Candidate Profile: Christina Finello, U.S. House, PA-01

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Christina Finello is challenging a two-term incumbent in the race to represent Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District, which includes all of Bucks and a sliver of Montgomery County.

Finello, a Democrat, faces Republican incumbent Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick. You can view his profile here.

Here is Patch's profile of Finello, as filled out by the candidate.

Age (as of Election Day): 44

Position Sought: U.S. House, PA-01

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Family: My husband, Todd, and two young daughters

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? My father, Dan Finello, is a magisterial district judge

Education
I earned a JD and PhD in clinical psychology through Villanova University School of Law and Drexel University’s Clinical and Psychology joint program. I also received a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.

Occupation
Council member, Ivyland Borough Council (2017-present). Former deputy director of Bucks County Division of Housing and Human Services

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office
I currently serve as a council member on the Ivyland Borough Council and I was elected in 2017. Until January 2020, I was the deputy director of the Bucks County Division of Housing and Human Services, where I spent 10 years working to improve government services for care delivery. I previously worked with the Philadelphia Veterans Court to connect our region’s veterans with important rehabilitation and mental health options. I started my career in public service as a mental health professional in a federal correctional facility in Missouri.

Campaign website
finelloforcongress.com

Why are you seeking elective office?
Growing up in a working-class family in Bucks County, I know the struggles that our community is facing. My parents worked two and three jobs to make ends meet. Then my dad joined a union and our lives started to turn around. I worked my way through undergrad and graduate school. I'm still paying off my student loans. When COVID hit, and even before, working and middle-class families here were struggling. Seven months into this crisis, our local governments, small-businesses and families still need real relief. We deserve to have a representative in Congress who puts the needs of the district before corporate special interests and the Trump agenda.

Right now, our congressman is a reliable vote for Trump when Republicans need him most. His vote for the Trump tax bill could lead to the destruction of the Affordable Care Act in the Supreme Court and as a result, millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions may lose healthcare coverage. My daughter is one of these Americans. This fight is personal for me and I will go to Washington to strengthen and build on the ACA and make sure Republicans stop their attacks on our healthcare access.

The single most pressing issue facing our state/nation is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Along with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, access to quality, affordable healthcare — especially during the pandemic — is the top issue facing our nation today. Too many families are struggling to make ends meet each month because of the high cost of health care, and the pandemic has only made access to affordable health care more important. We must protect and expand the Affordable Care Act to ensure everyone has access to quality, affordable health coverage, reduce the cost of prescription drugs and protect people with pre-existing conditions.

As the COVID pandemic has wreaked havoc upon our health, our educational system, and all aspects of daily life, my opponent has sided with Trump and his failed response over the people of our district. Throughout this pandemic, he has refused to extend economic relief to hard-working people, small businesses, and state and local governments who have been devastated by COVID. He voted against funding for state and local governments to help make up budget shortfalls brought on by the pandemic to ensure front line workers do not lose their jobs. Without federal assistance to state and local governments, over 200,000 Pennsylvanians are at risk of becoming unemployed. We must secure real relief. This includes expanding unemployment insurance, extending the moratorium on evictions and delivering funding to local governments and schools.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidate seeking this post?
We deserve to have a representative in Congress unafraid to stand up to the Trump agenda and committed to putting the needs of this district before party loyalty and special interests. My campaign has made a pledge to not accept corporate PAC contributions, and 95 percent of contributions to my campaign have been from grassroots donors contributing $200 or less. On the other hand, my opponent has taken more than $1 million from corporate PACs, including $350,000 from the insurance and pharmaceutical industries alone. I will always prioritize my community’s needs over those of corporate special interests.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the incumbent failed the district?

Plain and simple, my opponent voted for the Trump tax bill that gave tax breaks to big companies and set up the Supreme Court to dismantle the entire Affordable Care Act. Now, over 300,000 people in our district are at risk of losing their health insurance in the middle of a global pandemic. This is wrong, and this vote should be disqualifying. My opponent is also in lock step with Donald Trump in voting against reproductive freedom. From voting to defund Planned Parenthood and restrict access to birth control to supporting legislation that criminalizes abortions and punishes doctors, even in most cases of rape and incest or when the mother’s life is at risk. Fitzpatrick's stances on reproductive health care are anything but moderate and not a fit for our district.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

We must use every tool available to combat gun violence. When my oldest daughter had her first active shooter drill in school, I was heartbroken. I was also enraged. This should not be the reality today. We must pass universal background checks, ban assault weapons, and keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. We must also combat climate change and improve our environment. That starts right here in our own backyard.

The water in Warminster has been bad since I was a teenager. This isn’t just an environmental issue. It’s an economic issue. We pay more for water here. There must be urgent attention to clean drinking water. And while Trump does nothing as global temperatures rise year after year, we need to get serious about the climate crisis. This is a crisis that knows no borders. It will impact national security and our entire economy if nothing is done. We need to rejoin the Paris Accords and work with friends across the world to combat rising global temperatures. Back here at home, we must also invest in clean energy jobs.

Speaking of friends across the world, I think of something my grandfather has always told me. He’s a World War II veteran who served overseas in The Philippines. He’s still alive today at age 95. He says we are stronger and safer when we work with our allies around the world. Trump has isolated us from our allies, flocked to the side of dictators, and referred to the men and women of our armed forces as “losers.” We must reset and re-establish America as a trusted leader around the world.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I’ve learned that I have a knack for fixing what’s broken. I’ve spent the last 10 years working to improve government systems for care delivery as deputy director of the Bucks County Division of Housing and Human Services. I’ve pored over budgets, made government work better for its citizens, and worked with Democrats, Republicans and independents to get the job done.
I also have extensive experience working in the criminal justice system. As a mental health provider, I have trained police departments on de-escalation techniques. I have worked with the Philadelphia Veterans Court to connect our region’s veterans with important rehabilitative care. I am proud of my endorsements from Bucks County Sheriff Milton R. Warrell, III and Montgomery County Sheriff Sean P. Kilkenny. I will bring this on-the-ground experience to the halls of Congress, ensuring our neighborhoods are safe, police are funded, and everyone is treated equally under the law

The best advice ever shared with me was …

I was once told, “you are your own best advocate.” I’ve carried this with me through my career, and will bring it to Washington as I advocate my heart out for everyone here in Pennsylvania’s First District.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I think it’s important to note that I would be the first woman to represent the district if elected. As a mom of young kids, I know what it takes to bring everyone to the table, listen to all voices no matter how small, and get results. I am ready to make history for my daughters and everyone else here in Bucks and Montgomery counties.

This article originally appeared on the Warminster Patch