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2008 Elections : NOW PACs Profile
Beth Hafer (D-Pa., 18th District)
Scientist Fights to Ensure Government Accountability
NOW PAC has endorsed Beth Hafer in her campaign to oust Republican incumbent Tim Murphy from his congressional seat in Pennsylvania's 18th District. Hafer's dissatisfaction with right-wing initiatives and Bush administration policies fueled her decision to make a run for Congress. Hafer is running for a spot in the U.S. House of Representatives so that she can work to prevent restrictive laws and disastrous policies from disadvantaging Pennsylvanians and others throughout country. Hafer's feminist priorities and her decades of work to improve educational opportunities for students serves as excellent indicators of how she will continue to commit herself to improving the lives of young people, women and families when elected to Congress.
Hafer earned her Bachelor of Science from Penn State University and Master of Science from Duquesne University. After graduation, she traveled to various countries to direct ecological research and other scientific projects before returning to Southwestern Pennsylvania to become a science teacher. Her frustration with diminishing school resources sparked both her opposition to the No Child Left Behind Act and the impetus to fight for increased resources for education and other human needs programs.
Hafer is no stranger to political activism. As a girl growing up in Allegheny County, she was directly impacted when the steel mill in her town closed. Having witnessed how critical government-led initiatives assisted families to make ends meet in her community, Hafer was inspired to participate in local politics. In addition, at the age of eight, Hafer was on the campaign trail working with her mother handing out campaign flyers. She learned early on how to work hard to serve people and act responsibly to their needs. She went on to became the first woman elected to the Allegheny County Board of Commissioners and the second woman in Pennsylvanian history to be elected as Auditor General and Treasurer for the Commonwealth.
Hafer is now the Vice President of the consulting firm Hafer & Associates and works with various government entities to better and more efficiently serve residents without raising taxes. Through her practice, she has guided state and local governments through periods of financial crises by helping them maximize non-tax revenues. Hafer's experience demonstrates that effective program management and budgeting produces desired results. She is currently a resident of Mont Lebanon Pennsylvania where she lives with her husband, Jeff.
Hafer has identified key goals to implement when elected to Congress. Her priority list includes confronting the challenges that working families face in Southwestern Pennsylvania, including the loss of good jobs, the lack of opportunities for young people and the rising cost of health care. She also is committed to bringing the Iraq War to a responsible end and urges the withdrawal of U.S. troops as quickly as possible. With four family members who served in the Armed Forces, she has a deep gratitude for U.S. troops and wants to bring them home safely. Hafer believes that it is critical for our civilian leadership to match the commitment and dedication of U.S. men and women in uniform.
If elected, Hafer will work hard to deliver the educational opportunities that students of all ages deserve while rectifying the faulty policies of the Bush administration, and she will serve to protect social justice and women's rights.
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More about the 2008 Elections
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