Political newcomer Michael Gessner (R) is challenging incumbent Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) for the House of Representatives seat in Pennsylvania's 2nd District, which includes the University.
Fattah, who holds a masters degree from Penn's Fels Institute of Government, is currently serving his 6th term in the House. Prior to his election to Congress, he served 12 years in state government.
Fattah is highly favored in the race and is expected to announce a candidacy for mayor of Philadelphia in 2007.
Fattah is widely known for his education initiatives to help lower-income students. He is favors protecting the environment, abortion rights, stem cell research, a moratorium on the death penalty, gun control, affirmative action and withdrawing troops from Iraq.
He sits on the House Appropriations committee, among others.
His congressional biography lists among his achievements a program that provides scholarships to city high-school graduates.
Challenger Michael Gessner has served as a lawyer for almost 20 years but has no prior political experience according to vote-smart.org, a non-partisan group which provides information about candidates.
He supports keeping abortion legal in all circumstances, stem-cell research, protecting the environment, the death penalty, gun control, ending affirmative action and staying in Iraq but not committing any more troops. He also supports decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Neither candidate supports a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
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