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May 11th , 2023 Political Note #559 Shamaine Daniels Pennsylvania 10
2023 General Election
Like Colorado’s Third District. Like Michigan’s Tenth District. The DCCC had no idea that Pennsylvania’s 10thDistrict could be/would be competitive. The margin in Colorado was in the hundreds. The margin in Michigan was 1600. The margin in Pennsylvania was larger – more than 24,000. That is small enough to be close, small enough so that money might have made a difference in 2022; small enough so that Scott Perry has become #23 on Len’s List of vulnerable incumbent Republicans for 2024. The incumbent of Pennsylvania’s tenth, Scott Perry, is as odious as Lauren Boebert, the incumbent of Colorado’s third.
Scott Perry is less flamboyant than gun afficianado Lauren Boebert. During the disputes of 2020, Scott Perry was the initiator and principal advocate for replacing the acting Attorney General with someone who would be more compliant with Donald Trump’s desperate efforts to hold onto his position as President. Only a threatened mass resignation by the Deputy Attorneys General kept Trump from going through with the plan. Scott Perry explained, after the FBI sought and then seized his cell phone on a search warrant that his “official communications” with Justice Department officials were consistent with the law.
Shamaine Daniels immigrated to the United States at age 13, just over 30 years ago. A member of a middle-class family in a hot, tough, mining region, she recalls loving to read because she could read inside her air conditioned house. Attending private school, she and her brothers were removed from some of the harshest experiences of the region.
She came to the US with her mother and two brothers. It is not clear whether they left Venezuela because of Hugo Chavez’s failed revolution. In 1989, Carlos Andres Perez was elected President of Venezuela. Hugo Chavez organized a coup, planned it for December, 1991, and delayed until February 1992. The coup was unsuccessful. Arrested, Chavez called for those involved in the coup to lay down their arms. Chavez was still under arrest when Shamaine Daniels’ mother took her children to the United States. What she recalls of the time before they left is that her brothers and male cousins dodged the corrupt police and their families were constantly worried about kidnappings or forced membership in the military.
The family settled in Philadelphia. Though they had vacationed in that city before, their welcome was a surprise. One of two families of color in a white, working-class northeastern Philadelphia neighborhood, kids threw rocks at their house and shouted that they should go back where they came from. The family stayed. Shamaine Daniels resisted ESL classes for fear it would stigmatize her. She graduated from high school and, with the assistance of a guidance counselor, went to West Chester University of Pennsylvania. She graduated in 2000. Next was a law degree plus a Women’s Studies Master’s from the University of Cincinnati where she completed her work in 2004. That work included some time at the University of Idaho-connected tribal law clinic.
With her law degree in hand, Shaman Daniels and her then husband worked for the Community Justice Project in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s capital city. With the Civil Liberties Union and the Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund, the Community Justice Project fought Hazelton’s mayor and subsequent Congressman, Lou Barletta. He had announced a plan and was implementing his plan to make that small city “one of the toughest places in the United States for illegal immigrants.” The court ruled against Hazelton.
Shamaine Daniels spent another three years working for the Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania. After that, her work was more conventionally political. She was field director for a state rep candidate and press secretary for the state Democratic Party.
In 2014, Shamaine Daniels was elected to the Harrisburg City Council. For the next few years, she put together such jobs as Administrative Vice Chair of a county Democratic committee and President of the Harrisburg Chapter of NOW. By 2020, she was managing George Scott’s unsuccessful Congressional campaign against Scott Perry. In 2022, she entered the race herself against Scott Perry.
Shamaine Daniels announced her Congressional candidacy for 2024 on April 27th 2023. On that day of the year, she explained, the first social security check was mailed. She reminded her audience – Scott Perry would destroy social security if he could. She suggested in her announcement that “voters in PA-10 are tired of having a Representative in Congress who cares more about Donald Trump and right-wing extremists across the country than he does about families here in the district.” She insists: “We can do better than Scott Perry.”
Help Pennsylvania 10 do better than Scott. Perry. Shamaine Daniels promises to work to fix the broken immigration system, to support investment in infrastructure, and to support women, children, and families through more workplace rights for women, better maternity care, and access to contraception. Donate to help Shamaine Daniels get elected to Congress.
Vulnerable Democratic Incumbents in the Northeast
Incumbent Jahana Hayes Connecticut 05, a former national teacher of the year, is in her third term in Congress and is #3 on Len’s List of vulnerable Democratic incumbents. See Len’s Political Note #543
Incumbent Pat Ryan New York 18, a former county executive, is in his first term in Congress and is #5 on Len’s List of vulnerable Democratic incumbents. See Len’s Political Note #545
Incumbent Susan Wild Pennsylvania 07, an attorney highly regarded for her integrity as a result of the investigation of corruption in Allentown, is in her third term and is #6 on Len’s List of vulnerable Democratic incumbents. See Len’s Political Notes #546
Incumbent Matt Cartwright Pennsylvania 08 is in his fifth term in a Republican leaning district and is #7 on Len’s List of vulnerable Democratic incumbents. See Len’s Political Note #547
Incumbent Seth Magaziner Rhode Island 02 is in his first term in a Rhode Island district whose retired incumbent was quietly not pro-choice. He is #9 on Len’s List of vulnerable Democratic incumbents.
Incumbent Jared Golden Maine 02 is in his third term in Maine’s more conservative district. He is #17 on Len’s List of vulnerable incumbents and, though he is in this third term, he has never been the favorite in this Republican-leaning district.
Incumbent Chris Pappas New Hampshire 01 is in his third term and is not ranked on Len’s List. He is in his third term and is always a focus a concern in this evenly divided district. His continued connection with his family’s friendly restaurant may make a difference.
Vulnerable Republican Candidates in the Northeast
Republican Michael Lawler of New York 17 is #4 on Len’s List of Vulnerable Republican House Members. School Board Member Liz Whitmer Gereghty, sister of the governor of Michigan, has announced and former Congressman Mondaire Jones may return to the district and run.
Republican Brandon Williams of New York 22 is #6 on Len’s List of Vulnerable Republican House Members. In his first term, a businessman with loose links to the district,he is being challenged by town councilor and former candidate Sarah Klee Hood. See Len’s Political Note #558.
Republican Marc Molinaro of New York 19 is #9 on Len’s List of Vulnerable Republican House Members. At least three Democrats have announced or will announce for this seat. These include the 2022 candidate Josh Riley, an Al Franken protégé, State Senator Michelle Hinchey, whose father represented Central New York in Congress for 20 years, and Insurance Manager Don Butterman.
Republican Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey 07 is a first term Congressman and is #14 on Len’s List of vulnerable Republican House Members. Democratic State Senator Ray Lezniak has announced his candidacy for this position additional Democratic candidates are expected.
Republican Anthony D’Esposito of New York 04 is a first term congressman and is #15 on Len’s List of Vulnerable Republican House Members. No Democratic candidates have yet anounced.
Republican George Santos of New York 03 is a first term congressman. Because he has been so visibly a fabulist he may be the most vulnerable Congressman in the country. Because Len’s List is based on a crude and simple measure, Santos is #21 on that list. Democratic County Legislator Josh Lafazan has announced for this position as has a Republican businessman. There will be more candidates.