Latest news with #StacyGarrity
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Political consultant calls Garrity's run for governor a ‘very steep hill to climb'
Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, a republican elected in 2021, announced Monday in a video news release sent by her campaign that she will run for Governor in 2026. 'I'm announcing that I'm running to become Pennsylvania's next Governor,' said Garrity on the video. RELATED COVERAGE >>> Republican Stacy Garrity seeks to challenge Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's reelection bid The retired army colonel, who served in three conflicts overseas and was awarded two bronze stars, wasted no time going after the incumbent democratic Governor Josh Shapiro. Garrity accused Shapiro of neglecting Pennsylvania while preparing for a possible run for President. 'While Josh Shapiro has been spending his time running for President and fundraising in California and other liberal states,' the announcer on the video stated. Garrity, in the video release, also linked her campaign to President Trump. She went on to criticize Shapiro, claiming published reports rank Pennsylvania near the bottom in the economy, education and infrastructure. But political consultant Mike Mikus, who works primarily for democrats, believes Garrity will have a tough time because of Shapiro's widespread popularity that crosses party lines and his high visibility, especially during times of crisis, like at the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, near the Pennsylvania boarder or the deadly explosion and fire at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant a week ago. 'You name the areas of crisis that Pennsylvanians have faced and Governor Shapiro has been there. He's been on top of it, so it's going to be very hard for her to paint him as someone who's neglected Pennsylvania because he's shown over the last two and half, three years that he puts Pennsylvania first and focuses intently on the needs of Pennsylvanians,' Mikus said. Mikus said another huge hurdle for Garrity is that she's running against a popular incumbent during a midterm election. 'Historically, midterm elections have been very bad for the party who controls the White House. It's going to be a tough race for any republican. I just don't think she's going to be able to raise the money, put the organization in place, and be able to convince voters that they need to fire Governor Shapiro,' Mikus said. Republican State Senator Doug Mastriano lost to Shapiro by 15 points in the last race for governor. Mastriano has hinted he may run again, and that could prove to be an interesting republican primary. But with nine months until the primary, anything could happen. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania GOP treasurer launches challenge to Shapiro
Pennsylvania state Treasurer Stacy Garrity (R) is entering the gubernatorial race to challenge Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) as he seeks reelection next year. Garrity announced her candidacy Monday in a video posted on social platform X, making her the first major Republican seeking to face off against Shapiro in 2026. The video accuses Shapiro, viewed as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, of focusing on a potential White House run and fundraising in other states instead of addressing problems in the Keystone State like delays approving the state budget. 'Today, I'm announcing that I'm running to become Pennsylvania's next governor, and I'm giving you and your family my solemn oath that I will work hard every day to fix the problems Josh Shapiro has created,' Garrity said. The video emphasizes Garrity's status as a veteran, having served in Iraq and reaching the rank of colonel. It also promotes ties between Garrity and President Trump, calling her a 'strong ally' of the president. The state treasurer said she wants to work to make Pennsylvania more affordable and attract more jobs so young adults choose to stay. 'I'm not just going to ask for your support,' she said. 'I'm going to work hard every day to earn it.' Garrity is the first major Republican to jump into the gubernatorial race, but others could join. State Sen. Doug Mastriano, who was the GOP nominee against Shapiro in 2022, is considering another run. Mastriano had received significant attention over his far-right views and struggled in both fundraising and polling. Having been Democrats' preferred choice and viewed as easier to beat in the general election, Mastriano lost by nearly 15 points. But he could still gain traction in a Republican primary. A few possible candidates have already ruled out bids, including Rep. Dan Meuser (R), to whom Trump had said would give his support. An endorsement in the Republican primary from the president would be critical in boosting a candidate's chances of winning the nomination. Still, Shapiro will be difficult to beat. He's demonstrated himself to be a strong fundraiser and has enjoyed significant popularity throughout his term as governor. He was asked Friday about his views on Garrity's possible run, but he said he wouldn't get involved in Republicans' 'intramural fight.' 'You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to keep creating jobs here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,' he said. 'I'm going to fund our kids' schools. I'm going to make sure that we have more cops on the beat, and I'm going to focus on doing my job of bringing Republicans and Democrats together to get stuff done. That's my focus.' The Democratic Governors Association (DGA) slammed Garrity, accusing her of being 'as extreme as they come.' The organization criticized her on issues like her support of Trump's 'big beautiful bill' and the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade. 'Whether it's Stacy Garrity or another flawed and extreme candidate who emerges to challenge Governor Shapiro, Republicans' eventual nominee has an uphill battle to take on the Governor's strong record of working across party lines to cut costs, invest in public safety, fund public education, and deliver for all Pennsylvanians,' said DGA spokesperson Izzi Levy. Updated: 1:06 p.m. ET Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Republican Stacy Garrity launches bid to challenge Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro in 2026
