Bucks County Herald: Ehasz says the U.S. House needs the leadership she can provide
The Army combat veteran and commander, the former Apache helicopter pilot, the sole woman in her flight class, is fighting to replace Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, the former FBI agent who has held the office since 2016.
WHYY: Race to watch: What voters need to know about U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick and Democratic challenger Ashley Ehasz
Ashley Ehasz is challenging Republican incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick in another bid to unseat the U.S. congressman.
City & State PA: Where the candidates stand: The Economy
1st Congressional District: While much of the campaign has been centered around abortion rights, economic issues continue to be a major talking point for both candidates. Ehasz, who was raised by a single mother and in a family that often struggled to afford rent and groceries, has said her life “has been defined by extreme lack of resources.”
Ehasz has attacked Fitzpatrick for not running an active campaign and not agreeing to a debate. She’s expressed support for raising the minimum wage, and for universal preschool and affordable child care for all.
TIME: Democrats Bank on Ground Game Advantage in Pennsylvania
“We’re hearing so much more of that: somebody who was previously for Trump but he’s just burned them so much,” says Ehasz, a military veteran who is trying for the second time to unseat Republican Brian Fitzpatrick.”
PGN: Election Endorsements: 2024 General Election
U.S. HOUSE PA DISTRICT 1 - Ashley Ehasz stands firmly with the LGBTQ+ community, opposing the military’s trans ban and challenging anti-LGBTQ+ policies at local school board meetings. She actively highlights and celebrates LGBTQ+ voices. This includes spotlighting community members on her social media accounts during Pride Month.
Spotlight PA: Pa. election 2024: Your guide to this year’s congressional races
Key issues: This race has focused on abortion. Fitzpatrick voted in favor of a 20-week ban in 2017, and against bills to codify the right to abortion. Fitzpatrick declined to participate in a debate.
Bucks County Herald: In Bucks County, we value freedom
Freedom is at the core of my campaign. As a pro-democracy, pro-choice candidate, it is no secret that I believe abortion care should be legal. Some political talking heads may proclaim that being “pro-choice” is a divisive, partisan issue. Or that it is only a women’s rights issue, and therefore doesn’t affect families. But abortion is an essential part of reproductive healthcare, and the freedom to access that healthcare is essential to our well-being.
Bucks Beacon: Ashley Ehasz to Attend New Pennsylvania Project’s Candidate Forum for First Congressional District.
Incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick Refused to Even Reply to Invitation.
Patch: Women’s Reproductive Rights Forum Convenes In Bucks County
NEWTOWN, PA — More than 80 people attended a Women’s Reproductive Rights Forum in Newtown this week hosted by Social Justice Indivisible and local partners.
Penn Capital-Star: Ehasz takes on Fitzpatrick for a second run in Pennsylvania’s 1st District
The Capital-Star asked Ehasz and Fitzpatrick why they’re qualified to serve in Congress, why voters should trust them and how they would vote over the next two years.
Levittown Now: Ashley Ehasz Outraises Rep. Fitzpatrick In Final Quarter Ahead Of Election
Democratic candidate Ashley Ehasz raised more than incumbent Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick last quarter, collecting $1,259,968 compared to Fitzpatrick’s $911,690.
Philadelphia Inquirer: Ashley Ehasz for Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District | Endorsement
In short, when it really matters, Fitzpatrick has been on the wrong side of history. His inability to stand up to Trump or support women’s rights is a major concern if the former president is reelected and Republicans maintain control of the House.
That is why The Inquirer endorses Ashley Ehasz to represent Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District.
by The Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial Board
Published Oct. 17, 2024, 5:00 a.m. ET
Philadelphia, PA - Before Donald Trump hijacked the Republican Party, U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick was a reasonable choice for a swing district that covers Bucks County and a sliver of Montgomery County.
Fitzpatrick, who was first elected in 2016, leaned right but aimed for the moderate middle. But as Trump bent the GOP-controlled House to his will, Fitzpatrick has come up small on major issues involving women’s rights and defending democracy.
He voted for a 20-week national abortion ban, against legislation that would have codified Roe v. Wade, and for defense budgets that blocked the military from paying for female service members to travel to obtain abortions.
Fitzpatrick also voted against impeaching Trump for his role in inciting the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He also voted against impeaching Trump for trying to extort Ukraine.
In short, when it really matters, Fitzpatrick has been on the wrong side of history. His inability to stand up to Trump or support women’s rights is a major concern if the former president is reelected and Republicans maintain control of the House.
