This is the third in our series highlighting the statewide row offices, today looking at the contest for Attorney General.
With a budget of $144 million and a staff of 1,060 prosecutors, attorneys, investigators, and other staff, the Office of Attorney General is, at its core, the law firm that represents Pennsylvania’s vast government and defends its laws in court.
But it also investigates and prosecutes everything from organized crime to political corruption, a mission that over the past several decades has boosted the office’s profile — and by extension, the public profile of the person at the helm of the agency.
Democrat Eugene DePasquale, Republican Dave Sunday, Eric Settle of the Forward Party, Robert Cowburn of the Libertarian Party, Justin Magill of the Constitution Party, and Richard Weiss of the Green Party are the six candidates in the contest.
Eugene DePasquale (D)
Website | Twitter
Facebook | Instagram
YouTube | Endorsements
State Auditor General 2013-2021; State representative 2007-13
BA: College of Wooster ’93
MPA: University of Pittsburgh ’97
JD: Widener University ’02
Residence: Pittsburgh
- Defending Reproductive Freedom
- Fighting Public Corruption
- Advocating for Consumer Protections
- Strengthening Public Education
- Reducing Gun Violence
- Protecting Voting Rights and Democracy
- Protecting the LGBTQ+ Community
- Taking on Healthcare and Insurance Companies
Dave Sunday (R)
Website | Endorsements
York County District Attorney
BA: Penn State University ’02
JD: Widener Law School ’07
Resides: Spring Garden Township, York County
- Rebuild the Bureau of School Audits
- Restart the annual compliance audits that the current Auditor General ended
- Demand accountability from all our schools—including cyber charters
- Create the first-ever Bureau of Labor and Worker Protections
- Analyze our approach to community safety and gun violence reduction to target investments in strategies that effectively reduce crime
Eric Settle (Forward)
Website | Twitter
Facebook | Instagram
Former Deputy General Counsel to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, leading efforts in Healthcare and Environmental Affairs.
BA: Colgate University
JD: George Washington
Resides: Montgomery County
- Time for Pennsylvania to have open primaries so that all voters Have the opportunity to express their preferences
- End gerrymandering and try to have competitive districts
- Must find ways, consistent with constitutional rights, to reduce the number of illegal weapons on our streets.
Rob Cowburn (Libertarian)
Website
Senior Litigation and Corporate Counsel Attorney
BS: Point Park ’11
JD: Suffolk University ’16
Resides: Mount Lebanon, Allegheny County
- Implement rigorous transparency measures, making government decision-making processes open and accessible to the public
- Establish a specialized anti-corruption unit within the Attorney General’s office, tasked with investigating and prosecuting corrupt practices at all levels of government
- Ensure that Pennsylvania exercises its Tenth Amendment rights to nullify federal laws that encroach upon state sovereignty
- Advocate for electoral reforms that break the stranglehold of the two-party system, such as implementing ranked-choice voting and reducing barriers for third-party candidates.
Justin Magill (Constitution)
Website | Facebook
Attorney
BA: Edinboro University ’11
JD: Roger Williams University ’15
Resides: Millcreek, Erie County
Issues
- Advise our public functionaries on proper governance
- Purpose of government is to secure our God-given Individual Rights.
Richard Weiss (Green)
Website | Twitter
Facebook
BA: University of Pittsburgh ’89
JD: University of Denver ’92
MS: University of Chicago ’98
Resides: Bethel Park, Allegheny County
- Pursue those responsible for over half a million uncapped fracking wells in Pennsylvania and require owners of currently active wells to set aside funds for capping
- Pursue public officials that refuse or return gifts they receive
- Sue any federal government administration that continues to provide military aid in violation of the Foreign Assistance Act
- Create a system of special courts and special prosecutors dedicated to trials regarding charges of police misconduct.
Debates
In The News
- Republicans outspend Democrats by $10M on TV ads in Pa. attorney general race. (Spotlight PA, Oct. 31)
- Pennsylvania’s AG Candidates Plan Different Opioid Approaches. (Legal Reader, Oct. 31)
- Keystone Candidate Forum (PoliticsPA, Oct. 30)
- Is abortion a constitutional right in Pa.? Depends on which AG candidate you ask. (Philadelphia Inquirer, Oct. 29)
- How Pa.’s candidates for attorney general would work with Philly DA Larry Krasner. (Philadelphia Inquirer, Oct. 25)
- Pennsylvania attorney general candidates debate gun control, theft rings and bail changes. (WESA, Oct. 16)
- DePasquale and Sunday square off in first Pennsylvania attorney general debate. (Penn Capital-Star, Oct. 4)
- Former auditor general and York County DA headline 6-way election contest for Pa. attorney general. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Oct. 1)
- Decision 2024: The attorney general race. (City & State Pennsylvania, Oct. 1)
- Race to watch: Pennsylvania’s 2024 general election for attorney general. (WHYY, Sept. 6)
- Pa. election 2024: A complete guide to the candidates for attorney general. (Spotlight PA, Sept. 2)
By The Numbers
2024 Primary: DePasquale d. four challengers with 43.7%. Sunday d. Craig Williams, 68-32%.
2020 General: Josh Shapiro d. Heather Heidelbaugh, 51-46%
Fundraising 2024
- Raised: $1,761,210.62
- Spent: $3,624,851.00
- Cash on Hand: $298,937.55
- Raised: $1,362,976.69
- Spent: $157,407.39
- Cash on Hand: $1,238,339.19
Eric Settle for Attorney General
- Raised: $8,886.01
- Spent: $18,084.53
- Cash on Hand: $8,147.43