The Brief Stacy Garrity, Pennsylvania's state treasurer, announced Monday that she would seek the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro in 2026. Garrity has hinted at a run for months and has stepped up criticisms of Shapiro in that time. In a video released Monday, she referred to herself as a 'strong ally' of President Trump. HARRISBURG, Pa. - Stacy Garrity, Pennsylvania's two-term elected state treasurer, said Monday that she will seek the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro 's reelection bid, setting up what could be a contest between a low-profile officeholder and a potential White House contender in 2028. What we know Garrity has hinted at a run for months and stepped up her criticism of Shapiro. In campaign fundraising appeals, she accused Shapiro of being soft on law and order and hostile to her "pro-worker, pro-energy, pro-America agenda." In a video released Monday, she called herself a "strong ally" of President Donald Trump, highlighted her military service and vowed to "fix the problems Josh Shapiro has created." That, she said, includes Pennsylvania's relatively high tax burden and rising grocery prices. Shapiro has returned fire, blasting her for supporting Trump's big tax break and spending cut package. He has suggested that she supported it because she is "desperate" to get Trump's approval and said it would hurt rural hospitals and people who rely on Medicaid, drive up the cost of energy and blow up the federal deficit. In her video, Garrity defended the bill as "requiring able-bodied recipients to work for their benefits and ending benefits for those here illegally." Trump has not made an endorsement in the race. What they're saying Garrity said in a statement that she "will bring jobs back, strengthen our economy and make Pennsylvania more affordable for families in every corner of the state." Some top Pennsylvania Republicans support Garrity in the 2026 race for governor and hope she'll see a clear primary field, although those hopes have been buffeted in recent weeks by 2022's losing gubernatorial candidate, Doug Mastriano, suggesting that he'll run again. Asked about Garrity on Friday, Shapiro said he's going to keep creating jobs, funding schools, keeping police officers on the beat and bringing Republicans and Democrats together, while Republicans "can focus on their political games all they want." Dig deeper Garrity's task of challenging Shapiro is, by any measure, a tall one. Garrity is relatively untested and spent less than $3 million in her two campaigns for treasurer in 2020 and 2024. Shapiro, 52, has won three statewide races, carries a reputation as a disciplined messenger and powerhouse fundraiser who spent more than $70 million alone in his sole campaign for governor, smashing Pennsylvania's campaign finance record. He's grown into a national figure after he made Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris' shortlist for vice presidential running mates last year and is viewed as a potential White House contender for the party in 2028. For Republicans, there is more on the line than knocking off Shapiro. They also want a credible candidate at the top of their ticket as they try to bring out enough voters to defend their congressional seats and their majority in the U.S. House. Shapiro is a former state House member, county commissioner and attorney general who has a base of support in his home in Philadelphia's heavily populated suburbs. Garrity, 61, is from rural northern Pennsylvania and came to politics late in life. A trained accountant, Garrity was a longtime executive for a powdered metals supplier in northern Pennsylvania. She was also an Army reservist who retired as a colonel and served in Iraq, where she ran the detention center at Camp Bucca as part of the 800th Military Police Brigade. Since her 2020 upset victory of the incumbent Democratic treasurer, Garrity has been an avid campaigner, speaking at numerous Trump rallies. In 2022, she was perhaps the GOP's most visible surrogate for Mastriano. Shapiro won his 2022 contest by almost 15 percentage points, an election cycle Republicans would rather forget. By all accounts, Shapiro and Garrity have had a professional working relationship and avoided partisan squabbling over official matters. Shapiro even gave Garrity a warm and personal introduction in January before she was sworn in to her second term as treasurer. During her time as treasurer, Pennsylvania has run up big surpluses, buoyed by federal COVID-19 aid and inflation-juiced tax collections. That temporarily took pressure off state finances. However, Pennsylvania is reverting to its status as a perennial deficit state, and Garrity has warned that Shapiro's continued stewardship will force tax increases onto residents. As treasurer, Garrity kept several top Democratic staffers on board, expanded the ways in which the department can return unclaimed property and increased the department's investments in Israel bonds. The Source This article contains information from Garrity's campaign website. The Associated Press also contributed to this report.
