Candidates
Please consider contributing to one or more of ATLA’s spotlighted House candidates. The future of the civil justice system may depend on the outcome of these races.
| AZ-5 |  |
Harry MitchellStarting in 1970, Harry Mitchell has dedicated his life to serving the people of Arizona’s 5th Congressional District on the Tempe City Council, the Mayor of Tempe, and most recently as a State Senator. |
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| CO-7 |  |
Ed PerlmutterAn attorney who has shown an ability to get things done, Ed Perlmutter served Colorado’s 7th Congressional District in the Colorado State Senate from 1994 – 2002, and was President Pro Tem of the Senate starting in 2002. |
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| CT-2 |  |
Joe CourtneyJoe Courtney served his community as a State Representative from 1987 until 1994. An attorney, who served as an Assistant Public Defender from 1979 to 1981, Joe is ready to serve Connecticut’s 2nd Congressional District in Washington. |
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| CT-4 |  |
Diane FarrellNever shirking a mantle of community leadership, second term selectwoman in the town of Westport, former pre-school teach and parent, Diane Farrell understands the needs of her community and the constituents of Connecticut’s 4th Congressional District. |
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| CT-5 |  |
Chris MurphyServing in his second term representing Connecticut’s 16th State Senate District, Chris Murphy knows what’s needed in his community. After years of service in the State House and Senate, Chris is ready to get things done in Washington DC for the people of Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District. |
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| FL-9 |  |
Phyllis BusanskyDedicating her professional life towards making her community better, Phyllis Busansky hopes to serve Florida’s 9th Congressional District as their next Congresswoman. Phyllis has served as a Hillsborough Country Commissioner, as the initial director of Florida’s Welfare Reform program and founding president of the Community Health Leadership Network. |
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| FL-22 |  |
Ron KleinState Senator and attorney Ron Klein continues to fight in the State Senate to advance public safety, protect environmentally sensitive lands and increase economic opportunities for all Floridians. He hopes to continue that fight as the next Congressman from Florida’s 22nd Congressional District. |
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| IL-6 |  |
Tammy DuckworthTammy Duckworth is a beacon of service to her country and her community. A veteran of the Iraq War recently recovered from serious injuries sustained while serving on active duty in Iraq, Tammy has set her sights on serving as the next Congresswoman from Illinois’ 6th Congressional District. |
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| IN-8 |  |
Brad EllsworthAfter serving his community as a law enforcement officer for seventeen years, Brad Ellsworth was elected Sheriff of Vanderburgh County in 1999. Brad hopes to protect and serve the needs of his community in Washington DC as Indiana’s 8th Congressional District’s next Congressman. |
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| IN-9 |  |
Baron HillFirst elected to Congress in 1998, former Representative and attorney Baron Hill lost his seat last cycle by a mere 1,500 votes. After more than 25 years of public service, Baron looks forward to returning to congress and fighting for the people of Indiana’s 9th Congressional District. |
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| IN-2 |  |
Joe DonnellyJoe Donnelly, a graduate of Notre Dame, former member of Indiana State Electin Board and attorney has served on the Board of Education for Mishawaka Marian High School for five years. Next, Joe hopes to serve the people of Indiana’s 2nd District in Congress. |
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| IA-1 |  |
Bruce BraleyFormer President of the Iowa Trial Lawyers Association and native Hawkeye Bruce Braley has spent his entire professional life leveling the playing field for people who needed his help. Bruce hopes to go to Washington to level the playing field and fulfill the needs of Iowa’s 1st Congressional District’s next Congressman. |
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| MN-6 |  |
Patty WetterlingSince the abduction of her son Jacob sixteen years ago, Patty Wetterling has fought to make families safer in her community and across the country. Patty has become one of the America's most respected and effective child advocates. As Congresswoman for Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, Patty will continue putting families first. |
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| NV-2 |  |
Jill DerbyBy serving on the Nevada State Board of Regents since 1988, representing a five-country district in western Nevada, three times as Chair and presently as Vice-Chair, Jill understand the needs of Nevadans, and will work diligently to make the lives of people of Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District better as their voice in Washington DC. |
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| NV-3 |  |
Tessa HafenA proud, third-generation southern Nevadan who was born and raised in Henderson, Tessa returns from Washington DC and working with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid seeking to serve Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District as their voice in Congress. |
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| NM-1 |  |
Patricia MadridNew Mexico’s second-term Attorney General Patricia Madrid, the first woman to serve New Mexico in that capacity, has been serving the people of New Mexico since first being elected in 1978 as the first woman elected to sit as a district court judge in New Mexico. As Congresswoman for Nevada’s 1st Congressional District, Patty will continue to work diligently to make her community, her state and our country better. |
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| NY-20 |  |
Kirsten GillibrandKirsten Gillibrand, an attorney and former Clinton Administration official, is a civic leader committed to making her neighbors and fellow citizens’ lives better. Realizing the importance of family, a wife and mother, Kirsten understands what New York’s 20th District needs and she has the wherewithal to go to Congress and be a powerful advocate for her community. |
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| NY-24 |  |
Mike ArcuriAs the Oneida County District Attorney in upstate New York, Mike Arcuri has been a strong leader against crime and for expanded crime prevention programs, for innovative drug crime programs, even raising revenue to fund public safety efforts. The leadership Mike has shown is just what New York’s 24th Congressional District needs representing them in the Halls of Congress. |
