Frank Mascara

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Frank R. Mascara (b. January 19, 1930) is a Democratic politician from Pennsylvania who served four terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003.

Mascara briefly served in the United States Army after World War II and was an accountant before entering politics. He then served as an elected official in Washington County, near Pittsburgh, for nearly 20 years. He was elected county controller in 1973 and as County Commissioner in 1979. He served on the Washington County Commission for 15 years, many of them as chairman.

[edit] Congressional career

In 1992, Mascara launched a primary challenge to Congressman Austin J. Murphy, a 16-year incumbent, in the 20th Congressional District, comprised of most of Washington and Westmoreland counties. He lost the race by just 3,000 votes. When Murphy retired two years later, Mascara handily won the Democratic primary to replace him. Although the 20th was considered the most Democratic district in Pennsylvania outside the districts based in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Mascara earned a narrow victory in the general election against Republican businessman Scott McCormick. Mascara faced the same opponent--and another narrow win--in 1996. However, the district reverted to form afterwards, and Mascara was reelected with little trouble in 1998 and 2000.

In Congress, Mascara was a moderate Democrat who opposed abortion and gun control, but whose voting record was otherwise consistent with the Democratic line. He was regarded as a political powerbroker among Democrats with a record of scoring federal money for local projects.

In both Washington and his home district, Mascara projected a blue-collar, working class image. He liked to say frequently, "I don't go to the nightclubs and big restaurants. ... I don't drink. I don't gamble. I don't whore around."

After the 2000 census, the Republican-controlled state legislature significantly altered Mascara's district. It was renumbered the 18th and made much friendlier to Republicans, even though there were still 70,000 more registered Democrats in the district than Republicans. A large portion of the area Mascara had represented for the past eight years was shifted to the neighboring Johnstown-based 12th District, represented by 28-year incumbent Democrat John Murtha. The newly drawn district was widely criticized, since portions of several neighborhoods were split between the 18th and the 12th. For example, most of Mascara's hometown, Charleroi, including most of his neighborhood, was drawn into the 12th. However, a long tendril extending from his house to Allegheny County remained in the 18th. Mascara opted to run against Murtha in the 12th's Democratic primary, since the redrawn 12th contained more of Mascara's old territory than Murtha's. After a bruising primary filled with negative campaigning by both candidates, Murtha won by a wider than expected margin. The 18th was taken over by Republican State Senator Tim Murphy.

Preceded by: Austin J. Murphy

United States Representative for the 20th Congressional District of Pennsylvania 1995 - 2003

Succeeded by: Tim Murphy (district renumbered as 18th District)

[edit] References

• Joe Smydo. "Political Survival at Stake." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 05/12/2002. p. B1.
• Joe Smydo. "Morgan Encouraged Mascara Candidacy to Make Murphy 'Hustle.'" Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 05/03/1992. p. W1.
• David Templeton. "Mascara is Victor." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 05/11/1994. p A12.
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress