New Polling Results Show Strong Support for democracyFIRST Pro-democracy, Pro-rule-of-law Principles
Today, democracyFIRST is pleased to announce 27 additional County Candidates from across Pennsylvania who made the democracyFIRST Promise, joining the bi-partisan group of 50 candidates. To date, candidates from 40 counties have made the Promise.
The democracyFIRST Promise is centered on four pro-democracy principles:
Support every eligible American citizen’s freedom to exercise their right in free, fair, accessible, safe, and secure elections.
Denounce political violence against opponents, their supporters, and election workers.
Don’t propagate falsehoods and misinformation about the electoral process.
Accept and certify the final election result after all the votes are counted, concede the contest if you lose, and support the peaceful transfer of power.
Today’s announcement included the following candidates:
John Strate, Armstrong County; Tony Amadio, Beaver County; David Kessling, Blair County; Gene DiGirolamo, Bucks County; Pamela Van Blunk, Bucks County; Marie Librizzi, Centre County; Angela Harding, Clinton County; John Matthew Smith, Cumberland County; Terry Scutella, Erie County; Lorraine Dolan, Erie County; Vincent Vicites, Fayette County; Bill Gaughan, Lackawanna County; Chris Chermak, Lackawanna County; Matt McGloin, Lackawanna County; Loretta Spielvogel, Lawrence County; Dan Hartzell, Lehigh County; Jon Irons, Lehigh County; Sheila Alvarado, Lehigh County; Thomas Dombroski, Luzerne County; John Christy, Monroe County; Sharon Laverdure, Monroe County; Tom Dibello, Montgomery County; Brian Fochtman, Somerset County; Irvin Kimmel, Somerset County; and Lisa Gephart, Westmoreland County.
“I am proud to make the democracyFirst promise. Free and fair elections are key to creating trust and engagement in the democratic system,” said Jon Irons, Candidate for Lehigh County Board of Commissioners. “As County Commissioner I will do everything in my power to support the handling of elections in Lehigh County, uphold our residents’ right to vote, and will trust and accept the outcome of our local, state, and national elections.”
“I have made the democracyFIRST Promise and will always support and defend our democracy, free and fair elections and the foundational principles of the state of Pennsylvania and the USA,” said Thomas Dombroski, Candidate for Luzerne County Council.
Today’s announcement also includes the release of a recently conducted survey that shows Pennsylavania voters overwhelmingly support the core democratic principles contained in the democracyFIRST Promise. Voters say by a 50-point margin that they could never support a candidate who did not agree to the Promise, 75% – 25%. This support stretches across every important demographic, partisan, and regional subgroup. Importantly, self-described independents also say they could never support a candidate who won’t agree to the Promise by wide margins, 74% – 25%.
In July, the democracyFIRST Promise Campaign Launched a Six Figure TV and Digital Ad Buy across Pennsylvania calling on all candidates to publicly support the four pro-democracy principles outlined in the Promise. The ad first aired as a national broadcast spot on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Tuesday, will air on Fox News’ Fox and Friends continue airing in Pennsylvania media markets over the next two weeks.
“It is clear from the data that Pennsylvania Voters, across party lines, will only support county-wide candidates this November who will defend the core principles in the democracyFIRST Promise and we expect this will be a litmus test for voters this November,” said Jordan Wood, Executive Director of democracyFIRST.
See below for the full list of bi-partisan county-wide candidates in Pennsylvania who made the democracyFIRST Promise or click here.
Adams County: Marty Qually
Allegheny County: Sara Innamorato (County Executive); Joe Rockey (County Executive)
Armstrong County: John Strate
Beaver County: Tony Amadio
Bedford County
Berks County: ; Jess Royer; Dante Santoni, Jr.
Blair County: Laura Burke; David Kessling; Carol Taylor
Bradford County:
Bucks County: Gene DiGirolamo; Diane Ellis-Marseglia; Bob Harvie; Pamela van Blunk;
Butler County: Kevin Boozel
Cambria County:
Cameron County:
Carbon County:
Centre County: Amber Concepcion; Mark Higgins; Marie Librizzi
Chester County: Josh Maxwell; Marian Moskowitz; Eric Roe; David Sommers
Clarion County: Braxton White
Clearfield County: Dennis Biancuzz; David Glass
Clinton County: Angela Harding
Columbia County: Patricia Lawton
Crawford County: Christopher Seeley
Cumberland County: Jean Foschi; John Matthew Smith
Dauphin County: Justin Douglas
Delaware County: Elaine Paul Schaefer; Christine Reuther; Monica Taylor
Elk County:
Erie County: Lorraine Dolan (District 7); Chris Drexel (District 5); Terry Scutella (District 2);
Fayette County: Vincent Vicites
Forest County:
Franklin County: Cameron Schroy
Fulton County:
Greene County:
Huntingdon County:
Indiana County: Sherene Hess
Jefferson County:
Juniata County:
Lackawanna County: Chris Chermak; Bill Gaughan; Matt McGloin
Lancaster County: Bob Hollister; Alice Yoder
Lawrence County: Loretta Spielvogel
Lebanon County: Michael Schroeder
Lehigh County: Sheila Alvarado; Dan Hartzell; Jon Irons;
Luzerne County: Joanna Bryn Smith; Thomas Dombroski; Patricia Krushnowski; Michelle Rothenbecker; Jimmy Sabatino; Brittany Stephenson; Maryann Velez;
Lycoming County: Denitra Moffett
McKean County:
Mercer County: James McLusky
Mifflin County:
Monroe County: John Christy; Sharon Laverdure
Montgomery County: Tom Dibello; Neil Makhija; Jamila Winder
Montour County:
Northampton County: Kelly Keegan; Jeff Warren
Northumberland County:
Perry County:
Philadelphia County: Seth Bluestein (City Commission)
Pike County:
Potter County:
Schuylkill County:
Snyder County:
Somerset County: Brian Fochtman; Irvin Kimmel
Sullivan County: Scott Myers
Susquehanna County:
Tioga County:
Union County:
Venango County: Albert “Chip” Abramovic
Warren County:
Washington County: Electra Janis; Larry Maggi;
Wayne County:
Westmoreland County: Lisa Gephart; Ted Kopas
Wyoming County:
York County: Keena Minifield
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