Paula Jean Swearengin
| Paula Jean Swearengin | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mullens, West Virginia |
| Political party | Democratic |
Paula Jean Swearengin is an American social justice advocate, environmental activist, and politician from West Virginia. She is a member of the Democratic Party and is associated with the progressive organization Justice Democrats and the post-partisan campaign group Brand New Congress. In 2017, she announced her challenge against incumbent U.S. Senator Joe Manchin in the 2018 Democratic primary, alleging Manchin is not progressive enough, and prioritizes reinstating a dying industrial job market - specifically coal related - over alleged safety concerns and the diversification of West Virginia's sources of capital.
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Personal life
Swearengin was born in Mullens, West Virginia, to a family of coal miners, and raised in Yadkin County, North Carolina. She is a single mother of four and lives in Glen White, West Virginia. She lost one of her grandparents and several uncles to black lung disease.[1]
Environmental activism
She is a past board member and representative of the Keepers of the Mountain Foundation, a West Virginia organization which opposed mountaintop removal mining.[2][3] Swearengin has also spoken on behalf of the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition and the Sierra Club at public fora and events, including EPA hearings on the Clean Power Plan.[4][5]
Political candidacy and positions
In May 2017, Swearengin officially announced her candidacy against Sen. Manchin in the United States Senate election in West Virginia, 2018. She was one of the first candidates supported by the Brand New Congress organization.[6][7] She is thought to be the only candidate in the race, Democrat or Republican, to have not received financial campaign support from the coal industry.[8][9]
References
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