CBS News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Stacy Garrity launches Republican challenge to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's reelection bid
Stacy Garrity, Pennsylvania's two-term elected state treasurer, said Monday that she will seek the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro's reelection bid, setting up what could be a contest between a low-profile officeholder and a potential White House contender in 2028. Garrity said in a statement that she "will bring jobs back, strengthen our economy and make Pennsylvania more affordable for families in every corner of the state." Some top Pennsylvania Republicans support Garrity in the 2026 race for governor and hope she'll see a clear primary field, although those hopes have been buffeted in recent weeks by 2022's losing gubernatorial candidate, Doug Mastriano, suggesting that he'll run again. Garrity has hinted at a run for months and stepped up her criticism of Shapiro. In campaign fundraising appeals, she accused Shapiro of being soft on law and order and hostile to her "pro-worker, pro-energy, pro-America agenda." In a video released Monday, she called herself a "strong ally" of President Trump, highlighted her military service and vowed to "fix the problems Josh Shapiro has created." That, she said, includes Pennsylvania's relatively high tax burden and rising grocery prices. Shapiro has returned fire, blasting her for supporting Mr. Trump's big tax break and spending cut package. He has suggested that she supported it because she is "desperate" to get Mr. Trump's approval and said it would hurt rural hospitals and people who rely on Medicaid, drive up the cost of energy and blow up the federal deficit. In her video, Garrity defended the bill as "requiring able-bodied recipients to work for their benefits and ending benefits for those here illegally." Mr. Trump has not made an endorsement in the race. Asked about Garrity on Friday, Shapiro said he's going to keep creating jobs, funding schools, keeping police officers on the beat and bringing Republicans and Democrats together, while Republicans "can focus on their political games all they want." Garrity's task of challenging Shapiro is, by any measure, a tall one. Garrity is relatively untested and spent less than $3 million in her two campaigns for treasurer in 2020 and 2024. Shapiro, 52, has won three statewide races, carries a reputation as a disciplined messenger and powerhouse fundraiser who spent more than $70 million alone in his sole campaign for governor, smashing Pennsylvania's campaign finance record. He's grown into a national figure after he made Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris' shortlist for vice presidential running mates last year and is viewed as a potential White House contender for the party in 2028. For Republicans, there is more on the line than knocking off Shapiro. They also want a credible candidate at the top of their ticket as they try to bring out enough voters to defend their congressional seats and their majority in the U.S. House. Shapiro is a former state House member, county commissioner and attorney general who has a base of support in his home in Philadelphia's heavily populated suburbs. Garrity, 61, is from rural northern Pennsylvania and came to politics late in life. A trained accountant, Garrity was a longtime executive for a powdered metals supplier in northern Pennsylvania. She was also an Army reservist who retired as a colonel and served in Iraq, where she ran the detention center at Camp Bucca as part of the 800th Military Police Brigade. Since her 2020 upset victory of the incumbent Democratic treasurer, Garrity has been an avid campaigner, speaking at numerous Trump rallies. In 2022, she was perhaps the GOP's most visible surrogate for Mastriano. Shapiro won his 2022 contest by almost 15 percentage points, an election cycle Republicans would rather forget. By all accounts, Shapiro and Garrity have had a professional working relationship and avoided partisan squabbling over official matters. Shapiro even gave Garrity a warm and personal introduction in January before she was sworn in to her second term as treasurer. During her time as treasurer, Pennsylvania has run up big surpluses, buoyed by federal COVID-19 aid and inflation-juiced tax collections. That temporarily took pressure off state finances. However, Pennsylvania is reverting to its status as a perennial deficit state, and Garrity has warned that Shapiro's continued stewardship will force tax increases onto residents. As treasurer, Garrity kept several top Democratic staffers on board, expanded the ways in which the department can return unclaimed property and increased the department's investments in Israel bonds.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pa. Treasurer Stacy Garrity just entered the governor race. Here's what to know about her.
