Six candidates are on the ballot for Pennsylvania’s next Attorney General, a state position responsible for ensuring public safety through prosecuting public corruption and organized crime.
The position is currently occupied by Michelle Henry (D), who took office in January 2023 and is not seeking a term this election. She was appointed by former Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D) to finish his four-year term after he was elected Governor in 2022.
Here’s what the candidates have to say about their stances on student issues like gun control and environmental sustainability.
Eugene DePasquale (D)
DePasquale previously served in the Pennsylvania General Assembly and two terms as the state’s Auditor General from 2013-21. As Auditor General, he uncovered $103 million dollars of misused state funds and addressed 58,000 ignored calls from the Child Abuse Hotline, WHYY reported.
In 2018, DePasquale released an official report from the Auditor General’s Office detailing recommendations to reduce gun violence by implementing specialized mental health training, hunter education programs and in-depth background checks.
“When it comes to priorities, reproductive freedom is certainly a top priority of mine, and certainly safer communities is another critical part — and also consumer protection,” DePasquale told The Temple News.
Some of DePasquale’s other top issues include fighting price gouging in healthcare and pursuing predatory scams, according to his campaign website. He also plans to fight against corporate pollution and invest in opioid addiction treatment programs.
Dave Sunday (R)
Sunday, who currently serves as York County’s District Attorney, has been in office since 2018. Before his tenure, he was a leader in the formation of the Group Violence Initiative and the York Regional Opiate Collaborative, which reduced crime by 30% and equipped law enforcement with Narcan.
Sunday supports the current abortion laws in Pennsylvania and will defend the current legislation, he said in the Attorney General debate on Oct. 3. He also said he would model crime deterrence after York’s GVI, which encourages communication with block leaders and community members to hold offenders accountable.
Sunday’s campaign is most concerned with fighting the opioid epidemic and increasing consumer protections, according to his campaign website. He currently serves on the Elder Abuse Task Force in York County, which protects senior citizens from predatory scams. He also appointed a special prosecutor dedicated to elder abuse.
Sunday did not respond to The Temple News’ request for comment on his campaign.
Richard Weiss (G)
Weiss is a lawyer who has practiced both local and international law. Weiss feels most passionately about his opposition to United States military assistance in the Israel-Hamas War, he said.
“I have pledged that if elected, I will sue the federal government,” Weiss told The Temple News. “The Foreign Assistance Act does not allow providing any military assistance when humanitarian aid is restricted or impeded, and that’s what’s going on right now.”
Weiss’ other key stances include wanting to eliminate slave labor in prisons and pursue legal action against unregulated fracking wells and pursuing corrupt politicians, according to Ballotpedia.
Eric Settle (Forward)
Settle previously served as Deputy General Counsel to former Gov. Tom Ridge and was a Policy Director for a democratic mayoral candidate, according to his campaign website.
The most important thing to his campaign is making voters aware of third party options, Settle told The Temple News.
“I say to people, ‘You’re not throwing away your vote when you vote for me,’” Settle said. “‘You’re actually sending a message that says we want more than two choices.’”
Settle supports sustainability efforts, the right to an abortion and gun control, according to his campaign website. Settle also wants to ensure job security in healthcare by overseeing transactions between non-profit hospitals and corporate entities.
Justin Magill (Constitution)
Magill is a U.S. Army veteran and currently practices estate planning in Erie, Pennsylvania, according to his website. He is currently the vice chairman of the Constitution Party of Pennsylvania.
“The biggest priority to me is making sure that the government is held in check,” Magill told The Temple News. “The Attorney General’s Office has a great authority to do that, to investigate accusations from the general public about what government officials are doing.”
Magill believes that the government should have no involvement in the free market and that abortion should be considered murder. Magill does not support any restrictions on firearms.
Rob Cowburn (Libertarian)
Cowburn is an attorney for Sommer Law Group in Pittsburgh. Cowburn’s top issues are fighting government corruption, expanding charter schools and eliminating business regulations, according to his campaign website.
He is also an advocate for state autonomy and rank-choice voting.
Cowburn did not respond to The Temple News’ request to comment on his campaign.
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