Phyllis Mundy

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Phyllis Mundy
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from the 120th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 1991[1]
Preceded by Scott Dietterick
Personal details
Born January, 1948
Evansville, Indiana
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Divorced
Children Brian Mundy
Residence Kingston, Pennsylvania
Alma mater Bloomsburg University
Occupation Teacher, business manager, community leader
Religion Episcopalian
Website www.phyllismundy.com

Phyllis Mundy (born January 31, 1948 in Evansville, Indiana) is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and minority chairman of the House Finance Committee. She is a graduate of Kingston High School and Bloomsburg University. Prior to her time in the State House, she was a French teacher, the manager of a multimillion dollar manufacturing facility during the 1980s, was heavily involved with the Junior League, was President of the Wilkes-Barre chapter of the League of Women Voters, and served on the Luzerne County Property tax reform commission in the late 80s.

A current and longtime resident of Kingston, Pennsylvania, Mundy has represented the 120th legislative district of her state since January 1991. Given that the district, at the time, was 60 percent Republican, Mundy's landslide victory was considered a political upset, as was her enormous reelection victory in 1992.

In her two-decade service as a member of the General Assembly in Harrisburg, Mundy has been a vehement supporter of environmental protection laws and state programs to boost early childhood education. She has earned high ratings from the Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy group that gave Mundy a 100% rating recently, and AFL-CIO, which consistently gives Mundy high marks for her support of working families.

In her career, Mundy's signature policy achievements include leading successful efforts to pass bills that expanded care for senior citizens, improved the rights of foster children, provided stronger home visitation services for low-income expectant mothers, boosted pre-K education, cut property taxes, and expanded prescription drug coverage for seniors.

At home in the Kingston area, Mundy enjoys broad popular support among voters of both parties in her district. Indeed, in two cases, she has not had a Republican opponent in reelection campaigns, including in 2004 and 2008. Her exceptional constituent service, constant visits in her district to attend local events and festivals, and her close ties to thousands of voters have all contributed to her huge personal popularity. In addition to such attributes, Mundy's policy positions and votes are generally smiled upon by voters in her district. Most notably, her successful effort in 2005 to stop health care cost hikes at Blue Cross Blue Shield for residents of her district and her 2010 proposal for a one-year ban on new Marcellus Shale drilling permits both have earned her widespread approval. Nonetheless, it is evident that one political reality has aided Mundy in particular: her district has become increasingly Democratic in voter registration in recent years, reaching 56 percent today. Her hometown of Kingston, once heavily Republican, became mostly Democratic during the late 2000s.

Mundy's popularity has translated into large election victories when she has a Republican opponent. Indeed, in 2000, 2002, and 2006, Mundy won 64 percent, 65 percent, and 75 percent of the vote, respectively.

Mundy easily won reelection in November 2012 by a 56% to 44% margin.

On December 2, 2013, Mundy announced she will not run for reelection to a 13th term in the 2014 elections and that she will retire at the end of her current term on November 30, 2014.

References

  1. ↑ "SESSION OF 1991 - 175TH OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY - No. 1". Legislative Journal. Pennsylvania House of Representatives. 1991-01-01. 

External links

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