Melissa Hart

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This page is about the politician; for the actress, see Melissa Joan Hart.

Melissa Hart
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 4th district
In office January 3, 2001-January 4, 2007
Preceded by	Ron Klink
Succeeded by	Jason Altmire
Born	April 4, 1962 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Political party	Republican
Spouse	none
Religion	Roman Catholic

Melissa A. Hart (born April 4, 1962) is an American politician who is a former member of the United States House of Representatives for the Fourth Congressional District of the state of Pennsylvania. A Republican, Hart became the first Republican woman in history to represent Pennsylvania at the federal level. Prior to her Congressional tenure, Hart served in the Pennsylvania State Senate where she chaired the finance committee. She was defeated for reelection to the 4th Congressional District in the November 7, 2006 elections and her term ended January 4, 2007.

Contents 1 Biography and political views 2 Political career 3 Stem cell controversy 4 2006 election 5 External links

[edit] Biography and political views

Hart is an Italian-American, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.^[1] She graduated from North Allegheny High School and Washington and Jefferson College before entering law school. After graduating the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and being admitted to the Bar, Hart joined a major Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania law firm.

She is Catholic and opposes abortion. She is also firmly opposed to embryonic stem cell research. In January 2006, she addressed an anti-abortion rally in Washington, D.C., urging young people who oppose abortion to enter public service.

[edit] Political career

In January 2001, Hart was elected to the House of Representatives from the Fourth District of the State of Pennsylvania, winning an open seat previously held by a Democrat. She was later appointed co-chair of the Platform Committee for the 2004 Republican National Convention.

Early in Hart's first term, she became the subject of an embarrassing controversy for off-color remarks made to a colleague in the House. New York Times journalist Mark Leibovich describes the exchange: "Congressional staff members related an incident in 2001, in which they recalled the freshman Representative Melissa Hart of Pennsylvania, who is white, admonishing Representative Julia Carson, who is black, that the elevator they were riding on was members-only. Ms. Carson, of Indiana, proceeded to introduce herself to her new colleague, offense taken."

Under the guiding hand of United States Senator Bill Frist, Hart helped to craft the Republican Party platform of 2004. In 2005, Hart won an appointment on the House Ways and Means Committee.

Hart also played an active role in the race for majority leader in early 2006. As a top whip for the successful candidacy of Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), she worked to secure votes for him in the race. She was one of a handful of GOP members who called for a full set of new leadership elections for whip, conference chair, and other offices below the majority leader position, but that motion narrowly failed the day before the majority leader race. Had this motion passed, Hart may very well have challenged Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-OH) for House Republican Conference Chairman, the No. 4 leadership spot.

In December 2002, Hart was a candidate for Conference Vice-Chair, the No. 5 leadership spot, but lost to Jack Kingston (R-GA) by a vote of 159-56. Hart has been mentioned as candidate for U.S. Senate in 2010 should Arlen Specter choose to retire, though her chances have diminished due to her 2006 House reelection defeat.

[edit] Stem cell controversy

Hart is adamantly opposed to federal funding for stem cell research. In June 2006, she indicated that it was her perception that Hollywood was responsible for public support of stem cell research and that science created fraudulent experiments to promulgate "the myth of a promise for embryonic stem cell research."[1] After citing Dr. Hwang Woo-Suk to evidence the fraudulent "promise" of stem cell research, Hart was rebuked by House colleague Diana DeGette, who pointed out that Suk's disgraced scientific assertions were in regard to embryonic cloning rather than stem cell research.

[edit] 2006 election

As the 2006 campaign season approached, Hart's seat was not considered vulnerable, and Hart herself was described in media accounts as a "rising star" in Republican politics, who had never lost an election and who had demonstrated a unique ability to appeal to non-conservative voters even while maintaining an uncompromisingly conservative voting record.[2] In late 2005, her predecessor in the House of Representatives, Democrat Ron Klink, publicly mulled over the possibility of challenging Hart for his old seat. However, in late December, Klink announced that he would not run. Jason Altmire, a 38-year-old health care executive and political unknown (and, by coincidence, a friend and neighbor of Hart's brother[3]), ultimately won the Democratic nomination for the seat.

For most of 2006, the Altmire campaign was viewed as a long shot. ThePittsburgh Tribune Review mocked Altmire's campaign in June 2006 [4]) However, in the last weeks of the campaign his poll numbers surged, while Hart's popularity dropped precipitously. A Susquehanna poll conducted in October 2006 showed Hart with what was then a surprisingly narrow 46%-42% lead over Altmire.[5]. Altmire's numbers continued to climb as Hart's campaign stalled, and five days before the November 7, 2006 election, the Cook Political Report altered its rating of the race from "Likely Republican" to "Toss up." [6]

On Election Day, Altmire was elected by a margin of 52%-48%[7]. Hart initially refused to concede the race to Altmire, instead sending lawyers to the Beaver County Courthouse to reconfirm the poll numbers; she later did concede. [8] Hart's plans for her post-political life are as yet unknown however her name has surfaced among political pundits as a possible gubernatorial candidate in 2010 [9].

[edit] External links

• Campaign site
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by the Washington Post

Political offices
Preceded by Ronald Klink	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district 2001-2007	Succeeded by Jason Altmire