Garrity endorses Jason Richey for lieutenant governor

No sooner does he throw his hat into the ring, he gets endorsed by the top of the ticket.

Today is a good day for Allegheny County GOP chair Jason Richey, who not only announced that he is a candidate for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor, but also received the endorsement of the lone GOP candidate for governor, Stacy Garrity.

“Growing up in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, I witnessed firsthand the impact of economic downturn, and the lack of opportunity can have on a community and its residents,” stated Richey. “Today, because of failed policies and ineffective leadership, our economy’s stagnant, and opportunities are on the decline.”

“We must turn Pennsylvania around now and I believe that Stacy Garrity is the person who can fix Pennsylvania,” declared Richey.  “I’m excited to join Stacy on the ticket that’s going to save Pennsylvania.  Stacy has demonstrated leadership, fiscal discipline, a deep commitment to serving Pennsylvanians and the ability to win statewide.”

A graduate of Allegheny College, Richey was an outstanding wrestler as an undergraduate, winning over 100 matches, and receiving Academic All-America three times.

He graduated from the Ohio State College of Law and is a partner at K&L Gates in Pittsburgh, concentrating in the areas of dispute resolution with an emphasis on the construction and engineering industry, complex commercial disputes, energy disputes, and state and local bid protests. 

In a conversation with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Richey said he initially was not looking for the role, given his law practice and organizational work with the Allegheny County GOP. But when he received calls from Garrity, Sen. Dave McCormick, and donors asking him to consider a candidacy, he changed his mind.

“All felt I would make for a strong ticket and could help in both campaigning and governing,” he said. “I thought about it, and all the same reasons that I ran for governor four years ago still exist.”

Garrity, who recently told reporters at a Pennsylvania Press Club luncheon that she had not made a decision on a preferred running mate, said that Richey’s name rose to the top after numerous conversations with political, civic and business leaders around the Commonwealth.

“Pennsylvania has a wealth of leaders who believe we can and should do better than we are under Josh Shapiro’s failed administration, and through those discussions, one candidate rose to the top to join our campaign as my running mate: Jason Richey,” said Garrity in a press release.

“Not only is Jason Richey an accomplished attorney, but he is also a committed civic leader in the greater Pittsburgh area. Jason understands the potential Pennsylvania has, but only if our Commonwealth has the right leadership. Jason shares my serious concerns about Josh Shapiro’s failed tenure as Governor that has placed Pennsylvania 41st nationally, and he is committed to turning Pennsylvania around. Jason Richey will not just be an incredible running mate on the campaign trail, but a terrific partner in governing for all the people of Pennsylvania.”

Richey ran for the Republican nomination for governor in 2022 but dropped out prior to the primary and endorsed former U.S. Attorney William McSwain.

Republicans hope that Richey, with his connections in Allegheny County, will be able to help the ticket raise much-needed funds for Garrity to compete against the $30 million war chest compiled by Shapiro.

A handful of other Republicans have announced runs for the No. 2 spot, including Rep. Cris Dush (R-Jefferson) and retired UPS executive John Ventre. Two others have hinted at possible candidacies – former state Rep. Rick Saccone and 2022 GOP gubernatorial candidate state Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-Franklin).

“At a time when Pennsylvanians are worried about Trump unleashing violence in our communities and driving up costs, Jason Richey offers nothing but the same tired, extreme Republican playbook that hurts working people, weakens our schools, and drives up the cost of living,” said Democratic Lt. Governors Association executive director Kevin Holst.

“His record speaks for itself: Richey has 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 abortion access.

“The choice is clear: Pennsylvania can move forward with Lt. Governor Austin Davis, who’s focused on protecting our rights, lowering costs, and delivering real results – or we can let Richey drag us backward with dangerous policies that will drive up costs for families and make our communities less safe.”

Steve Ulrich is managing editor of Politics PA.