Voting in Gettysburg? A Guide to the Candidates on Your Pennsylvania Ballot
Students waiting in line to vote in CUB Ballroom during the 2022 midterm elections. (William Oehler/The Gettysburgian)
By Vincent DiFonzo, Editor-in-Chief
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, many eligible Gettysburg College students will cast their vote in the 2024 election. The race for the presidency between candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump remains historically deadlocked throughout the country, even more so in swing state Pennsylvania.
Voters in Pennsylvania, in addition to the presidential race, will be voting for their representatives in the U.S. Senate, State Senate, U.S. House of Representatives and State House of Representatives. Additionally, Pennsylvanians will elect their state attorney general, auditor general and treasurer.
If you are registered to vote on campus, your polling place will be the College Union Ballroom.
See which candidates will be on your ballot:
U.S. Senate
Democratic Senator Bob Casey is running for re-election to the U.S. Senate. First elected in 2006, Casey serves as Pennsylvania’s senior senator alongside fellow Democrat John Fetterman. Casey is the son of Bob Casey Sr., who served as governor between 1987 and 1995.
A native of Scranton, Casey earned his bachelor’s degree from the College of the Holy Cross and his JD from Catholic University. Following this, he served as Pennsylvania’s auditor general and as treasurer before his election to the Senate.
Official portrait of U.S. Senator Bob Casey, 2016.
Issues listed on Casey’s campaign website include “protecting our rights and freedoms;” “supporting our veterans;” “supporting our seniors, children and people with disabilities;” “fighting for our workers;” “lowering costs and fighting greedflation;” “fighting fentanyl;” “safety and security at home and abroad;” “standing up for rural communities;” “preserving Pennsylvania’s energy legacy” and “safeguarding and expanding affordable health care.”
Additionally, Casey lists his five largest achievements during his second term in the Senate as the passage of the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act, the Stephen Beck, Jr. Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act and the Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act, in addition to “2015 Education Reform Efforts,” and “2015 Business Tax and Growth Incentives.”
Casey sits on four Senate committees: the Committee on Finance; the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; the Select Committee on Intelligence and the Special Committee on Aging.
Organizations endorsing Casey include both the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Building & Construction Trades Council, United Auto Workers, Pennsylvania’s chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, and the state Teamster’s conference, the BlueGreen Alliance, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Human Rights Campaign, the National Security Leaders for America, and the Guardian Civic League, as reported by Spotlight PA.
Challenging Casey is Republican candidate David McCormick, former CEO of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates and Treasury Department official in the George W. Bush Administration. McCormick previously ran for Senate in 2022, being defeated in the Republican primary by Mehmet Oz, who then lost the election to Fetterman.
A native of the Pittsburgh area, McCormick earned his undergraduate degree from West Point and later his Ph.D in international relations from Princeton University.
Issues listed on McCormick’s campaign website include “inflation and the economy,” “securing our border,” “American on the world stage,” “stopping violent crime,” “growing Pennsylvania’s energy sector,” “educating Pennsylvania’s children,” “preventing fentanyl from ravaging communities,” “harnessing American innovation,” “ending China’s free rein,” “supporting Pennsylvania’s veterans,” “election integrity,” “abortion,” “Second Amendment,” “crypto,” “standing up for American values” and “the ways of Washington.”
Endorsements of McCormick include the Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police and the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, as well as Donald Trump.
Third party candidates include Libertarian John C. Thomas, Constitution Party candidate Marty Selker and Green Party candidate Lelia Hazou.
The Senate race will likely be narrow as Casey and McCormick are essentially tied in polling.
Pennsylvania Senate (District 33)
Republican Doug Mastriano is running for re-election to represent Senate District 33, which encompasses Adams and Franklin counties.
Mastriano was born and raised in New Jersey, moving to Pennsylvania to study at Eastern College, where he earned his undergraduate degree. Mastriano also holds three master’s degrees, from the National Intelligence University, Air University and Army War College respectively, as well as a Ph.D. in history from the University of New Brunswick in Canada.
