History of Mary Gay Scanlon in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 22, 2024

Mary Gay Scanlon is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district since 2019. Her district encompasses Delaware County and parts of Philadelphia. Scanlon briefly held office in the 7th district in 2018 following Pat Meehan's resignation. On November 6, 2018, she won both a special election for the remaining term in the 7th and a regular election for the 5th district. She assumed office for the 7th on November 13, 2018, and transitioned to the 5th on January 3, 2019.

1939: Historical Context of Democratic Representation

Since 1939, Mary Gay Scanlon is only the third Democrat to represent this particular district and its predecessors.

August 30, 1959: Birth of Mary Gay Scanlon

Mary Gay Scanlon was born on August 30, 1959.

1971: Daniel Scanlon's Appointment as Part-Time Magistrate

In 1971, Mary Gay Scanlon's father, Daniel Scanlon, was appointed as a part-time magistrate.

1980: Graduation from Colgate University

Mary Gay Scanlon graduated from Colgate University in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

1984: Graduation from University of Pennsylvania Law School and Clerkship

Mary Gay Scanlon graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1984 with a Juris Doctor degree and became a judicial law clerk for Judge J. Sydney Hoffman of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.

1985: Representation of a Sexually Abused Child

In 1985, Mary Gay Scanlon represented an 11-year-old girl who was a victim of sexual abuse in a dependency case. This experience had a profound impact on Scanlon, leading her to dedicate her career to public interest law.

1993: Daniel Scanlon's Appointment as Full-Time Magistrate

In 1993, Mary Gay Scanlon's father, Daniel Scanlon, was appointed as a full-time magistrate.

1994: Receipt of the Fidelity Award

In 1994, Mary Gay Scanlon received the Fidelity Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Philadelphia Bar Association for outstanding public service.

2006: Appointment to the Tax Commission

In 2006, Mary Gay Scanlon was appointed vice chair of the Tax Commission.

2009: Presidency of Wallingford-Swarthmore School District Board

Mary Gay Scanlon served as the president of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District board from 2009 to 2011.

2011: End of Presidency, Continued Board Membership

Mary Gay Scanlon's term as the president of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District board ended in 2011. She continued serving as a member of the board.

2015: Conclusion of Service on School Board

Mary Gay Scanlon's tenure on the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District board concluded in 2015.

2016: Hypothetical Election Results for Redrawn District

In 2016, had the redrawn 5th Congressional District existed, Hillary Clinton would have hypothetically secured a victory with 63% of the vote. This outcome underscores the district's Democratic leanings.

February 25, 2018: Launch of Congressional Campaign

On February 25, 2018, Mary Gay Scanlon announced her candidacy for the U.S. Congress, aiming to represent Pennsylvania's 5th district in the upcoming election.

April 27, 2018: Meehan's Resignation and Scanlon's Candidacy

On April 27, 2018, Pat Meehan resigned from his position in the U.S. House of Representatives. Following this, Mary Gay Scanlon was chosen as the Democratic candidate in the special election to fill the vacancy. Consequently, she participated in two elections on November 6th: a special election for the remainder of Meehan's term in the 7th district and a regular election for a full term in the newly redistricted 5th district.

November 6, 2018: Mary Gay Scanlon Elected to the United States House of Representatives

On November 6, 2018, Mary Gay Scanlon was elected to represent two Pennsylvania districts in the U.S. House: the 7th district in a special election and the 5th district in a regular election.

November 13, 2018: Sworn into the 7th Congressional District

On November 13, 2018, Mary Gay Scanlon was officially sworn in as the representative for Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district.

2018: Election of Freshman Representatives

The year 2018 saw the election of a new cohort of representatives to Congress, referred to as "freshmen.".

January 3, 2019: Transition to the 5th Congressional District

On January 3, 2019, Mary Gay Scanlon transitioned from representing Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district to the 5th district.

January 2019: Seniority in the 5th Congressional District

In January 2019, Mary Gay Scanlon began her term in the 5th district with two months of seniority over other freshmen elected in 2018, due to her earlier swearing-in for the 7th district.

November 3, 2020: Re-election Victory for Scanlon

Mary Gay Scanlon won re-election for her congressional seat, defeating Republican nominee Dasha Pruett with a significant margin on November 3, 2020.

December 22, 2021: Carjacking Incident

On December 22, 2021, Mary Gay Scanlon was the victim of a carjacking in South Philadelphia after visiting Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park. During the incident, she was robbed under the threat of a firearm. Fortunately, she remained physically unharmed. Authorities, including the Delaware State Police and the FBI, successfully located her vehicle later that day in New Castle County, Delaware. Five individuals found inside the car were apprehended.

2021: Introduction of the ACCESS Act

In 2021, Mary Gay Scanlon put forward the ACCESS Act, a piece of legislation aimed at making it easier for users to move their data between different tech platforms.

2023: Trip to Ireland with President Biden

As a member of the Congressional Friends of Ireland Caucus, Mary Gay Scanlon accompanied President Joe Biden on a trip to Ireland in 2023.

2023: Votes on Troop Withdrawals from Somalia and Syria

In 2023, Mary Gay Scanlon voted in favor of H.Con.Res. 30, which aimed to withdraw American troops from Somalia. Additionally, she supported H.Con.Res. 21, a resolution calling for the removal of U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.