On Friday, Feb. 2, the Concerned Constituent Action Group (CCAG), a nonpartisan group of constituents from Pennsylvania’s 6th district, gathered on the corner of Market and High Street to voice their concerns about 6th District PA State Representative Ryan Costello. Meeting on a chilly morning at 11:30 a.m., the group of roughly five women stood together, holding up signs to encourage others to vote and voice their concerns to Costello, whose office is less than a block away from the protest site. The protest ran until 1 p.m.
The CCAG does not endorse political candidates of any kind, and the group is composed of people in Pennsylvania who wish to be heard through public demonstrations.
Costello represents the 6th district of Pennsylvania as a Republican, covering West Chester, Montgomery and Berks County. He has voiced his support for President Donald Trump’s tax bill on his website, stating that “hardworking taxpayers deserve a tax cut and that is why I’m proud to support this tax relief bill.”
He has also voted to repeal the Affordable Healthcare Act that was put into place during the Obama administration, as well as federal aid to support abortions. He is up for reelection against Democrat Chrissy Houlahan this year.
Costello was unavailable for comment on the protest itself.
Kate Young, a long-time member of the CCAG, stated that the group was “concerned with protecting the environment, social security nets and democracy.” The group is non-partisan, and works to address topics of importance.
They demonstrate weekly in West Chester, attempting to reach out to Costello outside of his office. Julia Christopher, another long-time member, joined because she “wanted to organize” and feels the best way to spread the word is through “choosing topics and advertising them” through social media and in town. Robin Corcoran enjoys being with the group because she appreciates “working with a nice group of people.”
The group supports others who wish to join and participate with CCAG. On Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 5:30 p.m. there will be a rally in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). They will be encouraging Costello to push for a “clean DREAM act” and hope for a large number of students and residents of West Chester.
West Chester University students and residents of the community can get more involved with the group by visiting their website at www.ccag-d6.com, where they can subscribe to the newsletter for updates about future protests and activities. They are also on Facebook under “Concerned Constituents Action Group,” which provides links for people to register to vote in the upcoming election.
Students and residents can join in their protests every Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the corner of Market and High Street, and are encouraged by the group to make signs and voice their support.
Samantha Walsh is a second-year student majoring in special education and English with a minor in autism studies. ✉️ SW850037@wcupa.edu.