Mary Gay Scanlon

The neutral encyclopedia of notable people
Revision as of 18:23, 24 February 2026 by Finley (talk | contribs) (Content engine: create biography for Mary Gay Scanlon (2201 words))
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)


Mary Gay Scanlon
Official portrait, 2018
Mary Gay Scanlon
Born30 8, 1959
BirthplaceSyracuse, New York, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationAttorney, politician
Known forU.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district
EducationColgate University (BA)
University of Pennsylvania Law School (JD)
Spouse(s)Mark Stewart
Children3
Website[scanlon.house.gov Official site]

Mary Gay Scanlon (born August 30, 1959) is an American attorney and politician who has served as the U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district since January 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, Scanlon represents a district based in Delaware County, a mostly suburban county west of Philadelphia, that also includes a southwestern portion of Philadelphia itself as well as portions of Chester and Montgomery counties.[1] Born in Syracuse, New York, Scanlon built a career in law spanning both the private sector and public interest work before entering electoral politics. She made history as the first woman to represent Delaware County in Congress, winning both a special election and a general election on November 6, 2018.[2] Prior to her congressional career, Scanlon worked as an attorney at the law firm Ballard Spahr and was involved in education policy and pro bono legal work. She has served on several committees in the House, including the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Rules.

Early Life

Mary Gay Scanlon was born on August 30, 1959, in Syracuse, New York.[1] She grew up in the Watertown area of upstate New York.[3] Details of her family background and childhood in upstate New York shaped her later interest in public service and law. Scanlon eventually relocated to the Philadelphia area, where she would build her legal career and raise her family in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

Education

Scanlon attended Colgate University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree.[1] She subsequently enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she earned her Juris Doctor degree.[1][4] Her legal education at Penn Law provided the foundation for a career that would encompass both private practice and extensive pro bono and public interest legal work.

Career

Legal Career

Following her graduation from law school, Scanlon pursued a career in law that combined private practice with significant public interest work. She joined the Philadelphia-based law firm Ballard Spahr, one of the largest law firms in the United States, where she practiced for a number of years.[5] At Ballard Spahr, Scanlon developed expertise in legal areas that informed her later policy positions.

Beyond her work in private practice, Scanlon became involved in education policy and advocacy. She served on the board of the Education Law Center, an organization focused on ensuring equal access to quality public education. Her work in education law and policy brought her into contact with issues of school funding, equity, and access that would later become central themes in her political career.[4]

Scanlon was also recognized for her pro bono legal work. She provided legal services to underserved communities and individuals who could not afford legal representation. This commitment to public interest law was highlighted in the University of Pennsylvania Law School's alumni publications, which profiled her contributions to pro bono work and public service.[4]

Her legal career also involved work in the area of public policy. Scanlon became active in civic organizations in Delaware County and the broader Philadelphia region, building a reputation as a community leader and advocate before she entered electoral politics.[5]

Entry into Politics

Scanlon's entry into electoral politics came in 2018, during a period of significant political change in Pennsylvania. The state's congressional map had been redrawn by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court earlier that year after the previous map was ruled an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander. The new map created substantially different districts, including a new 5th congressional district centered on Delaware County.[6]

Scanlon announced her candidacy for the new 5th congressional district seat. The district encompassed most of Delaware County, a southwestern portion of Philadelphia, and portions of Chester and Montgomery counties. The district had historically been represented by Republicans, but the new boundaries and shifting demographics in the Philadelphia suburbs made it competitive territory for Democrats.[6]

2018 Democratic Primary

The Democratic primary for the 5th congressional district took place on May 15, 2018. Scanlon faced a crowded field of candidates in the primary election. The race drew significant attention as part of a broader wave of Democratic candidates running in suburban districts across the country during the 2018 midterm election cycle.[7]

Scanlon won the Democratic primary, securing the party's nomination for the general election in the new 5th district.[7][8] Her victory in the primary was seen as a significant step in what was shaping up to be a strong year for Democratic candidates in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Following her primary victory, the Democratic Party also selected Scanlon as its candidate for a special election in the old 7th congressional district. The seat had been vacated by Republican Pat Meehan, who had resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal. The special election was to fill the remainder of Meehan's term, which ran through January 2019.[9]

2018 General and Special Elections

On November 6, 2018, Scanlon appeared on the ballot twice: once in the special election for the old 7th congressional district (to serve out Meehan's term) and once in the regular general election for the new 5th congressional district (for a full two-year term beginning in January 2019). She won both races decisively.[2][10]

Scanlon was sworn in as the representative for the old 7th congressional district on November 13, 2018, allowing her to begin serving immediately for the final weeks of the 115th Congress.[11][12] She was the first woman ever to represent the 7th district in Congress.[11]

On January 3, 2019, Scanlon was sworn in as the representative for the new 5th congressional district as part of the 116th Congress. This transition from the 7th to the 5th district reflected the redistricting that had taken place earlier in 2018.[13]

Congressional Tenure

As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Scanlon has served on several key committees. She has been a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the House Rules Committee, both of which are considered influential assignments in the House.[14]

Within the Judiciary Committee, Scanlon has participated in proceedings related to constitutional law, civil rights, immigration, and the administration of justice. Her background as an attorney informed her work on the committee, where she drew on her legal experience during hearings and legislative deliberations.[14]

Scanlon has represented a district that includes a diverse mix of suburban, urban, and semi-rural communities. Delaware County, which forms the core of the 5th district, underwent significant political shifts in the years leading up to and following Scanlon's election. The county, which had been a Republican stronghold for decades, shifted toward the Democratic Party in the 2010s, a trend that was particularly pronounced in the 2018 elections.[2]

Throughout her tenure, Scanlon has focused on issues including healthcare access, education funding, infrastructure, gun violence prevention, and voting rights. Her legislative priorities have reflected both the concerns of her constituents in the Philadelphia suburbs and broader national policy debates within the Democratic Party.[14]

Scanlon has been reelected to subsequent terms, continuing to represent the 5th congressional district. Her electoral success in what was historically Republican-leaning territory has been part of a broader trend of Democratic gains in suburban areas across the United States, particularly in the Philadelphia suburbs, which saw a dramatic shift toward the Democratic Party beginning in 2018.[2]

Personal Life

Mary Gay Scanlon is married to Mark Stewart. The couple has three children and resides in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.[1][3] Scanlon moved to the Philadelphia area from her native upstate New York and has been a longtime resident of the Delaware County community.

