Emily Skopov

Emily Skopov (born 1966) is an American screenwriter and politician.

Personal life

Skopov was born in New York,{{cite news |last1=Navratil |first1=Liza |title=In state House, challenger Emily Skopov may represent Dems' best chance to defeat Mike Turzai |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2018/10/29/Pennsylvania-House-race-Emily-Skopov-Mike-Turzai-Pittsburgh-28th-District-election/stories/201810290022 |accessdate=12 September 2020 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=29 October 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Daninhirsch |first1=Hilary |title=Hollywood writer Emily Skopov now does her job from Pittsburgh's North Hills |url=https://jewishchronicle.timesofisrael.com/hollywood-writer-emily-skopov-now-does-her-job-from-pittsburghs-north-hills/ |work=The Jewish Chronicle of Pittsburgh |accessdate=11 September 2020 |date=13 September 2010}} and is of Jewish descent.{{cite news |last1=Vellucci |first1=Justin |title=Jewish candidate for PA statehouse attacked for her 'Beverly Hills politics' |url=https://jewishchronicle.timesofisrael.com/jewish-candidate-for-pa-statehouse-attacked-for-her-beverly-hills-politics/ |accessdate=11 September 2020 |work=The Jewish Chronicle of Pittsburgh |date=23 August 2020}} She was raised in Rockland County.{{cite news |last1=LaRussa |first1=Tony |title=2 political newcomers squaring off to fill vacant state House 28th District seat |url=https://triblive.com/local/north-hills/2-political-newcomers-squaring-off-to-fill-vacant-state-house-28th-district-seat/ |accessdate=4 November 2020 |work=Pittsburgh Tribune Review |date=6 October 2020}} Skopov earned an undergraduate degree in English literature from Columbia University, and planned to become an English professor or lawyer before choosing to pursue her dream of screenwriting, which she studied in the Master of Fine Arts program at UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. In 2010, Skopov moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from El Segundo, California, then settled in Marshall Township with her husband and two children. Skopov is the founder of the non-profit organization No Crayon Left Behind.{{cite news |last1=Lyons |first1=Kim |title=Democrat Emily Skopov's Inaugural Campaign Has Her Targeting Mike Turzai |url=https://www.pittsburghcurrent.com/emily-skopov-inaugural-campaign/ |accessdate=12 September 2020 |work=Pittsburgh Current |date=23 October 2018}} The organization was established in 2011, soon after Skopov began collecting discarded crayons from restaurants, along with other educational and art supplies, and distributing them to places where they would be used, such as homeless shelters, daycares, and preschools.{{cite news |last1=Green |first1=Paula |title=Emily Skopov Founder of the nonprofit "No Crayon Left Behind" |url=http://northernconnectionmag.com/emily-skopov-founder-of-the-nonprofit-no-crayon-left-behind/ |accessdate=12 September 2020 |work=Northern Connection |date=1 August 2016 |archive-date=17 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917102433/http://northernconnectionmag.com/emily-skopov-founder-of-the-nonprofit-no-crayon-left-behind/ |url-status=dead }}

Film and television

Skopov worked on several television shows including The Client, Xena: Warrior Princess, Pacific Blue, Crisis Center, and Andromeda. She left the crew of Farscape after six months due to the health challenges of a family member, but went on to write unproduced feature films for a Hollywood studio. Skopov began work on the 2006 film Novel Romance, which she directed and cowrote, shortly before her son was born.{{cite news |last1=Goldstein |first1=Gary |title='Novel Romance' in need of a rewrite |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jun-29-et-novel29-story.html |accessdate=11 September 2020 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=27 June 2007}}

