5th Congressional District Candidates
As per the Constitution, the U.S. House of Representatives makes and passes federal laws. The House is one of Congress’ two chambers (the other is the U.S. Senate) and part of the federal government’s legislative branch. The number of voting representatives in the House is fixed by law at no more than 435, proportionally representing the population of the 50 states. Also referred to as a congressman or congresswoman, each representative is elected to a two-year term serving the people of a specific congressional district. Among other duties, representatives introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments, vote on legislation and serve on committees.
Democrat
Mary Gay Scanlon (Incumbent)
Mary Gay Scanlon currently serves as congresswoman for Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District, after winning her first election in 2018. As an advocate for education and human rights, she served as an attorney with the Education Law Center of Philadelphia, before later becoming a pro bono counsel for Ballard Spahr.
In her third full term in Congress, Scanlon has continued her relentless advocacy on behalf of children and families in Pennsylvania’s 5th District and across the country. As a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the House Committee on Rules, Scanlon plays a key role in shaping laws that impact the lives of Americans. On the Judiciary Committee, she currently serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government, where she is a critical voice in pushing back on attacks on American freedoms. Scanlon is a member of dozens of important caucuses, including as the chair of the Legal Aid Caucus and the Youth Mentoring Caucus, Co-Chair of the Foster Youth Caucus, and Vice-Chair of the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus.
Scanlon has cosponsored over 400 bills to improve the lives of families in our region and across the country. When roughly 4,000 jobs at the Boeing Plant in Ridley were on the chopping block, Scanlon led the charge to successfully restore funding for this critical program in the National Defense Authorization Act. She also helped secure a $650 million contract to produce new ships at the Philadelphia Shipyard. Congresswoman Scanlon led House floor debate on critical legislative victories, including the Equality Act and the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women’s Act. Scanlon also has brought significant resources back to southeast Pennsylvania thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. Congresswoman Scanlon has been tirelessly fighting for the people, working closely with other Democrats to restore faith in our democracy and build a fair economy for all.
Scanlon is a graduate of Colgate University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Endorsements:
AFSCME District Council 47
AIPAC
American Federation of Government Employees
Delaware County Democratic Committee
Democratic Majority for Israel
Ed Rendell
Giffords PAC
Human Rights Campaign
Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA)
League of Conservation Voters
Montgomery County Democratic Committee
NEA (National Education Association)
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
PhilaBack
Philadelphia Federation of Teachers
Planned Parenthood Action Fund
Learn more about Mary Gay Scanlon on her website and social media platforms:
Republican
Nick Manganaro
Nicholas Waln Morris "Nick" Manganaro is the Republican nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives in Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional District (covering Delaware County and parts of Chester, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties).
Professional Background: A retired finance professional and quantitative analyst, Manganaro spent decades in investment, risk management, and portfolio evaluation at institutions including BlackRock, MacKay Shields, Merrill Lynch, and Credit Suisse. He holds an A.B. in Mathematics from Reed College and a Master’s in Finance from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Core Platform: Self-described as an "America First, Constitutionally and fiscally conservative Republican," his platform emphasizes curbing federal overspending, lowering cost-of-living burdens, expanding domestic energy production, and strictly enforcing federal immigration laws.
Endorsements:
Delaware County Republican Committee (Delco GOP): Official party endorsement and featured candidate for the PA-05 district.
Republican City Committee of Philadelphia (PhillyGOP): Featured endorsement on local candidate slates.