Dasha Pruett Is Best For 5th District
By Olivia Braccio
It’s no secret that more women than ever are running for U.S. Congress this year—four hundred ninety, at least, breaking 2018’s record of four hundred seventy-six. But are any of them as cool as Dasha Pruett? I can’t imagine so.
If you really want to see the American dream personified, look no further than PA’s 5th district GOP nominee. Having emigrated from the USSR, Dasha has a love and appreciation for the United States of America that is deeper than a lot of natural-born citizens, because many of the things we own and use every day, the freedoms we have always had, are all things she had to spend the first ten years of her life without. Her story—escaping a tyrannical government and starting a new life here in the States—is the precise vision on which our beautiful nation was founded. She knows better than anyone the perils of government overreach and knows how fortunate we are to live in a country where we have the rights that we do. I know she will be a fantastic role model as well as public servant for her constituents. People like Dasha are what make America great, and now she is running with the intention of keeping it that way.
I also know she is going to be scrutinized for the next four months—she already has been, but it will intensify as Election Day draws nearer, not to mention after she takes office. Every time I see a Republican woman running for a seat, I can’t really help but think of Sarah Palin and how she was decimated in 2008. I was twelve then—exactly half my life ago—and still haven’t forgotten it. That was the first time I really became aware of how much criticism Republican women take in comparison to other demographics of people seeking public office; let’s not even mention what Melania Trump has been subjected to since before our president was even inaugurated.
I wish I could build a wall of protection around Dasha, but seeing as that’s not one of my options, I’d like to say this: despite my proclivity to idolize each year’s GOP candidates, in reality I know they are just regular human beings. They bleed, sweat, and cry like any of us. Please keep this in mind before you go launching personal attacks. Even if you disagree with a person’s views, consider the tremendous amount of effort it takes to run for office. Take into account how much selflessness, strength, inner resolve it takes for a candidate to rearrange everything, sacrifice most aspects of their current lifestyle, take time away from their families, put themselves in the public eye, have doors slammed in their faces, and expose themselves to so much potential disparagement in the interest of improving their communities. It’s easy for anyone to sit around home and complain about the way things are, talk about what they wish would change, but she’s one of the people who got off their sofa and is actually trying to do something about it. I know politics are dirty by nature, just wish people would look at the human side of it. Before you say something, think about how there is a whole life, personality, and family attached to the name on that ballot. I know everyone dislikes members of the opposing party, but please try to look at her as an individual—Dasha isn’t just your congressional candidate, she is somebody’s mother and somebody’s daughter, somebody’s wife and somebody’s friend.
I cannot overemphasize how desperately we need people with a genuine appreciation for this country in the U.S. House of Representatives. Incumbent Mary Gay Scanlon cares nothing for the USA and apparently is pretty open about that fact. Did anyone see what she posted on Independence Day? A photo of a protester, carrying a desecrated image of our flag, with herself in the background. This woman is a disgrace to her district, America, and humanity as a whole. Ask yourself who you think is more fit to hold office: somebody who would show such blatant disrespect to her constituents and the nation she’s supposed to be serving, or somebody who is eternally grateful for the opportunities provided here and wants to ensure that future generations will also have that available to them. This is why it’s so important to vote based on person, not party. Although let’s be honest here—every major problem facing the US today is a result of poor Democratic leadership. Economic collapse, racial tension, looting and rioting, removal of rights, erasure of history, attempted defunding of the police…this is the new Democratic platform. This is not what anybody actually wants. This is only what ill-informed people think they want. And if they were to get their way, it wouldn’t take very long for them to see the repercussions and realize their mistake. But by then it will be too late.
As incredible as Dasha is, she’s not fueled by liberal tears alone. If you’re a 5th district resident and want her representing you in Washington D.C., then you have to help put her in that position. Donate or volunteer if you can; if you can’t, word-of-mouth does more than you think. Ask people you know if they’re registered at their current address, which congressional district they’re in, and if they know their precinct. Remind them that this election is on Nov. 3, and that they do not have to be registered with the Republican party in order to vote for a Republican candidate in a general election (yes, some people actually don’t know this.) If they’re not registered at all, it HAS to be done by October nineteenth in order to vote in the upcoming general. Encourage them to meet or at least research the candidates. Most importantly, V O T E. Dasha has an excellent shot at this election, but it’s not in the bag. It’s never in the bag. For her to win, YOU have to fulfill your civic duty and exercise your right. The power, the opportunity, to get her into office lies in YOUR hands—don’t let it slip through your fingers.
Ed Note: If anyone from the Mary Gay Scanlon wants to send us an endorsement column, we’d be happy to run it.
