State Treasurer Stacy Garrity was featured by The Philadelphia Inquirer on Monday for “navigating gender dynamics” in her campaign for the governorship this fall.
According to their coverage, Garrity is one of only two women in history to receive the Republican nomination for governor. If elected in November, she would become Pennsylvania’s first female governor.
“Republicans, for the most part, are based on merit, and that’s how I was raised,” she told The Inquirer. “I think [voters] are excited to have a first female governor, but I don’t think that is the reason anybody would vote for me.”
“The state has never had a woman as its governor; no woman has been elected as U.S. senator; and both times a woman ran for president, she lost the state,” The Inquirer wrote. “Over the last two centuries, Pennsylvania’s political glass ceiling has proven stubbornly resistant to cracks.”
The Inquirer also noted that Garrity’s 2024 reelection broke the state’s record for the greatest number of votes cast in her favor for a statewide office. The record was formerly held by Governor Josh Shapiro.
A campaign spokesperson said that she plans to hold women-focused events this summer.
Amy Widestrom, a former professor at Arcadia University in Glenside and the current executive director of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania, told The Inquirer that the right to vote is a significant issue for members of her organization right now. According to Widestrom, some women are concerned that requiring documentary proof of citizenship may impact those who change their legal name and do not have matching identification records.
Garrity and Shapiro ran opposed in May. A potential 2028 presidential candidate, Shapiro is considered a heavy favorite and has reported outraising Garrity by more than 10-to-1. According to Trib Live, Garrity recently called for seven debates with Shapiro, though details have yet to be confirmed.
“Pennsylvania is at a crossroads and, as I say in every speech, we need to decide what type of state we want to be. Public debates will give the voters of Pennsylvania the opportunity to make this decision with the most information possible,” Garrity said in a statement.
A retired U.S. Army Reserve Colonel, businesswoman, and Pennsylvania’s 78th treasurer, Garrity received an endorsement from President Donald Trump in January. He later hosted her at Mar-a-Lago for a fundraiser.
Garrity “will apply the lessons she’s learned and experiences she’s encountered as a successful businesswoman, soldier, and public servant to make Pennsylvania the Keystone State to grow a business and raise a family,” her campaign website says.
In related news, Shapiro joined CNBC’s “The Exchange” this week to speak about his work to spur economic growth and reform the state’s permitting process.
The clip is below:
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