A group of nine Republicans from across the Commonwealth broke ranks today and offered their endorsement of Josh Shapiro for governor of Pennsylvania.
The current and former Republican leaders include:
- Charlie Dent, Former Congressman, Lehigh County
- Jim Greenwood, Former Congressman, Bucks County
- Sandra Schultz Newman, Former Justice of the PA Supreme Court, Montgomery County
- Denny O’Brien, Former Speaker of the House, Philadelphia County
- Dave Steil, Former PA State Representative, Bucks County
- Lita Cohen, Former PA State Representative, Montgomery County
- Robert Jubelirer, Former Lieutenant Governor, Blair County
- Morgan Boyd, Chairman, Lawrence County Board of Commissioners, Lawrence County
- Ken Davis, Former Montgomery County GOP Chair, Montgomery County
It is a continued sign of discord amongst the Republican establishment that fought against the nomination of eventual winner Doug Mastriano. The state senator from Franklin County earned the nod by securing 44 percent of the GOP vote in May.
“I’ve been a Republican my entire life, and I have always supported Pennsylvania’s Republican Governors – but in this election, I am proud to endorse Josh Shapiro,” said Dent. “Josh has integrity and always works to bring people together. We may not always agree on every policy position, but that is to be expected. His focus on improving our economy, strengthening our schools, and keeping our communities safe is what Pennsylvania needs now.”
“As the first female Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, I know the stakes of this Governor’s race and I know Josh Shapiro is someone we can trust to bring people together to solve the problems facing our Commonwealth,” said Schultz Newman. “Doug Mastriano is the exact opposite. He is extreme, he is divisive, and his priorities are completely wrong.”
“I’ve known and served with Josh for many years, and I know that he will always put Pennsylvania first and do what’s right,” said O’Brien.
“I have proudly voted for the Republican candidate for Governor throughout my life, but I cannot vote for someone as extreme and dangerous as Doug Mastriano,” added Greenwood.
27 Responses
I’ve been involved a long time – Young Republican leadership back in the day, part of MCRC this century. I remember most of the 9 and for several interacted personally. Let’s take a walk down memory lane, shall we…
Dent – left his seat for TV money, trying to stay relevant.
Lita Cohen – used to bad mouth the YRs as ‘too conservative,’ supported Democrats over Republicans. When one of her constituant’s wife passed away under very suspicious circumstances, she tried to expedite his request for a hasty burial, however the Coronor insisted on an autopsy and the evidence led to a murder guilty plea instead (the husband wanted to use the inheritance to hang out with his stripper girlfriend named Summer. (True story – you can’t make up that s#$t.)
Jubilier – Archtect of a massive legislative pay hike (20%+ for Leadership.) Since that pesky thing called the PA Constitution mandates that a pay raise cannot take effect until the next election, he recommended that members put in expense report claims to get the loot instead (a similar policy violation in the private sector would likely net a felony charge and a stint in hoosgow.)
Ken Davis – when he was MCRC chair he told a nominee for a legislative seat that he could not provide support due to conflics with his lobbying business (he had a license plate that read Lobby 1.)
I would bet good money that in 2024, if a conservative like Ron DeSantis is the nominee all 9 will be setting up a ‘Repubicans for Biden’ pac just as they did in 2020 and this year regarding PA Gov.
Endorsements mean nothing to ME. They basically say ” You’re TOO STUPID TO FIGURE OUT WHO TO VOTE FOR SO LET SOMEONE ELSE CONTROL YOUR VOTE.”
Like Trump these so called Republicans are relics and filth from the past. We don’t have to like or want Trump to totally reject these folks. We don’t want a Party led by the likes of Dent and his I’lk. They stood for nothing, accomplished nothing and in the future won’t matter. Whether this guy gives us an alternative to someone so weak and flawed like Jocko Shapiro- time will tell. Shapiro is a stooge – whether we have an alternative to vote for time will tell.
Filth? Wow.
Hopefully more Republicans, including those who are simply “rank and file” voters who are registered as Rs are deeply disturbed by what has happened to their party . Even if Josh was not being opposed by someone as unqualified as Mastriano he deserves our votes. Shapiro , unlike too many others in politics today, truly understand what it means to be a public servant. He is smart, hard working and has on more than one occasion demonstrated courage . When he is elected governor we will be proud to say he is “ours”.
