U.S. CONGRESS | 3rd Congressional District

U.S. Rep. Phil English is being challenged Nov. 2 by an educator for his 3rd District seat which covers portions of seven counties in northwestern Pennsylvania, including most of Mercer County. An (*) denotes the incumbent.
PHIL ENGLISH* (R)
Age: 48.Home: Erie, Pa.Employment: U.S. Congressman.Education: Bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Pennsylvania.Previous offices: Elected controller of the city of Erie in 1985.Family: Wife, ChristianePriority: To use his seat on the Trade Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee to fashion a new, more aggressive congressional response to the challenge of fair trade.
STEVEN PORTER (D)
Age: 61.Home: Wattsburg, Pa.Employment: Retired educator.Education: Bachelor's degree in music from The Mannes College; master's degree in music from Queens College; doctorate in music from City University of New York; post-doctoral professional diploma in educational administration from C.W. Post/Long Island University.Previous offices sought: Ran unsuccessfully four times for state Senate seat in New York.Family: Wife, Rita.Priority: The economy, which needs tax incentives to industries that refuse to outsource their work; development of a "retirement industry" for an aging population, development of nonexportable industries, and a rollback of tax breaks given to weathiest Americans; health care, which needs a universal, single-payer, nonprofit system run by physicians; and the war in Iraq, which he called a "precipitous and unwise excursion" predicated upon lies.