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CURT WELDON (R) District 7
BORN: July 22, 1947, Marcus Hook EDUCATION: West Chester State College, B.A., 1969 FAMILY: Wife, Mary Gallagher; five children RELIGION: Protestant MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Teacher POLITICAL CAREER: Mayor of Marcus Hook, 1977-82; Delaware County Council, 1981-86; Republican nominee for U.S. House, 1984; U.S. House 1986- ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1992, Media 19063. Tel.: 610-558-2736
Weldon is energetic, ambitious and creative, in Washington and his district. Since the Republican "Housecleaning," his career has flourished. And despite the lost luster on the Contract with America, he is loyal to G.O.P. fiscal policy--balanced budget, tax and welfare reforms--and is a persistent NAFTA watchdog.
THE ISSUES
Budget YES Medicare YES Defense YES Abortion NR Guns YES Gays YES Bosnia YES NAFTA NO Welfare YES Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "Things this Congress has done have largely been ignored by the American media in their rush to embrace the liberal wing of the Democratic Party and this President, who talk a good game but do not seem to follow through with the deeds that match their rhetoric."
JAMES GREENWOOD (R) District 8 (Northern Philadelphia suburbs--Bucks County)
BORN: May 4, 1951, Philadelphia EDUCATION: Dickinson College, B.A., 1973 FAMILY: Wife, Christina Paugh; four children RELIGION: Presbyterian MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: State official POLITICAL CAREER: Pennsylvania House, 1981-87; Pennsylvania Senate, 1987-92; U.S. House, 1992- ADDRESS: P.O. Box 2358, Doylestown 18901. Tel.: 215-230-7556
Though the Eighth District House seat has been held by Democrats for 14 of the past 20 years, the trend hasn't hindered the two-term Greenwood. He won 66% of the vote in 1994 (against the same opponent as this year). Greenwood is a social moderate, supporting abortion rights and gun control--but a fiscal conservative, strongly opposing the Clinton Administration's economic policies.
THE ISSUES
Budget YES Medicare YES Defense YES Abortion NO Guns YES Gays YES Bosnia YES NAFTA YES Welfare YES Medical Leave NO (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "The people I serve want Republicans and Democrats to balance the budget together, taking the best ideas from each party."
JOHN MURRAY (D) District 8
BORN: Nov. 23, 1939, Philadelphia EDUCATION: La Salle U, B.A., 1967; Antioch U, M.A., 1975 FAMILY: Wife, Ann Prendergast; two children RELIGION: Roman Catholic MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Teacher POLITICAL CAREER: Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania House, 1972; Democratic nominee for U.S. House, 1994 ADDRESS: P.O. Box 234, Washington Crossing 18977. Tel.: 215-547-8390
The fact that this middle-of-the-road district--voting for Bush in 1988 and Clinton in 1992--seems to prefer Democrats gives Murray reason to hope for an upset this year. Challenger Murray, who is pro-choice, has tried to turn Greenwood's support of the Contract with America into an an antiabortion position, but Greenwood's voting record is pro-choice.
THE ISSUES