Dwight Evans (politician)
| Dwight Evans | |
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 2nd district |
|
|
Assumed office November 14, 2016 |
|
| Preceded by | Chaka Fattah |
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 203rd district |
|
|
In office January 4, 1981 – November 14, 2016 |
|
| Preceded by | James Jones |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
May 16, 1954 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Alma mater | La Salle University |
| Profession | Educator |
| Website | House website |
Dwight Evans (born May 16, 1954) is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district. He defeated incumbent Chaka Fattah in the 2016 Democratic primary election, and won a special election on November 8, 2016, following Fattah's resignation from Congress. He previously served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 203rd District (Philadelphia County).
Evans grew up in the Germantown and West Oak Lane sections of Philadelphia and is a graduate of the Community College of Philadelphia and La Salle University. After graduation, he became a teacher in the School District of Philadelphia and a community activist for the Urban League.
Evans was first elected to office in 1980. The district, which encompasses West Oak Lane in Philadelphia, is heavily Democratic with a 95% African-American population. As a result, he had minimal GOP opposition in winning re-election to his seat.
Prior to his election to Congress, Evans ran for higher office four times unsuccessfully. In 1986, he sought the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor but finished third in the primary election to future Lieutenant Governor Mark Singel.
In 1994, Evans became the first African American candidate to seek the office of Governor of Pennsylvania. In the Democratic primary election, Evans faced off with Lynn Yeakel and Lt. Governor Singel. He won endorsements from The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Again, however, Evans finished third in the primary with 22%.
...
Wikipedia