Erin Molchany

{{Short description|American politician (born 1977)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = | name = Erin C. Molchany | caption = | state_house = Pennsylvania | district = 22nd | term_start = 2013 | term_end = 2014 | predecessor = Martin Schmotzer | successor = Peter Schweyer (22nd District moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania) | constituency = Allegheny County, Pennsylvania | party = Democratic | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|6|13}} | birth_place = Allentown, Pennsylvania | alma_mater = Duquesne University | profession = Non-profit executive | spouse = | children = | website = [http://erinmolchany.com/ ErinMolchany.com] }}

'''Erin C. Molchany''' (born June 13, 1977) is an American politician and a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. She also previously served as the Southwest Director for Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. She is member of the Democratic Party.

==Personal life and education== Molchany is a native of Allentown, Pennsylvania.<ref name=Patch>{{cite news|last=Healy III|first=Robert Edward|title=Q-and-A: Erin Molchany for 22nd District Primary|url=http://baldwin-whitehall.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/q-and-a-erin-molchany-for-22nd-district-primary|accessdate=8 September 2013|newspaper=Baldwin-Whitehall Patch|date=19 April 2012}}</ref> Molchany graduated from Parkland High School in 1995 and Duquesne University in 1999.<ref name="House bio">{{cite web|title=Erin C. Molchany |url=http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/House_bio.cfm?id=1644|publisher=Pennsylvania House of Representatives|access-date=8 September 2013}}</ref>

==Career== While at Duquesne University, Molchany worked at the Emergency Services Department of the American Red Cross's Southwest PA chapter in Pittsburgh.<ref>[http://erinmolchany.com/about-erin/ About Erin] erinmolchany.com {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118134804/http://erinmolchany.com/about-erin/ |date=January 18, 2015 }}</ref> Molchany served as the head of the Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project. She has been affiliated with the Coro Center, and served on the Allegheny County Democratic Committee.<ref name="City Paper">{{cite news|last=Potter|first=Chris|title=Erin Molchany to challenge Dan Deasy in state Rep race|url=http://www.pghcitypaper.com/SlagHeap/archives/2012/01/23/erin-molchany-to-challenge-dan-deasy-in-state-rep-race|accessdate=8 September 2013|newspaper=Pittsburgh City Paper|date=23 January 2012}}</ref> Molchany has also been affiliated with the Mount Washington Community Development Corporation, the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership, the League of Women Voters, and the Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern Pennsylvania.<ref name="Patch"/> Molchany was named by Pittsburgh Magazine as one of the "40 Under 40" in 2013 for her legislative and non-profit career work.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Pittsburgh-Magazine/November-2013/40-Under-40-2013/?cparticle=5&siarticle=4 |title=40 Under 40: 2013 - Pittsburgh Magazine - November 2013 - Pittsburgh, PA |website=www.pittsburghmagazine.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121174531/http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Pittsburgh-Magazine/November-2013/40-Under-40-2013/?cparticle=5&siarticle=4 |archive-date=2015-01-21}}</ref>

===2005 City Council Race=== Molchany first ran for public office in 2005 for the District 2 seat in Pittsburgh City Council against endorsed candidate Dan Deasy, Paul Mastreanda, Paul Renne, and Melissa Rossiter.<ref name="Patch"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=73IxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5XADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6968,8515297|title=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|accessdate=15 July 2023}}</ref> Molchany placed fourth in the primary election held on May 17 with 615 votes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-YVIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6HADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6473,5088869|title=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|accessdate=15 July 2023}}</ref>