That is why The Inquirer endorses Ashley Ehasz to represent Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District.
Former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R., Wyo.) has voiced concern as to whether House Speaker Mike Johnson will certify the election if Trump loses. That is partly why she endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris and made clear the GOP can’t be trusted to stay in power.
“I think it’s very important the Republicans not be a majority in the House come January 2025,” Cheney said.
To his credit, Fitzpatrick did vote to certify the 2020 election for Joe Biden and pledged to do the same this time around. But it is unclear if he supports Trump, who is unfit for office, or if he would support a national abortion ban.
Putting the country before the party should not be a difficult choice. But it is difficult to tell where Fitzpatrick stands on many important issues. He refused to meet with The Inquirer Editorial Board, has not debated Ehasz, and has largely run a stealth campaign with limited public availability.
The Inquirer endorsed Fitzpatrick in 2018 and in 2020, but since then he has repeatedly refused to sit for interviews with this board. A public official who can’t make their case for reelection should not be reelected.
Fortunately, voters in Pennsylvania’s 1st District have a better choice in Ehasz, a 2010 graduate of West Point who served in Iraq and Kuwait. She ran against Fitzpatrick in 2022 and lost by nearly 10 percentage points. But recent polls show a narrow race this time.
Ehasz hopes increased name recognition, better funding, and her passionate voice for women’s reproductive rights will be the difference in November.
“Brian Fitzpatrick, frankly, has deliberately misled a lot of these voters on his record on choice,” Ehasz said in a meeting with the Editorial Board. “He has voted for a national abortion ban which would overturn Pennsylvania state law and our protections here. He voted against the Women’s Health Protection Act twice. So just to be clear, he is anti-choice.”
Ehasz, who received a master’s degree from the University of Oxford and works as a public service sector consultant, said defending democracy is another top issue facing voters. Unlike Fitzpatrick, she would hold Trump accountable.
Electing Ehasz could also help tip control away from a Republican Congress beholden to Trump that was the least productive in history.
A Democratic-controlled House would also provide a needed check on Trump’s power if he is elected. It would also help prevent the GOP from enacting Project 2025, a sweeping plan to instill far-right conservative personnel and policies across every corner of the federal government.
Ehasz, who was raised by a single mother and is not a career politician, is also more in tune with the real-world challenges facing middle-class voters in her district. She could focus attention and support on pocketbook issues as well as mental health, substance abuse, and immigration reform without having to worry about where Trump stands.
Voters in the 1st District should give Ashley Ehasz their support.
Levittown Now: No Debate In Race Between Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick & Challenger Ashley Ehasz
“Bucks and Montgomery County voters deserve the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates, particularly as my opponent Brian Fitzpatrick obscures his own anti-abortion voting record and he cozies up to MAGA extremists like Jim Jordan and Speaker Mike Johnson,” Ehasz said in a statement.
Punchbowl News: Ehasz hits Fitzpatrick on quiet campaign
PHILADELPHIA — Democratic challenger Ashley Ehasz is hitting Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) in the weeks ahead of Election Day by calling him invisible and afraid to engage with voters.
Bucks County Beacon: Is Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick Scared to Debate His Democratic Opponent Ashley Ehasz?
“I believe that the public should be able to hear directly from their candidates about the issues that matter most to them, particularly when our fundamental freedoms and the safety of our democracy are on the line,” Ehasz said.
Philadelphia Inquirer: the 2024 general election voters guide
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Ehasz has centered her campaign on support for reproductive rights. She has been critical of Fitzpatrick’s votes to restrict funding for military members to travel for an abortion and to ban abortions after 20 weeks.
Fitzpatrick, 50, of Langhorne, who casts himself as a moderate Republican, has represented the Bucks County swing district since 2017.
Lower Bucks Times: Ehasz challenges Fitzpatrick to debate
Democrat Ashley Ehasz challenged opponent Brian Fitzpatrick to a public, televised debate prior to the November election.
Democrat Ashley Ehasz recently challenged opponent Brian Fitzpatrick to a public, televised debate to ensure voters have the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates on the issues that matter most to them before they cast their ballots. Bucks County Community College, historically the host of PA-01 congressional debates, recently rescinded its invitation to host the debate.
Ehasz said in a statement, “Bucks and Montgomery County voters deserve the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates, particularly as my opponent Brian Fitzpatrick obscures his own anti-abortion voting record and he cozies up to MAGA extremists like Jim Jordan and Speaker Mike Johnson.
