The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, National Federation of Independent Business and Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association have endorsed state Sen. John Rafferty for Pennsylvania attorney general.
State Chamber of Business and Industry president Gene Barr said, “John Rafferty’s previous role as a deputy attorney general, coupled with his experience practicing law in the private sector, make him uniquely qualified to be Pennsylvania’s next attorney general. During his tenure as a state senator, Sen. Rafferty has pushed forward proposals to bring more fairness to the commonwealth’s legal climate. He is also dedicated to making the citizens of Pennsylvania safer and more secure, by pledging to combat the state’s growing heroin epidemic, uphold the laws of the commonwealth and bring integrity to the Office of Attorney General.”
Rafferty faces Democrat Josh Shapiro, a Montgomery County commissioner.
Democrat Kathleen Kane, elected in 2012, awaits sentencing after being convicted of leaking secret grand jury information to the Philadelphia Daily News to discredit former state prosecutor Frank Fina, her archrival.
“We are going to pull out all of the stops to educate small business owners about this vital public office and the need for Pennsylvanians to elect a top prosecutor who actually has experience prosecuting bad guys. This position simply is too important to entrust to any candidate with no prosecutorial experience. This is an office in crisis — its reputation sullied by a predecessor who was woefully unqualified and who used the position to carry out their own partisan political agenda and who ultimately was convicted for those actions. Frankly, small business owners have run out of patience electing candidates who need on-the-job training. John Rafferty is ready right now,” said NFIB executive state director Kevin Shivers.
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The Philadelphia Inquirer endorsed Katie McGinty in the race for U.S. Senate.
McGinty, former chief of staff for Gov. Tom Wolf, faces Republican Sen. Pat Toomey and Libertarian Edward T. Clifford III.
The Inquirer dismissed Toomey as a “product of the radical right.”
The newspaper said McGinty “has a genuine grasp on the human consequences of government policies and seeks to improve the quality of life for all.”
McGinty also received the endorsement of the Pride Fund to End Gun Violence, America’s only LGBTQ organization focused soley on gun policy reform.
“She will be steadfast in her support for gun reforms and for the LGBT community. She will not waiver, unlike her opponent, who boasted an ‘A’ rating by the NRA,” said Jason Lindsay, founder and executive director of Pride Fund. “She supports universal background checks and banning civilian sales of military style weapons and high capacity magazines — like the weapon used to murder 49 people and injure 53 others at Pulse in Orlando. In this election, lives are at stake and we must take action on gun reform. Toomey’s votes following the Orlando massacre have shown that he has failed in his duties to make America safer and doesn’t deserve to keep his job. Katie is the clear choice.”
McGinty also received the endorsement of two organizations, the Newtown Action Alliance and States United to Prevent Gun Violence Action Fund Inc.
The Newtown Action Alliance is a volunteer grassroots organization founded by Newtown, Connecticut residents after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that seeks to decrease gun violence through new laws and cultural change.
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The Times of Chester County endorsed Toomey.
The newspaper ripped McGinty as “a not particularly accomplished public servant” and said it would have endorsed Joe Sestak had he been the Democratic nominee. McGinty “probably won’t be a leading light of the Senate,” the paper said.
The paper credited Toomey with working well across the aisle on gun issues and for partnering with Democratic Sen. Bob Casey Jr. on state issues, and described him as “intelligent and exceptionally well versed in the issues.” ••
