Marjorie Margolies is a well-known politician, women’s rights activist, and professor at the University of Pennsylvania. She began her career in journalism before entering politics as a member of the Democratic Party. From 1993 to 1995, Margolies served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania’s 13th congressional district. Learn more about her life and accomplishments at philadelphiayes.
Early Life, Education, and Journalism
Marjorie Margolies was born on June 21, 1942, in Philadelphia. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1963 and then pursued a career in broadcast journalism:
- From 1967 to 1969, she worked at WCAU-TV.
- In 1969, she became a CBS News Foundation Fellow at Columbia University.
- From 1975 to 1990, she worked at WRC-TV and was also a correspondent for the “Today Show.”
Over her more than 20-year career in journalism, Margolies won five Emmy Awards.
Marjorie Margolies’ Political Career
In the 1990s, Marjorie Margolies decided to enter politics and joined the Democratic Party. She first ran for Congress in 1992 to represent Pennsylvania’s 13th district, and her campaign was successful. She first won the Democratic primary, then narrowly defeated Republican incumbent Jon Fox in the general election with a 0.5% margin.
She was the first woman from Philadelphia to serve in the U.S. Congress, and she joined the bipartisan Deficit Reduction Task Force. She served for two years.
In 1993, when a vote was held on President Bill Clinton’s budget bill—which was highly controversial among politicians and the public—Margolies’ vote was the decisive one. The politician initially opposed the bill but changed her mind after a personal conversation with the president. She cast the final vote to pass it, but her constituents were not pleased with her reversal.
In the next election in 1994, Marjorie Margolies lost to her former opponent, Jon Fox, by a 4% margin. Journalists have frequently cited this case when discussing controversial legislation. However, Margolies has always maintained that she has no regrets about her decision and believes it was the right one.
After her time in Congress, Marjorie Margolies chaired the National Women’s Business Council. She was also appointed director and deputy chair of the U.S. delegation to the Fourth UN World Conference on Women in 1995.
Margolies also founded and chaired the Women’s Campaign International, an organization that provides legal training for women in various countries. She was also invited to serve as an adjunct professor at the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania.
Attempts to Return to Politics
In 1998, the politician decided to run for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. She won the primary among three Democratic candidates but ultimately lost to the Republican candidate in the general election.
Two years later, Margolies attempted to run for the U.S. Senate, hoping to defeat the Republican incumbent and increase the Democrats’ presence. Ultimately, she had to drop out of the race. First, she failed to raise enough money. Second, her mother became seriously ill, and her husband faced legal issues. Soon after, Margolies filed for bankruptcy, but her debts were not discharged. The court ruled that she could not explain the rapid loss of her assets or the cause of her financial situation. So, Margolies had to focus on her personal problems and put her political ambitions on hold.
In 2013, Margolies once again decided to run as a Democratic candidate. She hoped to replace fellow Pennsylvania Democrat Allyson Schwartz, who was running for governor. This time, Margolies lost to Brendan Boyle from Northeast Philadelphia.
Since then, she has not attempted to return to politics. Instead, she has dedicated her time to teaching and fighting for women’s rights.
Personal Life
In 1975, Marjorie Margolies married Edward Mezvinsky, and the marriage lasted until 2007. During this time, she often used a hyphenated surname and was known as Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky.
Together, the couple raised 11 children:
- two biological sons,
- four children from her husband’s first marriage,
- two children Marjorie had adopted before her marriage,
- three children the couple adopted together.
Marjorie Margolies adopted her first child, a girl from Korea, in 1970. This was the first time an unmarried American woman was permitted to adopt a child from another country.
Marjorie and Edward’s son, Marc Mezvinsky, married Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of former U.S. President Bill Clinton.
In 2022, Marjorie Margolies celebrated her 80th birthday. A year before, her book, “And How Are the Children? Timeless Lessons from the Frontlines of Motherhood”, was published.