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity has jumped into the Keystone State's gubernatorial race, announcing on Aug. 18 that she's seeking to win the Republican nomination for the role and block Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro from a second term. Many GOP activists in Pennsylvania have been hoping for Garrity's candidacy, arguing that she has the statewide popularity to face off against Shapiro. In her 2024 victory as treasurer, Garrity set a state record for number of votes won by a row office candidate. The Bradford County native is a decorated former Army Reserve soldier and worked as a business executive before launching her political career. Here's more background on the Republican contender. Garrity touts her nickname as 'Angel of the Desert' for her service in Iraq Garrity spent three decades in the U.S. Army Reserve, retiring in 2016 at the rank of colonel. During her military career, she was deployed to Iraq three times and twice received the Bronze Star, according to her campaign website. She earned the nickname 'angel of the desert' during one posting for her service at Camp Bucca, a U.S. detention center in Iraq, according to a NPR report from 2004. At the time, news outlets were calling attention to the torture at Abu Ghraib, another American prison in Iraq. NPR credited Garrity with fostering a different environment at Camp Bucca, where she provided soccer balls and board games to detainees and helped set up a post office system. Garrity has embraced the 'angel of the desert' moniker on her campaign webpage and official bios. She holds the record for most votes earned by a Pa. row office candidate The northeastern Pennsylvanian is a relative political newcomer, winning her first election in 2020 against then-incumbent Treasurer Joe Torsella. The Democrat had far outspent her, but she achieved victory after running on a platform of fiscal transparency and more restraint in government spending. At the time, she'd been working as a vice president of a metal powder manufacturer based in Towanda. More: Stacy Garrity wins second term as Pennsylvania treasurer She glided to reelection as the commonwealth's treasurer in 2024, capturing the most votes of any candidate ever for a statewide office in Pennsylvania. In doing so, she broke the record set by Shapiro in his 2020 win for attorney general. Her strong performance in that race stoked speculation about a potential showdown between Garrity and Shapiro in 2026. She's a staunch Trump ally but has made bipartisan overtures Garrity has been a firm supporter of President Donald Trump and proudly identifies with the MAGA movement. She's been criticized for speaking at a Harrisburg rally on Jan. 5, 2021, that contested former President Joe Biden's election victory over Trump in the commonwealth. (Her campaign in 2024 said she accepted Trump's loss.) But Garrity has also struck a bipartisan tone at times. She invited Torsella, the Democrat she defeated in 2020, to share some comments during her first inauguration ceremony as Pennsylvania treasurer. And though she could end up battling Shapiro in a general election race, she's had some kind words for him, praising aspects of his past budget proposals. She's also thanked him for signing bills to streamline the state's tax appeals process and offer property tax rebates. She came under fire for supporting the 'big, beautiful' bill Garrity has drawn criticism for speaking up in favor of Trump's marquee legislation, the 'big, beautiful' bill passed by Congress in July. In a May social media thread, she applauded the bill's permanent extension of 2017 tax cuts and the infusion of funds it provides for border security efforts. Congressional representatives who opposed the bill, she wrote, 'are risking higher taxes, weaker borders, and billions wasted on woke policies.' Democratic activists condemned her support for the legislation, noting that the bill also reduces federal support for social safety net programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Shapiro has estimated that 310,000 Pennsylvanians could lose Medicaid coverage and 144,000 could get pushed out of food assistance programs because of the bill's provisions. As treasurer, she has returned millions to Pa. residents One of the most public-facing responsibilities of state treasurer is to restore unclaimed property to rightful owners, and Garrity has stressed her efforts to return money, items and military medals during her tenure. Her office returned a record $272 million in unclaimed property to commonwealth residents in 2024. She also supported the passage of a new law letting her office return unclaimed property valued at up to $500 to residents without requiring them to file a claim first. In addition, during her tenure, she has updated the transparency website that allows Pennsylvanians to delve into government spending and has supported creating tax-deductible savings accounts where people can set aside retirement money if their employers don't offer pension plans. So far, that proposal has passed the Pennsylvania House and has moved to the Senate for consideration. Bethany Rodgers is a USA TODAY Network Pennsylvania investigative journalist. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Who is Stacy Garrity, the new Republican hopeful for PA governor?
