July 29, 2017

A former reporter is running for elected office in Philly

By Daniel Craig
PhillyVoice Staff

Elizabeth Fiedler/Facebook

Former WHYY reporter Elizabeth Fiedler, left, is running for a state representative seat in 2018, City & State PA reports.

From the fourth estate to Harrisburg?

A former journalist for Philadelphia's NPR affiliate is planning a 2018 campaign for state representative, City & State PA reports.

Elizabeth Fielder, who used to be a producer and reporter for WHYY, is aiming for Rep. William Keller's seat in South Philadelphia, sources told the website. Keller, a Democrat, has represented the 184th District since 1993 and hasn't had a primary challenger since 2008.

Fiedler, who moved her family to Keller's district a year ago, would only tell City & State PA that she is "exploring" a run for office. But she shared the article on her campaign-style Facebook page and revamped Twitter handle (@Fiedler4Philly), essentially confirming her plans.

Thank you Ben https://t.co/8mIYIkZyuM
— Elizabeth Fiedler (@Fiedler4Philly) July 28, 2017

Fiedler's social media feed certainly makes her look like a person running for office. In the past two weeks since launching her Facebook page, she's gone out and met residents, taken a shot at a charter school that allegedly benefits IBEW Local 98 (Keller is a close ally of John Dougherty, the union's boss) and attended a conference of progressives that featured U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren as a speaker.