Political career

= 2018 election =

Skopov sought the District 28 seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives as a Democratic Party candidate in 2018.{{cite news |last1=Potter |first1=Chris |title=Turzai challenger making waves for 2018 campaign |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2017/08/07/Emily-Skopov-PA-House-Mike-Turzai-opponent-28th-district-north-hills-pittsburgh-screenwriter-no-crayon-left-behind/stories/201708070020 |accessdate=12 September 2020 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=7 August 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Delano |first1=Jon |title=Democrat Skopov Thinks She Can Defeat Speaker Turzai In North Hills Trump District |url=https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2018/09/24/emily-skopov-mike-turzai-campaign/ |accessdate=12 September 2020 |publisher=KDKA |date=24 September 2018}} During her campaign, Skopov criticized incumbent legislator Mike Turzai for mounting several unsuccessful bids for higher electoral office.{{cite news |last1=Deto |first1=Ryan |title=Democratic state House candidate Emily Skopov gears up for race against House Speaker Mike Turzai |url=https://www.pghcitypaper.com/Blogh/archives/2018/02/12/democratic-state-house-candidate-emily-skopov-gears-up-for-race-against-house-speaker-mike-turzai |accessdate=12 September 2020 |work=Pittsburgh City Paper |date=12 February 2018}} Turzai retained the seat, in the closest contest since he was first elected in 2001.{{cite news |last1=Hughes |first1=Sarah Anne |title=Republican House Speaker Mike Turzai holds onto seat against challenger Emily Skopov |url=https://archive.theincline.com/2018/11/06/republican-house-speaker-mike-turzai-holds-onto-seat-against-challenger-emily-skopov/ |accessdate=12 September 2020 |work=The Incline |date=6 November 2018 |archive-date=29 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929165849/https://archive.theincline.com/2018/11/06/republican-house-speaker-mike-turzai-holds-onto-seat-against-challenger-emily-skopov/ |url-status=dead }}

= 2020 election =

In August 2019, Skopov began her second campaign for the state legislature.{{cite news |title=Emily Skopov will challenge Pa. House Speaker Mike Turzai again in 2020 |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-local/2019/08/01/Emily-Skopov-mike-turzai-pennsylvania-house-2020-election/stories/201908010125 |accessdate=12 September 2020 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=1 August 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Caruso |first1=Stephen |title=Skopov announces second challenge to Turzai |url=https://www.penncapital-star.com/blog/skopov-announces-second-challenge-to-turzai/ |accessdate=12 September 2020 |work=Pennsylvania Capital-Star |date=2 August 2019}} Turzai announced his retirement from politics, then resigned his seat before the 2020 general election, and Skopov faced Republican candidate Rob Mercuri.{{cite news |last1=Deto |first1=Ryan |title=Mailers in North Hills state House race share "a bald-faced lie," says candidate Emily Skopov |url=https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/mailers-in-north-hills-state-house-race-share-a-bald-faced-lie-says-candidate-emily-skopov/Content?oid=17656125 |accessdate=12 September 2020 |work=Pittsburgh City Paper |date=15 July 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Delano |first1=Jon |title=Battle To Succeed Ex-Rep. Mike Turzai In The North Hills Heats Up Between Emily Skopov And Rob Mercuri |url=https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2020/07/17/battle-to-succeed-turzai-in-the-north-hills-heats-up-in-mid-summer/ |accessdate=12 September 2020 |publisher=KDKA |date=17 July 2020}} Skopov positioned herself as a moderate Democrat.{{Cite web|last=Gabriel|first=Trip|date=November 27, 2020|title=How Democrats Suffered Crushing Down-Ballot Losses Across America|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/27/us/politics/democrats-republicans-state-legislatures.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=The New York Times}}

Skopov was defeated in the general election.{{cite news |last1=Smeltz |first1=Adam |title=Pa. GOP on course to bolster state House majority, AP tracking shows |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2020/11/04/Pennsylvania-state-House-general-election-results-Associated-Press-returns/stories/202011040125 |accessdate=4 November 2020 |work=Pittsburgn Post-Gazette |date=4 November 2020}} Following her defeat and the Democrats' failure to flip the state legislature, Skopov wrote on Twitter that she had been “a casualty/collateral damage of this offensively poor messaging,” referring to the Democratic Party's inability to defend moderate Democrats in swing districts against Republican attempts to inaccurately tag them with positions of supporting "socialism" and "defunding the police".