More candidates join pro-democracy effort, week after all five living former Pennsylvania Governors endorsed the democracyFIRST PROMISE campaign
Today, democracyFIRST announced that 12 additional county candidates from across Pennsylvania made the democracyFIRST Promise, joining the bipartisan group of more than 80 candidates. To date, candidates from 46 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 includes the following candidates:
Gary Eichelberger, Cumberland County; Dan Grzybek, Allegheny County; Deb Baughman, Bedford County; Rocky Ahner, Carbon County; George Hartwick, Dauphin County; Mike Pries, Dauphin County; Rock Copland, Erie County; Sherene Hess, Indiana County; Aaron Lehman, Indiana County; April Riddick, Lehigh County; and Katie Best, Monroe County; Pamela Tokar-Ickes, Somerset County.
- “I believe voters and citizens from both major political parties overwhelmingly favor and support the ethical conduct of administration of election functions,” said Gary Eichelberger, Cumberland County Commissioner. “As a lifelong Republican, I am concerned with the future of our party over the long term beyond any single election; our support from the public is itself at risk if we decide to only accept election outcomes when they go the way party bosses want them to. Election winners are to be chosen by the voters, not political insiders exercising ‘muscle’.”
- “The principles of the Democracy first pledge are a basic and fundamental reflection of non-negotiable values that should always remain above any partisan or political agenda,” said George Hartwick, Dauphin County Commissioner. “I am committed to these foundational pillars not only through my endorsement but most importantly through my actions in service to the Constituents and Communities that I represent.”
Today’s announcement follows the historic endorsement of the democracyFIRST PROMISE Campaign by all five living former Governors of Pennsylvania. The bi-partisan endorsement was recently covered in PAPolitics and can be read here.
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.
“With more than 90 Pennsylvania candidates joining the democracyFIRST Promise campaign and the endorsement of the campaign by all five former living Governors of Pennsylvania, voters should rightly begin to ask questions if their local leaders have not yet committed to these cross-partisan pro-democracy principles. I encourage every county candidate to join the Promise and protect our democracy,” said Jordan Wood, Executive Director of democracyFIRST.
- Adams County: Marty Qually
- Allegheny County: Sara Innamorato (County Executive); Joe Rockey (County Executive); Dan Grzybek (County Council, District 5)
- Armstrong County: John Strate
- Beaver County: Tony Amadio
- Bedford County: Deb Baughman
- 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: Rocky Ahner
- 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: Gary Eichelberger; Jean Foschi; John Matthew Smith
- Dauphin County: Justin Douglas; George Hartwick; Mike Pries
- Delaware County: Elaine Paul Schaefer; Christine Reuther; Monica Taylor
- Elk County:
- Erie County: Rock Copland (District 3); 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; Aaron Lehman
- 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; April Riddick
- 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: Katie Best; John Christy; Sharon Laverdure
- Montgomery County: Tom Dibello; Neil Makhija; Jamila Winder
- Montour County:
- Northampton County: Kelly Keegan; Ken Kraft; 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; Pamela Tokar-Ickes
- 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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