Mastriano is a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving from 1986 to 2017 and attaining the rank of colonel. Following a failed congressional campaign, Mastriano was elected to the State Senate in 2019.
Mastriano is known for his ties to far-right politics and to Christian nationalism. After Trump’s electoral defeat in 2020, he gained national attention for his efforts to overturn the election results in Pennsylvania.
Official portrait of State Senator Doug Mastriano.
He also attended Trump’s Jan. 6 rally, which culminated in the storming of the U.S. Capitol Building. Video depicts Mastriano illegally crossing police barriers during the riot. He was subpoenaed by the U.S. House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack in February 2022 but stopped cooperating with the committee in August 2023.
In 2022, Mastriano sparked controversy after a 2014 photo of him wearing a Confederate uniform at Army War College was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by Reuters.
Following this, an Army War College spokesperson stated, “The faculty photo did not get the team’s attention; the photo has since been removed because it does not meet AWC values.”
Policy achievements listed on Mastriano’s campaign website include “combatting the fentanyl crisis,” “protecting first responders and tow truck operators,” “preserving farmland” and “securing our rights and freedoms.”
Mastriano chairs the Pennsylvania Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness and serves as vice-chair of the Committee on Education. He also sits on the following committees: Agriculture & Rural Affairs, Game & Fisheries and Intergovernmental Operations and State Government.
Mastriano is challenged by Cameron Schroy, a civics teacher and the chair of the Franklin County Democratic Party.
“From raising the minimum wage to climate action to fully funding our local public schools, Cameron is a believer in progressive values and positive change,” his website reads.
Issues mentioned on his campaign website include raising the minimum wage, funding public schools and taking action to combat climate change.
Mastriano is heavily favored to win his bid for re-election. He was last re-elected with 68.6% of the vote in 2020. Adams and Franklin counties are both Republican strongholds.
U.S. Congress (District 13)
Republican Rep. John Joyce is running for re-election to Pennsylvania’s thirteenth House district, which includes all of Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin and Perry counties, as well as parts of Somerset and Cumberland counties.
Official portrait of Rep. John Joyce.
Rep. Joyce was born and raised in Altoona and earned his undergraduate degree at Penn State University. Later, he earned a Doctor of Medicine from Temple University’s medical school. He and his wife, Dr. Alice Plummer Joyce, have operated Altoona Dermatology Associates since 1991, according to his website.
“Since arriving on Capitol Hill, Congressman Joyce has prioritized and championed legislation and initiatives focused on delivering affordable, quality healthcare in rural communities, lowering energy prices and expanding access to high-speed internet across South Central Pennsylvania,” Joyce’s campaign website reads.
Rep. Joyce is challenged by Democrat Beth Farnham, a self-described stay-at-home mom, school board member and community activist. A native of Maryland, she earned her undergraduate degree from Towson University before moving to Adams County.
Farnham’s priorities in Congress listed on her campaign website include democracy, reproductive freedom, gun safety, healthcare and public education. Farnham also visited campus on Wednesday and met with College Democrats in Glatfelter Hall.
Rep. Joyce is heavily favored to win his bid for re-election. Pennsylvania’s thirteenth district is not considered competitive. Cook Political Report lists Pennsylvania’s thirteenth district as the most Republican in the state.
Pennsylvania House of Representatives (District 91)
Republican Rep. Dan Moul is running for re-election to his seat, which encompasses part of Adams County. A native of Hanover, he earned his undergraduate degree at York College before working in sales at Utz and later in real estate, according to his website.
Official portrait of State Rep. Dan Moul.
“A strong advocate for government reform, Moul is fighting for meaningful tax, regulatory and welfare reforms, commonsense budgeting and measures to protect the safety and welfare of Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable citizens — children, the elderly and disabled,” reads Moul’s website.
In the State House, Rep. Moul chairs the Agriculture & Rural Affairs committee. His website also notes that he “previously chaired the House Local Government Committee, and served as vice chairman of the House Children and Youth Committee, where he was instrumental in strengthening state laws to protect children from sexual predators and other forms of child abuse.”
