Autism activism led Elizabeth Emken to become GOP Senate candidate

Elizabeth Emken, running against Sen. Dianne Feinstein, began by lobbying for autism research. She opposes the healthcare law and backs a tax overhaul, deficit reduction and Arctic drilling.

Autism advocacy was in its infancy in the mid-1990s when an organization of parents put the word out about a trip to Washington, D.C., to press for research dollars. Joining them unannounced was a political novice with her own autistic child who quickly became a household name in activist circles.

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