Her husband, Mark Stewart, has been supportive of her political career. The family's roots in Delaware County were an important part of Scanlon's identity as a candidate and representative, connecting her to the suburban community she represents in Congress.[3]

Recognition

Scanlon's election in 2018 was a historic milestone in several respects. She became the first woman to represent Delaware County in the United States Congress, a fact noted by local and regional media at the time of her election and swearing-in.[2][11] Her brief tenure as the representative for the old 7th congressional district also made her the first woman to hold that seat.[11]

Her campaign and election were part of a broader national trend in 2018, sometimes referred to as a "blue wave," in which a record number of women were elected to Congress. The 2018 elections saw substantial Democratic gains in suburban congressional districts nationwide, and Scanlon's victories in both the special and general elections were frequently cited as examples of this trend in Pennsylvania.[7][2]

Scanlon's legal career prior to entering politics also earned her recognition. She was profiled by the University of Pennsylvania Law School for her pro bono work and contributions to education law and public interest advocacy.[4] Her work at Ballard Spahr and in the nonprofit sector demonstrated a commitment to using legal expertise in service of public interest causes.[5]

Legacy

Mary Gay Scanlon's election and tenure in Congress represent a significant chapter in the political history of Delaware County and the Philadelphia suburbs. Her 2018 election was emblematic of the shifting political landscape in suburban America, where traditionally Republican-leaning communities moved toward the Democratic Party in response to changing demographics and national political dynamics.[2]

As the first woman to represent Delaware County in Congress, Scanlon broke a barrier in a region that had been represented by men throughout its history in the House of Representatives. Her election came at a time when record numbers of women were seeking and winning congressional seats across the country, and her success contributed to the most gender-diverse Congress in American history when the 116th Congress convened in January 2019.[11][2]

Scanlon's legal background, particularly her work in education law and pro bono advocacy, shaped her approach to legislating. Her career trajectory—from private practice attorney to public interest advocate to member of Congress—reflected a path that combined professional legal expertise with a commitment to public service.[4][5]

The political transformation of Delaware County, in which Scanlon played a central role, continued beyond her initial election. The county's shift from a Republican stronghold to competitive and then Democratic-leaning territory became one of the most studied political realignments in Pennsylvania, and Scanlon's continued electoral success in the 5th district reflected the durability of this change.[2][13]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "SCANLON, Mary Gay".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S001205.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 "Scanlon makes history as Delco's first congresswoman".Delaware County Daily Times.https://www.delcotimes.com/news/local/scanlon-makes-history-as-delco-s-first-congresswoman/article_c654205a-e211-11e8-84bb-6b17492a661a.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Watertown native runs for Congress in Pennsylvania".Watertown Daily Times.2018-05-01.http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/news04/watertown-native-runs-for-congress-in-pennsylvania-20180501.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Alumni Feature".University of Pennsylvania Law School.https://www.law.upenn.edu/alumni/alumnijournal/Fall2009/feature2/page05.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Mary Gay Scanlon".Ballard Spahr LLP.https://web.archive.org/web/20180612113244/https://www.ballardspahr.com/people/professionals/scanlon_mary_gay.aspx.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Congress: Mary Gay Scanlon, Pennsylvania Fifth District".The Philadelphia Inquirer.2018-05-09.http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/clout/congress-mary-gay-scanlon-pennsylvania-fifth-district-20180509.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Pennsylvania Primary Election Results".The New York Times.2018-05-15.https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/05/15/us/elections/results-pennsylvania-primary-elections.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ "Scanlon wins Democratic primary".Delaware County Daily Times.2018-05-15.http://www.delcotimes.com/article/DC/20180515/NEWS/180519784.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ↑ "Dems tap Mary Gay Scanlon as candidate for 7th District".Daily Local News.https://www.dailylocal.com/news/national/dems-tap-mary-gay-scanlon-as-candidate-for-th-district/article_fdbb21f2-b86d-529a-bbc9-7f1e76569fa3.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ↑ "Mary Gay Scanlon - Candidate Overview".Federal Election Commission.https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/H8PA07200.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 "Mary Gay Scanlon sworn in as first woman in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District".Delaware County Daily Times.https://www.delcotimes.com/news/mary-gay-scanlon-sworn-in-as-first-woman-in-pennsylvania/article_cd069e01-f196-5beb-8b82-463673f11b88.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ↑ "Scanlon sworn in to Congress".The Morning Call.2018-11-13.https://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/capitol-ideas/mc-nws-pa-congress-scanlon-sworn-in-20181113-story.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Scanlon takes helm of 5th District in Congress".Delaware County Daily Times.https://www.delcotimes.com/news/scanlon-takes-helm-of-th-district-in-congress/article_dbc728cc-e85d-11e8-baea-2bdf5c0565b9.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 "Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon".Office of U.S. Representative Mary Gay Scanlon.https://scanlon.house.gov/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.

Retrieved from "https://biography.wiki/index.php?title=Mary_Gay_Scanlon&oldid=1706"