“Time and time again, Brian runs from his own record. He evades reporters, refuses to engage with voters in public forums, and stays silent on his support for Trump and his Project 2025 agenda. Voters cannot trust that our democracy and our basic freedoms will not be infringed upon by Brian’s cowardice and failure to stand up to extremists.
“The stakes of this election could not be higher. PA-01 is an overwhelmingly pro-choice district that is currently represented by an overwhelmingly anti-abortion extremist who is more concerned with catering to his party bosses in Washington than the hardworking people in Pennsylvania’s First District.
“As a combat veteran, I will work tirelessly to protect our freedoms here at home just as fiercely as I did overseas, including by voting for the Women’s Health Protection Act to codify Roe v. Wade into law and protecting the freedom, fairness and transparency of our democracy.
“Bucks and Montgomery communities should be able to hear directly from their leaders. I stand ready to debate, because I am ready to lead. Are you, Brian?”
Bucks County Beacon: Incumbent PA01 GOP Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick Challenged to Debate by Contender Ashley Ehasz
Unlike Ashley Ehasz, Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick – along with 2024 GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump (who has endorsed Fitzpatrick twice) – have never served a day in uniform.
Ashley Ehasz, the Democratic candidate running for the First District in Pennsylvania, has challenged her opponent, GOP Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick to a televised debate, according to a press release issued on Wednesday by the campaign.
Typically, Bucks County Community College hosts the first congressional district’s candidate debate, but will not this year, a spokesperson for the Ehasz campaign said. They are seeking another venue to host a debate if Fitzpatrick agrees.
BCCC Associate Vice President for Student and Veteran Affairs Kevin LaVigne Antoine responded to inquiries from the Bucks County Beacon, but had few details to offer as to why the event was canceled. To the best of his recollection, no dates had been selected for the event, and this was further complicated when William Pezza, a professor in the History Department at Bucks County Community College, decided he did not wish to host this year’s event.
“Bucks and Montgomery County voters deserve the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates, particularly as my opponent Brian Fitzpatrick obscures his own anti-abortion voting record and he cozies up to MAGA extremists like Jim Jordan and Speaker Mike Johnson,” said Ehasz.
Local Democrats also believe that Republican incumbent Fitzpatrick, who is not open to hosting town halls with constituents, should at the very least participate in a debate or two – for democracy’s sake.
“It is my firm belief that Mr. Fitzpatrick should agree to debates. Fitzpatrick has refused to hold even one open town hall meeting during his entire time in office,” said Renée Donahey, a constituent in PA-01.“Constituents do not know his views on issues important to us. While I and others have called his office, frequently his staff tells us that Fitzpatrick has not decided on his position. When constituents send letters to him requesting his views on issues, his responses either do not address the questions asked, or they are uninformative or noncommittal … Fitzpatrick is supposed to represent his constituents, he is supposed to speak for us in Washington, but it is not possible for him to speak for us as he refuses to speak with us.”
“Brian Fitzpatrick owes it to the people of Pennsylvania’s First Congressional district to participate in a debate. All representatives, or those who seek that position, have an obligation to their constituents to tell them exactly where they stand on matters of consequence, so voters can make an informed decision on their ballot,” said Kierstyn Zolfo of Indivisible Bucks County. “For a person like Brian Fitzpatrick, who already shuns town halls and media interactions, to abandon the long tradition of congressional debates in our district, shows the contempt he has for the people in our community.”
Ehasz noted the high stakes of this debate, especially for women.
“The stakes of this election could not be higher. PA-01 is an overwhelmingly pro-choice district that is currently represented by an overwhelmingly anti-abortion extremist who is more concerned with catering to his party bosses in Washington than the hardworking people in Pennsylvania’s First District,” Ehasz said. “Bucks and Montgomery communities should be able to hear directly from their leaders. I stand ready to debate, because I am ready to lead. Are you, Brian?”
Go Erie: Previewing the Ehasz-Fitzpatrick race for U.S. House
U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., staved off Democrat Ashley Ehasz two years ago. He'll need a repeat performance in November to secure another term in Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District.
Politics PA: PA-01: Internal Poll Puts Ehasz In Range of Fitzpatrick
Upswing’s research, though, found that after informing respondents about Fitzpatrick’s claims of independence versus Ehasz’s background, as well as the Republican’s “support for a nationwide abortion ban,” support shifted toward the challenger, 51-44%.