Sean Meloy Announces Run For Congress, Saying He Would Be Pennsylvania's First Openly Gay Member Of Congress If Elected
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Another candidate has tossed his hat into the ring for Congress.
The candidate eyes the seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, who is running for the U.S. Senate next year.
If Sean Meloy wins, it would be another first.
"I would be the first out LGBTQ congressperson from Pennsylvania. But that's not the reason I'm running," Meloy, a Democrat, told KDKA political editor Jon Delano on Tuesday.
Meloy, who grew up in the North Hills, is vice president of the LGBTQ Victory Fund but says that's not why he's running to succeed Lamb in Pittsburgh's suburban congressional district.
"I'm running to make sure our community has its best advocate, someone who's been organizing here, someone who's lived here and has been working on behalf of its people for quite some time," Meloy said.
An Eagle Scout, the 34-year old has been a community organizer who says he gets things done.
"I like to have impact. That's something my parents instilled in me at a very early age. I've been having impact with candidates and progressive causes across the country, and now I want to be able to have an impact in Congress because I believe it is a sorely broken place that needs someone who is going to come to it with that kind of perspective," Meloy said.
A Democratic activist since his days as a Hampton High School and Penn State University student, Meloy is one of Pennsylvania's representatives on the Democratic National Committee.
As for his politics, he says, "I am a pragmatic progressive, but I don't like labels. Labels have been overused and been too much of a focus."
"I think what people are looking for are people who are not going to grandstand, who are not going to aggrandize themselves, who aren't going there for their own ego. They are looking for people who have a history of getting things done in their community on behalf of other people," Meloy said.
While six progressives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez voted against the bipartisan infrastructure bill, Meloy said he would have joined Lamb and U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle in voting for it.
"This is a really, really important piece of legislation that is going to bring billions of dollars to our region," Meloy said.
So far, only one other Democrat has announced for this suburban seat -- former Iraqi War veteran Chris Deluzio.
But the big question is will there even be a suburban district when the congressional district lines are finally drawn?
"The North Hills is where I grew up. It's where I've been organizing, where my heart is. So I'll be running wherever the North Hills ends up," Meloy said.
Most political insiders said once the lines are drawn, more candidates are likely to surface.
But here's one problem -- candidates really need to start now raising money. The primary is just 28 weeks from Tuesday.