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| NC-11 |  |
Heath ShulerFormer NFL quarterback, Heath Shuler, brought his family back to North Carolina to raise his children in a place that shares the same values he grew up with. Heath wants to represent North Carolina’s 11th District in Congress, to make sure those values remain a staple of his community. |
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| OH-1 |  |
John CranleyCincinnati City Councilman John Cranley has spent his professional life trying to make his community and the lives of people who live in the community better. John knows what his neighbors and future constituents need and he’s running for Congress so that “that everyone in Ohio’s 1st Congressional District will be represented in the House of Representatives. |
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| OH-6 |  |
Charlie WilsonJefferson County native and State Senator Charlie Wilson’s family has owned and operated a business in the Ohio Valley for over 108 years. Charlie currently serves his community and seeks the opportunity to represent Ohio’s 6th District in Congress. |
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| OH-15 |  |
Mary Jo KilroyAfter serving for eight years on the Columbus School Board, Mary Jo Kilroy, an attorney, was elected to the Franklin County Commission, where she now serves 87% of Ohio’s 15th Congressional District. She has been a steady voice for community development, and will continue to demonstrate that leadership for her constituents in Congress. |
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| OH-18 |  |
Zack SpaceZack Space, an attorney, believes that faith, a commitment to family, and hard work are important values and should be exemplified by our elected representatives, which he why he wants to represent Ohio’s 18th Congressional District in Congress. |
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| OH-13 |  |
Betty SuttonBetty Sutton, an attorney, has earned a reputation as an independent leader and tenacious advocate for the people of Ohio through her career as a labor lawyer and in three elective offices. Betty has served the people of northeast Ohio in the State Legislature, the Summit County Council and the Barberton City Council. She hopes to continue her service in Congress for the people of Ohio’s 13th Congressional District. |
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| PA-6 |  |
Lois MurphyAt a time when the playing field is tilted heavily towards powerful special interests, Lois Murphy is a strong voice for protecting the rights of Americans. She hopes to protect the rights of her future constituents and all Americans as the next congresswoman from Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District. |
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| PA-8 |  |
Patrick MurphyA young attorney who served in Iraq and was awarded the Bronze Star in February 2004, Patrick Murphy believes strongly in service, to his community and his country. Patrick will bring that commitment to community and service with him as the next congressman from Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District |
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| PA-7 |  |
Joe SestakBorn in Secane, PA and raised in Springfield, PA, Joe Sestak is the 7th District’s Native Son. Joe entered the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated with the class of 1974, retiring from the naval service after almost 31 years in January 2006, after serving as a Vice Admiral. Aspiring to serve his country in a different way, Joe hopes to represent his community in Congress as the next congressman from Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District. |
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| PA-10 |  |
Chris CarneyChris Carney is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Penn State University. Chris also serves as a Special Consultant to the Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense and was a former Special Advisor. A Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy Reserves, Chris’ next challenge will be representing Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District in Congress. |
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| TX-22 |  |
Nick LampsonFormer Representative Nick Lampson was first elected to Congress in 1996, where during his 8 years in Congress, Lampson made his mark as an advocate of children’s safety. He founded the first-ever Congressional Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children, worked to create the Amber Alert program, and led national and international efforts to raise awareness of child-safety issues. While Nick lost his seat last cycle due to a contentious Texas redistricting, he is anxious to return to congress to represent Texas’ 22nd Congressional District. |
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| VT-1 |  |
Peter WelchIn 1980, Peter Welch, an attorney, was elected to the Vermont State Senate, and became Senate Minority Leader in 1982. For his efforts in public service, he received the President's Award from the Vemont Trial Lawyers Association. Peter Welch has worked to balance budgets, resolve an $80 million Medicaid deficit largely caused by the federal government, and to alleviate the property tax burden on working Vermonters. Vermont needs a strong leader like Peter, who cares about Vermonters in Congress. |
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| VA-2 |  |
Phil KellamPhil Kellam has been in public service since he was first elected Virginia Beach's Commissioner of the Revenue in 1997. Phil believes in fixing government by focusing on results. Congress needs more common-sense, bipartisan representatives who are committed to fixing government and have a record to prove it. Since voters demand performance, Phil is the right person to make certain that matters of security, efficiency, opportunity, accountability and personal responsibility - which are important to the citizens of Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, are heard in the halls of Congress. |
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| WA-8 |  |
Darcy BurnerDarcy Burner has worked in the high tech sector for more than a decade, most recently as a successful manager at Microsoft. Darcy left Microsoft to work for policies that will help families who work hard and play by the rules get the opportunities they deserve to achieve the American dream. Washington's 8th Congressional District is ready for change and Darcy will be a strong voice in congress. |
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