In 2023, a Gettysburg student authored an opinion piece detailing a negative experience involving Rep. Moul at the Gettysburg College Republicans Lincoln Legacy Dinner.
Moul is expected to win his bid for re-election as he is running unopposed.
Attorney General
The attorney general serves as Pennsylvania’s chief law enforcement officer, mainly acting as the state’s chief prosecutor. The attorney general prosecutes crimes on behalf of Pennsylvania, such as cases involving corruption and organized crime.
Incumbent attorney general Michelle Henry, a Democrat, is not running for re-election. Governor Josh Shapiro, who served as attorney general until his election to the governor’s mansion, appointed Henry to finish out his term..
Eugene DePasquale, the Democratic nominee, previously served as auditor general and as a member of the Pennsylvania House, representing part of York County.
DePasquale was born in Pittsburgh and earned his undergraduate degree from the College of Wooster in Ohio, his master’s from the University of Pittsburgh and his juris doctor from Widener University in Harrisburg.
In their endorsement of DePasquale, The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote, “It is essential, then, that voters select a candidate with the ability to take on the full scope of the job. Someone with experience navigating Harrisburg and the requisite independence to take on any person or organization that is harming the public welfare in the commonwealth.”
DePasquale also ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2020, losing to Republican Rep. Scott Perry.
Other endorsements include the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association, the Giffords Law Center, the Conservation Voters of PA and Planned Parenthood of Pennsylvania, as reported by Spotlight PA.
His campaign website lists the following issues: fighting public corruption, advocating for consumer protections, strengthening public education, reducing gun violence, cracking down on crime, protecting voting rights and democracy, backing unions, fighting for a fair economy, protecting the LGBTQ+ community, taking on healthcare and insurance companies, fighting for environmental justice and tackling the opioid epidemic.
Dave Sunday is the Republican nominee for attorney general. Raised in Cumberland County, Sunday joined the U.S. Navy upon graduating high school.
During his time in the military, his campaign website notes that he was “deployed to the Persian Gulf, where he participated in Operation Desert Strike. [Sunday] was also deployed to South America and conducted numerous counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean.”
After the Navy, he earned his undergraduate degree from Penn State and his JD from Widener. He worked for 15 years as a prosecutor in York County, and since 2018 as the county’s district attorney.
Spotlight PA noted that Sunday “has made public safety and battling the opioid epidemic the cornerstone of his campaign for the office.”
In January 2020, then-Speaker of the Pennsylvania House Mike Turzai appointed Sunday to the state’s Commision on Sentencing.
“District Attorney Dave Sunday is leading York County’s efforts to increase public safety, promote community well-being, and fight against violence and illegal drugs,” his website reads.
Sunday has earned the endorsement of law enforcement organizations including the Pennsylvania Sheriffs Association PAC, Pennsylvania State Troopers Association and the state’s Fraternal Order of Police.
Third party candidates include Libertarian Robert Cowburn, Eric L. Settle of the Forward Party, Justin L. Magill of the Constitution Party and Richard L. Weiss of the Green Party.
Auditor General
The auditor general is the chief fiscal officer of the state, responsible for performing financial audits of organizations and institutions receiving state funding. This includes audits of municipal governments, school districts, state agencies, hospitals, universities and corporate tax returns.
Republican Tim DeFoor, first elected in 2020, is running for re-election as auditor general. The first Black auditor general in Pennsylvania history, DeFoor was raised in Harrisburg and earned his undergraduate degree at Penn State, and then another at the University of Pittsburgh. He also earned his master’s at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.
DeFoor has previously worked as an investigator for the Office of the Inspector General and the Office of the Attorney General. His first elected office was as Dauphin County controller in 2015. DeFoor was successfully elected as auditor general in 2020.
“My first four years were about transformation and improvement; the next four years will be ensuring the job gets done. Pennsylvania taxpayers deserve more, and they can trust me to continue to deliver,” his campaign website reads.
Organizations that have endorsed DeFoor include the Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police, Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry and Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association.
