You night owls get the scoop. I’m here for you. The Post has the major news.
The national Democratic group Emily’s List is endorsing Maryland state Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk’s bid to succeed Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) in Congress.
The fundraising behemoth’s support could help Peña-Melnyk overtake rival Glenn Ivey, a former Prince George’s county state’s attorney. According to the latest available data, Ivey is leading in campaign contributions in a crowded Democratic primary race for the 4th Congressional District.
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Peña-Melnyk emigrated from the Dominican Republic as a child and was raised by a single mother. A former federal prosecutor, she has sponsored legislation abolishing the death penalty in Maryland, prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation, and establishing the state’s Dream Act for undocumented immigrant students.
In a statement, Emily’s List President Stephanie Schriock said Peña-Melnyk “has successfully fought to strengthen equal pay laws, expand women’s access to health care, and increase educational and job opportunities for all Marylanders.” Emily’s List raised more than $40 million in the 2014 cycle to help elect pro-choice Democratic women to state, local and federal offices. The group says it is on track to raise up to $60 million in the next cycle and can also help connect candidates to vast numbers of women voters — a crucial voting bloc.
This is a very big deal. There will be substantial independent expenditures on behalf of Pena-Melnyk, plus direct donations from EMILY’s List’s, uh, lists.
I am horribly biased here, but I will stake my claim: Joseline Pena-Melnyk is now the candidate to beat in CD4.
UPDATE: The EMILY’s List website has already been updated to include Pena-Melnyk.
