With the historic 2022 midterm elections coming up, the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania has two candidates, Doug Mastriano and Josh Shapiro, running for governor.
With the election quickly approaching most students and Pennsylvanians have no idea who they are voting for or what that candidate stands for. Philadelphia resident Sean Link says that, “nobody around Philadelphia is really paying any attention to the election”, this is where candidates collect their independent voters.’’
There is a majority of people around the country that don’t outright support one side or the other, meaning they are independent. As the election nears candidates will start portraying their ideologies as more moderate to gain the following of said independent voters, but don’t be fooled. All politicians will do or say whatever it takes to gain a following and have an edge over the other to score political points, such as curbing their more out of the box ideas to much simpler ones.
Bucks County resident and Democrat Jordan Louie doesn’t put her full trust into any candidate for any election because, “politicians lie” Louie said. There will never be a full assurance of voters to runners because it is never guaranteed whether or not the candidate will fulfill their campaign promises.
Democrat Attorney General Josh Shapiro, 49, graduated from Georgetown University with a JD law degree in 2002. He is currently serving as the Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania since 2017 and is now a candidate to become the next governor.
Shapiro, a Montgomery County Democrat and current state Attorney General, has the following agenda.
- Pro-choice, supports abortion rights openly.
- Supports black owned businesses.
- Supports LGBTQ+ rights.
- Works to curb gun violence as AG.
- Shapiro wants to invest in public safety.
- Josh is looking to give tax refunds and tax cuts on things like gas, cell phones, and property.
- Josh wants better funded healthcare.
- Wants to fully fund schools, and give better education to underfunded schools.
- To invest in clean energy and job creation.
Organizations that endorse Shapiro are The Pennsylvania Democratic Party, Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania PAC, Pennsylvania State Education Association, and Pennsylvania Building Trades Council.
Shapiro has been accused by the opposing party to care more about leftist policies than innocent lives. Christopher Tremoglie, a writer for the Washington Examiner goes as far as to say, “Left-wing criminal policies have led to crime waves throughout the country, especially in Pennsylvania… No number of bodies piling up on the street could get [Shapiro] to help the people of Philadelphia.”
Republican Pennsylvania State Senator Doug Mastriano, 58, served in the US Army since 1986 and retired as a colonel in 2017. In 2013 he received a Ph.D. in history from the University of New Brunswick in Canada. Mastriano has served in the Pennsylvania Senate in the 33rd district since 2019 and is now in the running for the 2022 gubernatorial election.
The New Brunswick Republican’s policies are listed below.
- Pro-life, openly opposes abortion.
- Mastriano wants to end funding to Planned Parenthood, and bolster the Adoption system.
- Will end vaccine and mask mandates.
- Wants to appoint a Secretary of State and work with the legislature to oust mail in voting and drop boxes and replace that with universal voting ID.
- Supports police funding.
- Doug wants to increase penalties for repeat offenders.
- Instate a crackdown on illegal immigrants in PA.
- Wants a more transparent education system.
- On day one, Mastriano will place an immediate ban on biological males in girls’ locker rooms and restrooms. On the same day, Mastriano will ban biological males from competing in girls’ sports.
- He’ll encourage investments in the natural gas and coal industries, and he’ll lift Governor Tom Wolf’s regulations on these industries. Under Mastriano, Pennsylvania will drill and mine.
- Mastriano wants to eliminate property tax.
Mastriano is endorsed by former president Donald Trump and is planning a rally with him in the near future. He is also backed by all but one member (State Representative Brian Fitzpatrick) of the Pennsylvania House GOP.
Mastriano has been accused of pure selfishness by the opposing party when it comes to his governmental actions. Vincent Difonzo of the Gettysburg Ian says, “Mastriano has accomplished nothing but perpetuating the spread of his hateful beliefs on Pennsylvanians. Mastriano’s record is one of self-interest, hatred towards women and minorities, and opposition to American democratic principles.”
At press time Shapiro was leading in the polls.