Hopefully more Republicans, including those who are simply “rank and file” voters who are registered as Rs are deeply disturbed by what has happened to their party . Even if Josh was not being opposed by someone as unqualified as Mastriano he deserves our votes. Shapiro , unlike too many others in politics today, truly understand what it means to be a public servant. He is smart, hard working and has on more than one occasion demonstrated courage . When he is elected governor we will be proud to say he is “ours”.
Mastriano said he did not breach the police line and I read someone saying even though he did not enter the Capitol there were photos of him going past the police line. Am I right that he sponsored a bus trip to the Jan 6 event? Is this what we want in a Governor? To me a candidate for Governor should not be near Jan 6th in any way.
Josh is a headline seeking ego maniac who lets nothing stand in the way of his ambition. Let’s look at his “accomplishments”: Church pedofiles. Actually the investigation was started by Kathleen Kane. Josh took all credit. The latest: the opioid settlement. Shapiro was very late to the game. By the time he got involved almost all 67 counties had filed their own lawsuits. He was there at headline time. He uses staff to update his social media pages, he arrests people and holds big, big press conferences only to drop all charges later when there is no proof. I don’t like Mastriano. I don’t like Shapiro. They are both threats to our civil rights. I’m voting 3rd party.
Josh is the right man for governor. I met him. He is a true American. We need to stop this divide in this land of freedom. We don’t need insurrectionists running the country. Let’s come together as people and not democrats, republicans, or traitors!
Nor we need our next Governor to be a gutless Attorney General who went along with Larry Krasner’s refusal to prosecute rioters, looters and arsonists during BLM/ANITIFA riots that repeatedly occurred in Philadelphia in the spring, summer and fall of 2020.
Define true American vs. Fake American w/o Names, just qualities please.
People are worried about the future of this country and it doesn’t surprise me former Congressman Dent is leading the charge. He defines decency and ethics. I want a political debate about policy and not “wack-a-doodle” conspiracy theories about a bag of votes found at Dunkin Donuts!
The key word here is ‘establishment’.. there is very little difference between establishment Republicans and establishment Democrats, particularly from the southeast corner of the state.
Tim W, you are absolutely correct. With the exception of Former House Speaker Denny O’Brien, who is a regular guy but owes his term as House Speaker to Josh Shapiro getting the Democrat House members along with six disenchanted Republicans to vote in him as Speaker. Most of the rest these so-called “Republican Leaders” are either has-beens or swamp creatures that have spent their post public service careers parlaying their previous political influence into affluence as lobbyists, “government relations specialists” at big law firms or with sinecures at corporate financed “think tanks”. Former Congressman Jim Greenwood went to work for Big Pharma. Former Congressman Charlie Dent is with the Aspen Institute along with his gig at CNN.
So, Cong. Greenwood should not have taken a job at Big Pharma which greased every elected officia that will take? His background is Healthcare When I was a disabilities advocate for citizens, only Cong. Greenwood would Intervene for serious Problems with Paratransit. Others – lip service.
Great thought.
9 GOP leaders? How about 9 RINO has-beens.
How about actual Patriots Vs Traitors
How about true Americans vs Insurrectionists?
And which is which in your view?
FACTS!!
“Keeping our communities safe”. ROFLMAO. Murders and crime is through the roof in Philadelphia. These RINOs can afford the high gas, electricity and food prices. Ordinary PA residents are struggling to make ends meet. That won’t change with Shapiro.
Do some of you folks even understand what you are saying when you use the term “RINO?” Here’s what many of us who used to be Republicans but got chased away believed in when we were registered that way, and still do by the way:
* Respect and support for law enforcement officials (assaulting them would have been out of the question).
* Respect and support for veterans and serving active duty members. Not belittling their service.
* Respect for privacy (look up the word Libertarian by the way).
* Free trade
* Respect for the truth and an expectation that telling it is always the best policy.
* Nostalgia for the days when the NRA was a well respected organization that taught you how to handle a gun properly.
* Loyalty to country first, then party.
* Appreciation of poll workers from both parties. They are volunteers dealing with the public out of a sense of civic duty.
* Personal responsibility
Because they drive SUVS! Also, 3-4 Cars per family. Nobody walks anywhere, but they work out at the gym??
Ding Dong Doug, THE INSURRECTIONIST, is not qualified to serve as Governor and should be barred from even being on the ballot due to his involvement in the January 6th insurrection action at the US Capitol. He directly violated his Oath of Office by his involvement on January 6th AND thru his running of the sham hearing in Chambersburg involving coconspirator Rudolph Giuliani.
Thank you to those Republicans wisely endorsing Josh Shapiro.
🎯🎯🎯
Shapiro has all the ethics of a used socialist used car salesman.