EMILY'S List Endorses Lisa Quigley for California's 20th Congressional District

WASHINGTON, D.C. - EMILY's List, the largest financial resource for women running for elective office, today announced its support for Lisa Quigley in her bid to represent the 20th District of California in the U.S. House.

EMILY's List will recommend Quigley to its nationwide network of members, opening the door to tens of thousands of donors eager to elect a pro-choice Democratic woman to Congress who will fight for the issues they care about.

"Lisa Quigley has spent the past 12 years working on legislation that really makes a difference for California's children and families," said EMILY's List President Ellen R. Malcolm. "She knows this district and she knows the issues facing these constituents. She'll be ready to hit the ground running."

Quigley has served the last 12 years as chief of staff to current 20th District Rep. Cal Dooley (D).

Added Malcolm, "Quigley has first-hand experience in addressing the critical issues in this district, including education, health care, economic growth, and job creation."

With almost 73,000 members nationwide, EMILY's List expects to be a considerable fundraising force for Quigley in her campaign for this highly Democratic seat. EMILY's List has a long history of electing pro-choice Democratic women to office in California. EMILY's List helped both Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Sen. Barbara Boxer in their races and has once again endorsed Sen. Boxer in her reelection campaign for 2004. In the last nine election cycles, EMILY's List has helped send 17 pro-choice Democratic women to the U.S. House of Representatives from California, including Rep. Diane Watson in 2001 and Rep. Linda Sanchez in 2002.

"EMILY's List's early support is critical in my race," said Quigley. "I'm ready to roll up my shirtsleeves and work in Congress to improve education for children in the Valley, so that they are prepared to go to college and get good jobs. I'm focused on expanding access to quality health care for low- and middle-income Californians. I'm ready to get to work to turn the Central Valley's abysmal unemployment numbers around and help our Valley communities prosper. With the support of EMILY's List and its members, I'll get there."

In its 18-year history, EMILY's List has helped elect seven women governors, 11 women to the United States Senate and 55 women to the U.S. House of Representatives. In the 2002 elections, EMILY's List and its almost 73,000 members contributed nearly $9.7 million to pro-choice Democratic women candidates; members contributed $23 million to fund EMILY's List operations and political program, including the nationwide WOMEN VOTE! project to mobilize women voters on behalf of Democrats.