As soon as he throws his hat into the ring, he receives endorsements at the top of the list.
Today is a good day for the Allegheny County GOP chairman Jason Richeywho not only announced that he was the Republican candidate for the lieutenant governor nomination, but also received the support of the only Republican candidate for governor, Stacy Garrity.
“Growing up in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, I witnessed first-hand the impact that economic downturns and lack of opportunity had on a community and its residents,” Richey said. “Today, because of failed policies and ineffective leadership, our economy is stagnating and opportunities are dwindling.”
“We need to turn things around in Pennsylvania now, and I believe Stacy Garrity is the person who can fix Pennsylvania,” Richey said. “I am thrilled to join Stacy in the quest to save Pennsylvania. Stacy has demonstrated leadership, fiscal discipline, a deep commitment to serving Pennsylvanians and the ability to win across the state.”
Richey, an Allegheny College graduate, was an outstanding wrestler as a student, winning over 100 matches and earning Academic All-America honors three times.
He is a graduate of Ohio State College of Law and is a partner at K&L Gates in Pittsburgh, specializing in the areas of dispute resolution with an emphasis on the construction and engineering industries, intricate commercial disputes, energy disputes, and state and local bid protests.
In a conversation with Pittsburgh Postal NewspaperRichey said he wasn’t initially looking for the role given his law practice and organizing work with the Allegheny County GOP. But when he got the calls from Garrity, Senator Dave McCormickand donors asking him to consider running, he changed his mind.
“Everyone thought I would be in a good position and that I could help both campaign and govern,” he said. “I thought about it and came to the conclusion that the same reasons why I ran for governor four years ago still exist.”
Garrity, who recently told reporters over lunch at the Pennsylvania Press Club that she had not made a decision on her preferred running mate, said Richey’s name came to the fore after numerous conversations with political, civic and business leaders from across the Commonwealth.
“Pennsylvania has many leaders who believe we can and should do better than we did under Josh Shapiro’s failed administration, and through these discussions, one candidate rose to the top and joined our campaign as my running mate: Jason Richey,” Garrity said in a news release.
“Jason Richey is not only an accomplished attorney, but also a committed civic leader in the greater Pittsburgh area. Jason understands the potential that Pennsylvania has, but only if our Commonwealth has the right leadership. Jason shares my grave concerns about Josh Shapiro an unsuccessful term as governor that ranked Pennsylvania 41st in the nation, and he is committed to turning Pennsylvania around. “Jason Richey will not only be an incredible partner on the campaign trail, but also a great governance partner for all Pennsylvanians.”
Richey ran for the 2022 Republican nomination for governor but dropped out before the primary and endorsed former U.S. attorney William McSwain.
Republicans hope that Richey, through his contacts in Allegheny County, will be able to lend a hand raise much-needed funds so Garrity can compete with Shapiro’s $30 million total.
Several other Republicans have announced runs for the second seat, including: Rep. Cris Dush (R-Jefferson) and a retired UPS executive John Ventre. Two others suggested possible candidates – a former state representative. Rick Saccone and the state’s 2022 GOP gubernatorial candidate Senator Doug Mastrian (R-Franklin).
“At a time when Pennsylvanians worry that Trump will unleash violence in our communities and raise costs, Jason Richey offers only the same tired, extreme Republican playbook that hurts working people, weakens our schools and raises the cost of living,” said executive director of the Democratic Lt. Governors Association Kevin Holst.
“His record speaks for itself: Richey sought to control school curricula under the guise of “critical race theory” bans, roll back voting rights by eliminating mail-in voting, and impose extreme restrictions on access to abortion.
“The choice is clear: Pennsylvania can move forward Lt. Governor Austin Davisthat focuses on protecting our rights, lowering costs and delivering real results – or we can let Richey drag us down with dangerous policies that will raise costs for families and make our communities less safe.”
