Delivering real results for Pennsylvanians
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The 2020 election raised questions and concerns in the minds of voters ranging from the integrity of election procedures to access to the ballot. What, if any, reforms to election law would you support to ensure all Pennsylvania voters have equal access to free, fair, secure elections?
Throughout the 2020 election and over the last two years, Pennsylvania has become the epicenter of the fight to defend American democracy. We had a free and fair, safe and secure election, and as attorney general, I spoke truth in the face of dangerous lies and stood up to the attempts to undermine our democracy. Dozens of times, I went to court to protect Pennsylvanians’ right to vote and ensure every vote was counted — and in the face of those attacks, we won.
Defending democracy is the foundation for making progress in Pennsylvania. I believe that if we want to grow our economy, improve our schools, and make our communities safer, then we need a stable democracy where all Pennsylvanians’ voices can be heard. As governor, I will continue my work to ensure voters have access to the ballot box and that every legal vote is counted in every election. That’s why I released a 10-step plan to defend democracy, ensure access to the ballot, and improve our elections by appointing a pro-democracy secretary of state, allowing counties to pre-canvass and cure ballots, establishing automatic voter registration and early in-person voting, and vetoing any attempt to restrict mail-in voting in Pennsylvania.
I will work with anyone in good faith to ensure election security, defend our democracy, and improve our elections — but I will have no patience for anyone acting in bad faith or seeking to undermine Pennsylvanians’ rights.
How would you position Pennsylvania to be a leader on environmental issues, including climate change?
We need to take real action to address climate change, protect and create energy jobs, and ensure Pennsylvanians have reliable, affordable, and clean power for the long term. I refuse to accept the false choice between protecting jobs or protecting our planet — we must do both.
Throughout my entire career, I have worked to defend Pennsylvanians’ constitutional right to clean air and pure water — and as governor, I will continue that work by investing in clean energy and clean transportation, adopting the 2020 Grand Jury Report recommendations to minimize health hazards arising from fracking, capping orphaned oil and gas wells, and addressing lead contamination in order to keep protecting Pennsylvania’s environment.
As governor, my priority will be ensuring Pennsylvania has a comprehensive climate and energy policy that protects consumers, capitalizes on our strength as an energy hub, safeguards our environment, and moves our commonwealth forward.
Some states have acted to restrict the rights of transgender individuals. What is your position on transgender rights?
Too many Republican politicians across the country are focused on demonizing children and pushing cruel, divisive legislation that will do nothing to address the concerns I hear about from Pennsylvanians every day — like combating rising costs, improving our schools, or making our communities safer. Throughout my career, I have stood up to defend Pennsylvanians’ rights and advance equality in our commonwealth. As attorney general, I’ve seen firsthand the threats and violence trans people face — and I know we must do more to address these issues.
As governor, I will continue my work to defend Pennsylvanians’ rights and advance equality, putting real political capital behind the effort to finally pass nondiscrimination legislation, expanding hate crimes laws to cover LGBTQ+ individuals, eliminating the “gay and trans panic” defense, and investing in mental health resources for LGBTQ+ youth.
Experts predict the U.S. Supreme Court could soon overturn Roe v. Wade, which established the constitutional right to abortion. It would then be up to Pennsylvania lawmakers to govern the procedure. What is your position on abortion? Should it be protected or restricted?
Throughout my career, I have always fought to protect reproductive rights — and as governor, I will stand up to any attempt to further restrict the right to choose in Pennsylvania. As Republicans across the country and right here in Pennsylvania lead a concerted effort to ban abortion, who we elect as our next governor will quite literally decide whether women’s reproductive freedoms continue to exist in our commonwealth. I will continue to stand with Pennsylvania women and ensure we protect and expand access to reproductive health care here in Pennsylvania.
What should Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, now set at $7.25 an hour, be?
Right now, Pennsylvanians are being crushed under a mountain of rising prices, and for too many, the economy is not working for them or their families. Republicans in Harrisburg have been in control of the Legislature for over 12 years, and throughout that entire time, they have never raised our minimum wage — even as every neighboring state has raised theirs.
As businesses face persistent labor shortages, we need to make Pennsylvania more competitive and more affordable for working families. We need to build an economy that invests in our workforce, rewards hard work, and creates opportunities for Pennsylvanians to get ahead. That’s why as governor, I’ll continue to stand up for our workers, and ensure that every Pennsylvania worker is paid a living wage of at least $15 an hour.
What makes you tick? What is an example of when your passion and government service worked hand in hand?
My public service is grounded in my faith — and my faith teaches me that no one is required to complete the task, but neither are we free to refrain from it. To me, that means I have a responsibility to get in the game and fight for the people I serve.
Throughout my career, I’ve taken on the big fights and delivered real results for Pennsylvanians in all 67 counties — from uncovering decades of sexual abuse and coverups in the Catholic Church and holding drug companies accountable for fueling the opioid crisis, to fighting for workers who have been ripped off by wealthy corporations and protecting access to health care for almost 2 million people in western Pennsylvania. I am proud of my work protecting Pennsylvanians — and I know there is so much more to be done.
People across our commonwealth are facing serious challenges right now, and in these difficult times, Pennsylvanians need a governor who will have their backs and fight for them. I will be a governor they can count on — one who will cut costs and grow our economy, fix our education system, and ensure we have safe communities.
What, if anything, would you do to reform Pennsylvania’s criminal justice system? Would you support legalization of marijuana for adult recreational use?
As attorney general, I have worked hard to keep our communities safe and make our criminal justice system more fair and just for all Pennsylvanians, and I’ve brought people together to create real solutions. Every day, I work with law enforcement partners to ensure they are able to do their jobs of keeping Pennsylvanians safe — and we have worked together to make progress on creating a more just criminal justice system. For example, I brought the Legislative Black Caucus and law enforcement leaders to the table to create the first statewide database for police misconduct.
As governor, I will continue bringing community leaders and law enforcement officials together to make Pennsylvania communities safer and our criminal justice system more fair — from legalizing marijuana for adult recreational use and expanding addiction treatment and re-entry programs, to reforming our probation and parole systems and fully funding our police and public defenders to ensure our communities are safe and Pennsylvanians’ rights are protected.
What are the bounds of political rhetoric? What duty do elected leaders have to speak truthfully and communicate fact-based information to voters?
Elected leaders have a responsibility to bring people together and act in the best interest of the people we serve — and that starts with speaking the truth. Throughout my career, I’ve taken on the big fights, and fought to deliver real results for the people of Pennsylvania. As I campaign and meet people all across this commonwealth — and God willing, as our next governor — I will continue to speak the truth, fight to tackle the most important issues, and do everything in my power to bring people together and move Pennsylvania forward.
Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania’s attorney general, and a former state representative and county commissioner from Montgomery County, is seeking the Democratic nomination for Pennsylvania governor in the May 17 primary.
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