Emily Skopov

Emily Skopov (born 1966) is an American screenwriter and politician.

Personal life

Skopov was born in 1966 in New York,[1][2] and is of Jewish descent.[3] She was raised in Rockland County.[4] Skopov earned an undergraduate degree in English literature from Columbia University, and planned to become an English professor or lawyer.[2] She committed to writing only after attending the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.[2] In 2010, Skopov moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from El Segundo, California, then settled in Marshall Township with her husband Todd Normane and two children.[2][3] Skopov is the founder of the non-profit organization No Crayon Left Behind.[5] The organization was established in 2011, soon after Skopov began collecting discarded crayons from restaurants and distributing them to places where they would be used, such as homeless shelters, daycares, and preschools.[6]

Film and television

Skopov worked on several television shows including The Client, Xena: Warrior Princess, Pacific Blue, Crisis Center, and Andromeda. She left the crew of Farscape after six months, to focus on raising her daughter.[2] Skopov began work on the 2006 film Novel Romance, which she directed and cowrote, shortly before her son was born.[2][7]

Political career

2018 election

Skopov sought the District 28 seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives as a Democratic Party candidate in 2018.[8][9] During her campaign, Skopov criticized incumbent legislator Mike Turzai for mounting several unsuccessful bids for higher electoral office.[10] Turzai retained the seat, in the closest contest since he was first elected in 2001.[11]

2020 election

In August 2019, Skopov began her second campaign for the state legislature.[12][13] Turzai announced his retirement from politics, then resigned his seat before the 2020 general election, and Skopov faced Republican candidate Rob Mercuri.[14][15] Skopov positioned herself as a moderate Democrat.[16]

Skopov was defeated in the general election.[17] Following her defeat and the Democrats' failure to flip the state legislature, Skopov wrote on Twitter that she had been “a casualty/collateral damage of this offensively poor messaging,” referring to the Democratic Party's inability to defend moderate Democrats in swing districts against Republican attempts to inaccurately tag them with positions of supporting "socialism" and "defunding the police".[16]

References
  1. Navratil, Liza (29 October 2018). "In state House, challenger Emily Skopov may represent Dems' best chance to defeat Mike Turzai". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  2. Daninhirsch, Hilary (13 September 2010). "Hollywood writer Emily Skopov now does her job from Pittsburgh's North Hills". The Jewish Chronicle of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  3. Vellucci, Justin (23 August 2020). "Jewish candidate for PA statehouse attacked for her 'Beverly Hills politics'". The Jewish Chronicle of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  4. LaRussa, Tony (6 October 2020). "2 political newcomers squaring off to fill vacant state House 28th District seat". Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  5. Lyons, Kim (23 October 2018). "Democrat Emily Skopov's Inaugural Campaign Has Her Targeting Mike Turzai". Pittsburgh Current. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  6. Green, Paula (1 August 2016). "Emily Skopov Founder of the nonprofit "No Crayon Left Behind"". Northern Connection. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  7. Goldstein, Gary (27 June 2007). "'Novel Romance' in need of a rewrite". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  8. Potter, Chris (7 August 2018). "Turzai challenger making waves for 2018 campaign". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  9. Delano, Jon (24 September 2018). "Democrat Skopov Thinks She Can Defeat Speaker Turzai In North Hills Trump District". KDKA. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  10. Deto, Ryan (12 February 2018). "Democratic state House candidate Emily Skopov gears up for race against House Speaker Mike Turzai". Pittsburgh City Paper. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  11. Hughes, Sarah Anne (6 November 2018). "Republican House Speaker Mike Turzai holds onto seat against challenger Emily Skopov". The Incline. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  12. "Emily Skopov will challenge Pa. House Speaker Mike Turzai again in 2020". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  13. Caruso, Stephen (2 August 2019). "Skopov announces second challenge to Turzai". Pennsylvania Capital-Star. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  14. Deto, Ryan (15 July 2020). "Mailers in North Hills state House race share "a bald-faced lie," says candidate Emily Skopov". Pittsburgh City Paper. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  15. Delano, Jon (17 July 2020). "Battle To Succeed Ex-Rep. Mike Turzai In The North Hills Heats Up Between Emily Skopov And Rob Mercuri". KDKA. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  16. Gabriel, Trip (November 27, 2020). "How Democrats Suffered Crushing Down-Ballot Losses Across America". The New York Times.
  17. Smeltz, Adam (4 November 2020). "Pa. GOP on course to bolster state House majority, AP tracking shows". Pittsburgn Post-Gazette. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
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