Jack,
Today, I want to introduce you to Christina Finello, who is running for the U.S. House in Pennsylvania's First Congressional District.
As Christina says, PA-01 is just about the textbook definition of a purple district. With Christina on the ballot, we can flip this seat—that's why she's a member of the DCCC's red-to-blue program, and it's why she has the endorsement of groups like EMILY's List and End Citizens United.
We asked Christina a few questions for our latest Off the Sidelines Candidate Spotlight. I hope you'll take the time to learn more about her!
And if you like what you read, please consider splitting a donation between Christina's campaign and Off the Sidelines today. Your donation will go directly toward electing Christina and other game-changing women running for Congress this year.
Thank you,
Stefanie
Off the Sidelines: Tell us about yourself. Why did you decide to get off the sidelines and run for office?
Christina Finello: I am running for Congress because I am determined to be a voice for our district and stand up for working families. I’ve seen first hand how hard families in our community have to work just to get by. I grew up in a working class family and watched my parents work two and three jobs to keep food on our table and a roof over our heads. But when my dad got a good paying union job, it allowed my parents to save money, helped us move up into the middle class, and paved the way for me to go to college. I want to make sure everyone in our community has those same opportunities.
OTS: Tell us about where you're running.
CF: I am running in Pennsylvania's first Congressional District, a suburban Philadelphia district that comprises all of Bucks County and a little bit of Montgomery County. When you think of what a purple swing district looks like, PA-01 immediately comes to mind.
OTS: What's one piece of advice you would give your younger self?
CF: Do not let others define you and what’s important to you. You define yourself and you set the tone. Don’t be afraid to use your voice. Always have the core group of people that will help you figure out what is best for you without an agenda.
OTS: What's an interesting article that you recently finished?
CF: An article that has really stood out to me recently is about coronavirus and the child-care crisis and how it is setting women back in the workforce. Societal attitude is still geared towards women being the primary caretaker of their children. So now, with the global pandemic, they are seeing women cutting their hours back or quitting their jobs, significantly more than men, because families are struggling to adjust to homeschooling and taking care of their children full time while simultaneously working a full-time job from home. It’s hard enough that women are still only making 81 cents for every dollar earned by a man, but now that women are taking time off, reducing hours, or quitting their job to take care of their children, it will, in turn, make it harder for a woman to earn a promotion or any kind of pay increase. I am fortunate enough that I have my parents to help out with my daughters while I am running for office, and that my husband can continue to work but there are so many who do not have this as an option.
OTS: What's a fun fact that people might not know about you?
CF: I have coached soccer for over 20 years and have a US Soccer National D license.
OTS: If you could have dinner with three people (living or deceased) who would they be and why?
CF: Family is very important to me. My maternal grandfather: he died before I was born, so I never got a chance to meet him but my mom tells me such great stories about him. He made sure my mom was very self-sufficient and taught her how to fix things like cars. My paternal great-grandfather: he who also passed away before I was born. My dad told me about all the great times they shared and places they went. He stressed the importance of education and fostered my father’s love of reading from a very young age. My great grandmother is also someone I would love to have dinner with. She passed away when I was 12. She was an inspiration—a hard working woman who always put her family first. When her son, my grandfather, went off to World War II, she became part of the Navy Mothers. This group of women created care packages, wrote heartwarming letters, and made sure our soldiers had a little piece of home while they were defending our country. Having a strong female example in my family has pushed me to always work harder and strive to always be that kind of role model for my own daughters.
OTS: How do you unwind?
CF: One of my all time favorite ways to unwind and de-stress is to play or hangout with my daughters. They are so sweet, funny, caring, and somehow always know just the right thing to say to me to make my day just a little bit better.
Paid for by Gillibrand for Senate
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