Democrat Malcolm Kenyatta, a state representative from Philadelphia, is challenging DeFoor. Kenyatta earned his undergraduate degree from Temple and his master’s at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
After his election to the Pennsylvania House, Kenyatta became both the youngest state representative and the first openly gay state representative of color in Pennsylvania history.
“I’m running for Auditor General because it’s time for the underdog to become the watchdog for Pennsylvania’s working families. I want to ask the tough questions, streamline government operations, and build coalitions to fix what’s broken. For over half a decade as a state representative, I’ve worked to protect the right to vote, choose, and be protected in the job,” Kenyatta’s campaign website reads.
Kenyatta’s campaign lists issues including government corruption and waste, standing up for workers, rebuilding the Bureau of School Audits, creating the first-ever Bureau of Labor and Worker Protections and cracking down on “wage theft, employee misclassification and union busting.”
Kenyatta also unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate in 2022, placing third in the Democratic primary behind John Fetterman and Conor Lamb.
Organizations that have endorsed Kenyatta include unions such as the American Federation of Teachers and the Pennsylvania State Building and Construction Trades Council, in addition to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Former President Barack Obama has also endorsed Kenyatta.
Third party candidates in the race include Libertarian Reece Smith, Bob Goodrich of the Constitution Party and Eric K. Anton of the American Solidarity Party.
The results in the state-wide race for auditor general are likely to be narrow.
State Treasurer
The state treasurer is responsible for the state’s finances and investments, as well as for oversight over the finances of state agencies.
Incumbent Republican Stacy Garrity is running for re-election. A Pennsylvania native, she earned her undergraduate degree from Bloomsburg University.
She enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Iraq. Her website says that she “received national attention for her decorated service on the battlefields of Iraq.”
Garrity served a total of three tours in Iraq: Desert Storm in 1991, Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and Enduring Freedom in 2008. She was awarded the Bronze Star twice and the Legion of Merit before retiring from the Army, according to her website.
Her website also notes that “Iraqis dubbed her ‘the Angel of the Desert’ when her service at Camp Bucca in Southern Iraq resulted in a perfect record.”
Elected as state treasurer in 2020, Garrity’s campaign lists issues such as taxpayer transparency, unclaimed property rights, eliminating hidden waste, making education affordable and sensible fiscal policies.
Her endorsements include the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association, Philadelphia Firefighters IAFF Local 22, the Pennsylvania State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police, the Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Constables, Pennsylvania Laborers’ District Council and numerous county commissioners, as reported by Spotlight PA.
Democrat Erin McClelland is the Democratic nominee challenging Garrity. A native of Allegheny County in Western Pennsylvania, she studied at the University of Pittsburgh for undergrad before earning her master’s at Chatham University.
McClelland’s website says that she worked as a substance abuse and mental health counselor for 15 years. She ran for Congress in Pennsylvania’s twelfth district in 2014 and 2016, losing both runs to her Republican opponent.
“Being on the ballot with Donald Trump and seeing first-hand the issues of rural and working-class voters ignored by my own party was an experience and a conscious awareness that I carry with me to this day,” her website reads.
Issues highlighted by her campaign include rebuilding the supply chain and ending pension privatization.
“My experience has taught me, in any large complex adaptive system, it doesn’t matter how good your intentions are if you don’t have viable systemic answers to two fundamental questions: What problem are you trying to solve and what is the root cause of this problem?”, her website reads.
McClelland earned the endorsement of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who wrote, “Voters should reject Republican incumbent Stacy Garrity, whose undermining of the state’s free and fair elections disqualifies her from holding public office.”
Other endorsements include PA AFL-CIO, United Steelworkers District 10, Amalgamated Transit Union Pennsylvania Joint Conference Board, the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the Great Lakes Building Trades, Planned Parenthood of Pennsylvania and Action Together NEPA, Spotlight PA reported.
Third party candidates include Libertarian Nickolas Ciesielski, Chris Fost of the Freedom Party and Troy Bowman of the Forward Party.
The results in the state-wide race for treasurer are likely to be narrow.
