) and Philadelphia Works Inc.
Lazer graduated from LaSalle University in 2007.[1]
Elections
2018
General election
General election for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 5
Mary Gay Scanlon defeated Pearl Kim in the general election for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 5 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Mary Gay Scanlon (D)  | 65.2 | 198,639 |
 | Pearl Kim (R) | 34.8 | 106,075 | |
| Total votes: 304,714 | |||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 5
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 5 on May 15, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mary Gay Scanlon | 28.4 | 17,220 |
 | Ashley Lunkenheimer | 15.3 | 9,291 | |
 | Richard Lazer | 15.0 | 9,095 | |
 | Molly Sheehan | 10.2 | 6,216 | |
 | Gregory Vitali | 9.4 | 5,726 | |
 | Lindy Li | 7.0 | 4,236 | |
 | Theresa Wright | 5.2 | 3,149 | |
 | Thaddeus Kirkland | 4.0 | 2,420 | |
 | Margo Davidson | 4.0 | 2,413 | |
| Larry Arata | 1.5 | 925 | ||
| Total votes: 60,691 | |||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- George Badey (D)
- David Wertime (D)
- Dan Muroff (D)
- Shelly Chauncey (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 5
Pearl Kim advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 5 on May 15, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Pearl Kim | 100.0 | 34,352 |
| Total votes: 34,352 | |||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Paul Addis (R)
Campaign finance
The table below details the campaign finance reports of the candidates in this election who reported at least $10,000 in funds raised as of March 31, 2018.[2]
Endorsements
National figures
- Sen. Bernie Sanders (I)[3]
State figures
- State Sen. Anthony Williams (D)
- State Rep. Joanna McClinton (D)
- State Rep. Maria Donatucci (D)
Local figures
- Rohan Hepkins, Yeadon Borough mayor
- Harry Dunfee, Sharon Hill Borough mayor
- Richard Womack, Darby Township commissioner
- Janet English, Lansdowne Borough councilwoman
- Ben Hover, Lansdowne Borough councilman
- Wardell Holt, Lansdowne Borough councilman
- Hykeem Green, Sharon Hill Borough councilman
- Jennifer Parks, Darby Borough councilwoman
- Ruby Munden, Darby Borough councilwoman
- Darren Burrell, Darby Borough councilman
- Tomeka “Taliah” Jones-Waters, Yeadon Borough councilwoman
- Delores McCabe, Yeadon Borough councilwoman
Organizations
- Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
- Philadelphia Federation of Teachers
- Laborers District Council
- Teamsters Joint Council 53
- International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
- 215 People’s Alliance
- Firefighters Local 22
- International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Local No. 8
- Philadelphia FOP, Lodge 5
- Delaware County FOP, Lodge 27
- International Longshoremen’s Association
- International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers
- AFSCME District Council 33, District Council 47, District 1199c
- Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades
- Communication Workers of America
- Unite Here locals 274, 634, and 54
- SEIU PA State Council
- Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals
- Liberty City Democratic Club
- Plumbers, Local 690
- PA Conference of Teamsters
- The Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters
- Working Families Party
- American Federation of Teachers
- United Aerospace Workers, Local 1069
Campaign themes
2018
Lazer's 2018 campaign website highlighted the campaign themes below.[4]
| “ | Economic opportunity
Rich Lazer knows a stronger economy begins with providing opportunity and he’s spent his entire career fighting to expand job creation, to ensure fair and equal wages, and for small business development. He believes that every worker should have an equal opportunity and that workers’ rights are protected. Rich was involved in utilizing a $300 million capital investment by the state in 2016 aimed at creating 6,670 new direct and indirect jobs by 2020, benefiting many families in the region. Rich helped create jobs at the Navy Yard, as well as numerous construction projects in the city of Philadelphia which employed thousands of union members in multiple trades from Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Equal opportunity As the son of working parents from a rowhome neighborhood, Rich understands that American values begin with family. For him, that means guaranteeing a $15 minimum wage, so anyone working 40 hours a week isn’t living in poverty and providing paid family leave to new moms and dads. Protecting the civil rights of people of color, women, and the LGBTQ+ community are also foundational American values for Rich. That includes fighting against workplace harassment and sexual assault, protecting the voting rights of disenfranchised communities that Republicans have targeted, and recognizing that Black Lives Matter. Education Rich believes in fighting for access to a quality education, regardless of gender, color, or socioeconomic status. He has worked with Mayor Kenney to fund early childhood education and is proud to have been part of an administration that is expanding Universal Pre-K in Philadelphia. Rich understands that when childcare costs eat 25% of a parent’s paycheck, kids and families suffer. He knows that teacher compensation must reflect their importance to our children’s future. As someone who still pays student loans, Rich wants to broaden student loan forgiveness so that working Americans aren’t paying off student debt well into their 40s and 50s. Healthcare Rich believes healthcare is a basic human right. Our President, and his Republican allies in Washington, think differently; making it critical that we protect the gains made by the Affordable Care Act, while working to put a single-payer Medicare-for-all system in place that includes coverage for pre-existing conditions and holistic treatment options for those who struggle with mental health issues. The fact that women pay more, on average, for healthcare than men, while earning about 80 cents to each dollar men earn, is unconscionable. Rich stands with Planned Parenthood, and other organizations committed to women’s healthcare, that work to make sure that women have access to affordable care. Rich will work to reduce drug prices for American people. Pharmaceutical firms who charge US citizens significantly more than they charge other industrialized countries for similar medications must be held accountable. The health and well-being of those in our country should never be compromised in the name of corporate interests. Criminal Justice Reform During Rich’s time in the Mayor’s Office, Philadelphia reduced its local jail population by more than 20%. By reducing the incarceration rate of non-violent offenders, and eliminating the use of cash bail, the formula is in place to alleviate overcrowding in local jails across the country. Working in conjunction with Philadelphia Works and organized labor, Rich worked to increase returning citizen’s ability to stay out of jail by establishing training and job programs and encouraging businesses to provide previously incarcerated people with meaningful job opportunities. As part of a focus on providing nonviolent offenders with a second chance, Rich wants to end the criminalization of those who suffer from mental health issues, addiction and substance abuse, and he recognizes that treatment will make folks healthier, and better able to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. Gun Control Rich supports common sense legislation that will put us on the right path to ending gun violence, including:
|
” |
| —Richard Lazer (2018) | ||
See also
- United States House of Representatives
- Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional District election, 2018
- Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional District
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Rich Lazer 2018 campaign website, "About Rich," accessed May 9, 2018
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "View Candidates for House of Representatives," accessed April 30, 2018
- ↑ WHYY, "Sanders backs Lazer in 5th District congressional race," May 11, 2018
- ↑ Richard Lazer 2018 campaign website, "On the Issues," accessed May 9, 2018
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
