U.S. Representative | Fattah seeks to defend seat

Alum is challenged by network engineer with focus on govt. efficiency

by Darina Shtrakhman | Monday, November 3, 2008 at (All day)

Congressman Chaka Fattah speaks at Penn on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. He has been the U.S. Representative for the Second District since 1994. (James Healey/DP File Photo)

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Incumbent Chaka Fattah (D.-2nd District) is running against Republican Adam Lang in his bid for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Fattah, 51, has held this House seat - which represents North and West Philadelphia, as well as Cheltenham Township in Montgomery County - since 1994. His primary focuses are gun control, improving Philadelphia health care and evaluating public schools across the city.

He supports gay marriage, stem cell research and affirmative action. He is also pro-choice, wants to increase taxes for the wealthy and hopes to strengthen environmental regulations.

Fattah voted against the Iraq War in 2002 and backs Rep. John Murtha's (D-Pa.) plan for troop withdrawal.

During his time in Congress, he has been on various subcommittees for the House Committee of Appropriations, including those on energy, homeland security and commerce.

He endorses Sen. Barack Obama in his presidential bid.

Born Arthur Davenport, Fattah has lived in Philadelphia for most of his life, and his alma maters include Penn and Harvard. He ran for mayor of Philadelphia last year, but was defeated by Michael Nutter.

Fattah is running against Adam Lang, 30, a network engineer. He is chairman of the 29th ward and has published a handful of articles on government efficiency and accountability in the The New York Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer, among others. He currently studies at Drexel University.

His campaign has focused on education, the economy and public safety. He is a proponent of community activism, especially encouraging youth voter turnout in this election. His campaign has raised under $5,000, a great deal less than the $221,000 raised by Fattah.

*This article was corrected at 5:44 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 4, 2008. We incorrectly stated that Fattah was pro-life.

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