Rep. Costello's And Chrissy Houlahan's Battle For 6th Intensifies

Just more than 11 months out from the midterm elections, the 2018 race for Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District is already heating up.

The campaign for Chester County's U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello (R-6) lashed out against Democratic opponent and Devon native Chrissy Houlahan in a Facebook post Thursday, calling her "Greedy Chrissy" and touting her connection to Indivisible Chester County, a progressive organization which his campaign labeled a "fringe left political group."

The invective came the day after Indivisible hosted a public candidate forum, which Costello was invited to but did not attend. Houlahan said that Costello sent a Super PAC representative.

"It is not surprising that Costello would avoid his constituents two weeks after voting for a disastrous tax scam that will raise taxes on many middle class families while adding trillions to our deficit," Houlahan said in a statement. "It is shameful, though, that he would send this Super PAC funded by special interests in his place instead of coming in person to defend his terrible voting record. This might be considered normal to Costello, who has been a career politician, but is not normal to me and is not how I would treat my district."

While both Costello and Houlahan have disparaged the other's policies, the bald name calling has been largely absent from campaign rhetoric from the candidates themselves so far. GOP spokespersons have been bandying the "Greedy Chrissy" nickname about for a month now. Notably, the post came from the "Rep. Costello for Congress" Facebook page, not Rep. Costello's personal page.

Republicans sourced the "greedy" nickname from a 13-year-old report that alleges AND1, an apparel company where Houlahan and her husband Bart were executives, was responsible for horrific labor conditions at a Chinese sweatshop. City and State PA first reported the allegations on Nov. 2; however, as a WHYY report earlier this week noted, AND1 is only mentioned twice in the initial report, which largely focuses on Puma operations.

Houlahan reportedly said in response that "rigorous audits" of all factories were regularly conducted.

The use of a belittling adjective before the first name of a politician is a tactic most famously used by President Trump in the 2016 Presidential campaign, calling his opponents "Crooked Hillary" Clinton and "Lyin Ted" Cruz.

It has since spawned a wave of copycat nicknames from Trump, other Republicans, and Democrats as well, who each use the monikers ironically and seriously.

The Costello campaign post Thursday alleged that Houlahan has been "hiding behind fake town halls organized by her local Democratic committee" and Indivisible Chester County.

Jessica Weingarten, the Chair of Indivisible Chester County - which describes itself as devoted to progressive causes - retorted that they are a non-partisan organization. She said they have members from across the political spectrum, and aadded that Indivisible had contacted the Costello campaign back in August to let them know about the event.

"We reached out to the Costello campaign over a dozen times," Weingarten said. "They finally responded one week before the event asking for our membership list, and on the day of the event, declined. They obviously knew about the event much earlier because their supporters signed up for, and were given, tickets to the event back in October."

Town halls and similar forums have been a controversial issue in the district for at least a year. Costello himself has been accused by residents and an organization called the Concerned Citizens of Chester County, long critical of the Congressman, for refusing to attend a town hall. Costello called that town hall a "political stunt," not believing the forum to be an equitable one.

In addition to Houlahan, Bob Dettore of Berwyn will run in the Democratic primary for the seat in 2018. Dettore was also invited to the candidate forum this week, but did not attend, Weingarten said.

Costello comfortably won re-election in 2016, earning 57 percent of the vote in defeating Democrat Mike Parrish.

Election Day 2018 is Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Patch file photo