===2012 Election=== After 22nd district incumbent Chelsa Wagner was elected to the office of Allegheny County Controller in 2011, Erin announced her candidacy for the seat in February. Running against Martin Schmotzer and Shawn Lunney, Schmotzer won the special election on April 24 to finish Wagner's term, but lost the primary election for the new term to Molchany.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://earlyreturns.post-gazette.com/home/early-returns-posts/4332-molchany-declares-victory-in-south-hills |title=Molchany declares victory in South Hills |access-date=2015-01-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121183126/http://earlyreturns.post-gazette.com/home/early-returns-posts/4332-molchany-declares-victory-in-south-hills |archive-date=2015-01-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Molchany subsequently won her general election race to the Pennsylvania House in November, 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://earlyreturns.post-gazette.com/home/early-returns-posts/5033-molchany-wins-in-22nd-district |title=Molchany wins in 22nd District |access-date=2015-01-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121182916/http://earlyreturns.post-gazette.com/home/early-returns-posts/5033-molchany-wins-in-22nd-district |archive-date=2015-01-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Pennsylvania State House Career== Molchany served on the Consumer Affairs, Education, and Human Services committees.<ref name="House bio"/> Molchany prioritized mass-transit funding, protecting clean air and clean water, public education, and supporting local businesses. She saw the Pennsylvania voter ID bill as a distraction from more important priorities.<ref name="Patch"/> Molchany was one of a number of Democratic legislators who supported Gov. Tom Corbett's 2013 transportation bill.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/5100872-74/voted-wage-county#axzz3PTEQMUYO|title = /Ccpa/}}</ref> In addition, Molchany supported legislation supporting equal pay for equal work alongside Rep. Brian Sims of Philadelphia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.politicspa.com/molchany-and-sims-introduce-equal-pay-bill/54011/|title=Molchany and Sims Introduce Equal Pay Bill|date=7 January 2014 }}</ref>

===Redistricting and 2014 Primary Election=== Due to mandated redistricting every ten years,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.redistricting.state.pa.us/legislative/|title=Legislative Redistricting | Welcome to Pennsylvania's Redistricting Website|website=www.redistricting.state.pa.us|accessdate=15 July 2023}}</ref> the 22nd legislative district was moved across the state to Allentown while the former footprint was split between the surrounding existing legislative districts. Molchany's own residence was redistricted into the 36th district, represented by Harry Readshaw since 1995.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/house_bio.cfm?id=51|title = Harry A. Readshaw, III}}</ref> Receiving the endorsements of newly elected Mayor of Pittsburgh Bill Peduto, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, as well as a number of Pittsburgh City Council members, Molchany declared her re-election bid for the new 36th district on February 18 to a crowd of supporters at the City Theatre on the South Side.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://earlyreturns.post-gazette.com/home/early-returns-posts/6018-molchany-vs-readshaw |title=Molchany launch Monday |access-date=2015-01-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121182913/http://earlyreturns.post-gazette.com/home/early-returns-posts/6018-molchany-vs-readshaw |archive-date=2015-01-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Molchany later received endorsements from the ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', SEIU 32BJ and SEIU Healthcare PA, Planned Parenthood PAC, the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, among others.<ref>[http://erinmolchany.com/endorsements/ Endorsements] erinmolchany.com {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121002642/http://erinmolchany.com/endorsements/ |date=January 21, 2015 }}</ref> Molchany lost the primary election to Rep. Readshaw on May 20, 2014 by a margin of 60.02% to 39.80%.<ref>[http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/elect/201405pri/el45b.htm Elections] county.allegheny.pa.us {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120234638/http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/elect/201405pri/el45b.htm |date=January 20, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-local/2014/05/20/Readshaw-defeats-Molchany-in-state-House-battle-of-two-incumbents-in-the-South-Hills/stories/201405200211|title = Readshaw defeats Molchany in state House battle of two incumbents in the South Hills}}</ref>

===Post-House Career=== On January 20, 2015, Molchany was sworn in as the Southwest Director for Gov. Tom Wolf.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=nataliarudiak|author=Natalia Rudiak|number=557687864922996737|date=20 January 2015|title=Honored to hold the Bible for @ErinMolchany who got sworn in as the Governor's Southwest PA Director today!}}</ref> She worked in that capacity until early 2019, when she briefly served as a Special Advisor to the Governor. She subsequently took another Commonwealth position as a Legislative Liaison in the Department of Health.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/House_bio.cfm?id=1644 Official page] at the Pennsylvania General Assembly *[http://erinmolchany.com/ Campaign website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130830004613/http://erinmolchany.com/ |date=August 30, 2013 }} * {{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=136275 | fec= | congress= }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Molchany, Erin}} Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Duquesne University alumni Category:Democratic Party members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Category:Politicians from Allentown, Pennsylvania Category:Women state legislators in Pennsylvania Category:1977 births Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:21st-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly