English with Jack Kemp, Sue Myrick and Mike Turner (c. May 2004)

Philip Sheridan "Phil" English (born June 20, 1956) has served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1995 from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, since 2003 representing the state's 3rd Congressional district (). The district is based in Erie and includes most of the northwestern part of the state.

English was born in Erie, PA, and attended Portsmouth Abbey School a prestigious college prep school in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. While in college, he served as Chairman of the Pennsylvania College Republicans. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum has said before that while he was attending Penn State University, English knocked on his dorm room door early one morning and told him he was going to start a College Republicans organization there. At age 20 he still holds a record (which was later tied in 2000) for being the youngest Pennsylvania Alternate Delegate to a Republican National Convention, set in 1976.

English served as Erie City Controller from 1985 to 1989. In 1988 he was the Republican nominee for Pennsylvania Treasurer but was defeated by Democrat Catherine Baker Knoll. He stayed in politics and served as Chief of Staff for then State Senator Melissa Hart.

English was elected to the House of Representatives in 1994 to the 21st District House seat that Tom Ridge had vacated in his successful run for Governor. English took advantage of something of a "perfect storm" in 1994, as he benefited from the Republican wave of 1994 as well as Ridge's coattails. In addition, the Democrats had a crowded primary in which the Erie candidates split the vote, which allowed Sharon attorney Bill Leavens to win the primary. English, as a native of Erie, then garnered enough support from his hometown (generally a Democratic stronghold) to win election. ^[1] Redistricting put English in the 3rd District from the 2002 election onward.

As a freshman member being elected from a marginal district, English was at first considered vulnerable. English sits on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. English was re-elected in a close race in 1996. However, he was handily reelected in 1998 on Ridge's coattails, and didn't face a close race again until 2006. That year, he defeated Democrat Steve Porter, an underfinanced and little-known former college professor, by only 54% to 42% (with 4% going to Constitution Party candidate Tim Hagberg).

Now in his seventh term, English has been quietly moving up the seniority ladder in the House and on the Ways and Means Committee. In the 110th Congress, English serves as the ranking member on the Subcommittee of Select Revenue Measures.

English is a moderate Republican with very close ties to organized labor, which is not typical for most Republicans. However, as with his predecessors, these ties have served him well in this district as nearly two-thirds of its vote is cast in the heavily Democratic and thoroughly unionized city of Erie.

References

External links

• Congressman Phil English official U.S. House website
• Phil English official campaign website

• Profile SourceWatch Congresspedia
• PA Politics interview