The lieutenant governor’s race is often overshadowed by the race for governor, the legislature and other statewide offices.
But the state’s lieutenant governor is an important elective office.
The lieutenant governor is the state’s highest officer following the governor and assumes the role when the governor is out of state or incapacitated. The lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate and chairs the state Board of Pardons.
In the May 17 primary there are three candidates running to become the Democratic Party’s nominee for lieutenant governor: Austin Davis of McKeesport, state Rep. Brian Sims of Philadelphia, and Ray Sosa of Montgomery County, a banker and insurance agent.
The Tribune endorses Rep. Austin Davis for Pennsylvania lieutenant governor. The three-term state representative is a leader in the state legislature.
Davis, 32, grew up outside Pittsburgh in McKeesport. He was elected to the state House in 2018, and has since focused much of his attention on addressing industrial pollution in the Mon Valley, local infrastructure, and housing.
He would be Pennsylvania’s first Black lieutenant governor — and the highest-ranking Black public official in Pennsylvania history.
Davis is familiar with breaking barriers. When he was sworn into office on February 2018, he became the first African American to serve as state representative for the 35th District in Allegheny County.
Since that time Davis has demonstrated leadership in the state legislature including serving as chair of the Allegheny County House Democratic Delegation and vice chair of the House Democratic Policy Committee, as well as serving on the House Appropriations Committee, House Consumer Affairs Committee, House Insurance Committee and House Transportation Committee. He is also a member of the Climate Caucus and the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus.
Davis has introduced legislation to reinstate Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, support mental health services, and create penalties for facilities that violate pollution limits.
He supports raising the minimum wage and protecting reproductive rights.
Pennsylvania is one of few states that elect governors and lieutenant governors separately in the primary, but then as a single ticket in the general election.
Yet Attorney General Josh Shapiro, the Democratic Party’s presumed nominee for governor, is endorsing Davis for lieutenant governor.
Shapiro says he and Davis are running as a team. Sims is running ads falsely implying that Shapiro is endorsing his candidacy for lieutenant governor. Sims’ action raises questions about his integrity and provides another reason to support Davis.
Reprinted from the Philadelphia Tribune
