(Getty Images)
Three candidates for Pennsylvania’s attorney general position, Republican Dave Sunday, Democrat Eugene DePasquale and Forward Party’s Eric Settle fielded questions at an unconventional political forum in Pittsburgh on Wednesday,
Modeled after a traditional job hiring process, the “Ultimate Job Interview” was held at Point Park University’s George Rowland White Performance Center, and hosted by Spotlight PA in partnership with the Philadelphia Citizen as a part of the Lenfest Institute for Journalism’s Every Voice, Every Vote initiative.
The candidates were asked about their plans if elected, their leadership experience and how politics will play a role in their work.
Sunday, who is York County’s district attorney, was asked why he was pursuing the attorney general position. He said it’s motivated by his efforts to reduce recidivism rates, which he emphasized in many of his answers.
“You see the impact on families by keeping families together, the impact on the economy by seeing people that are coming out of incarceration that are getting jobs and career jobs, and how that decreases their recidivism, and you just see the overall amazing impact on our community,” he said. “Now is the time in Pennsylvania, from my perspective, where we need that type of leadership.”
York County District Attorney Dave Sunday, candidate for attorney general, answers questions at a candidates forum in Pittsburgh Oct. 23, 2024 (Photo by Abigail Hakas for the Capital-Star)
To strengthen the economy if elected, Sunday explained that he would advocate for the hiring of individuals who have recently been released from prison. He pointed to the Reentry Opportunity Center in York County, which provides resources to those on work release, as an example of positive efforts to expand the workforce.
“One of the things I hear all the time is ‘We can’t find workers,’ and then at the same time I hear, you know, people coming out of prison that aren’t in a position to work for whatever reason,” he said. “This is so critical because it satisfies an economic need. It helps to make our economy thrive.”
For Sunday, politics do not factor into his plans for attorney general, he said.
“In America, we prosecute crimes, not people, and in the world we live in right now where everybody, everything, is so hyper-politicized … There has to be a place where that’s not the case,” he said.
DePasquale began by emphasizing his track record as the former Pennsylvania auditor general, including significantly reducing the backlog of untested rape kits after an investigation.
Eugene DePasquale, candidate for attorney general, answers questions at a candidates forum in Pittsburgh Oct. 23, 2024 (Photo by Abigail Hakas for the Capital-Star)
“We need an attorney general who’s not a partisan warrior, and I believe my track record in public life has shown that,” he said. “I believe having already run a complicated state agency, running tough statewide investigations and a record of holding bad actors accountable no matter who they are, particularly in these partisan polarized times, is exactly what Pennsylvania needs as attorney general.”
His top three priorities if he’s elected are community safety, consumer protection and reproductive freedom, DePasquale said.
For the first two issues, he plans to establish working relationships with district attorneys, chiefs of police and mayors across the state and launch an investigation into prescription drug prices and pharmacy benefit managers.
As for abortion, he addressed it with a personal story. He and his ex-wife had a nonviable ectopic pregnancy decades ago and made the decision to abort the pregnancy.
“No matter what happens, I’m going to make it clear to the women of the United States that if they need that procedure from one of the states that it’s illegal, then they can come to Pennsylvania and have their rights protected,” he said.
He added that, if elected, he would aim to address social media’s impact on the mental health of young people in Pennsylvania.
Forward Party candidate for attorney general Eric Settle answers questions at a candidates forum in Pittsburgh Oct. 23, 2024 (Photo by Abigail Hakas for the Capital-Star)
Forward Party candidate Eric Settle answered questions about the unique position he holds as a candidate for a relatively new independent party. The Forward Party was founded by Andrew Yang after his 2020 Democratic presidential run.
Settle has two goals this election: become attorney general and establish the Forward Party as a permanent minority political party. To do the latter, he needs to get at least 2% of the highest statewide candidate’s total vote and at least 2% of the highest countywide candidate’s total vote in a minimum of 10 counties.
If he succeeds, the Forward Party will join Pennsylvania’s existing non-major political parties: the Green and Libertarian parties.
Settle addressed concerns over his candidacy as an independent, stating that even if he does not win, his supporters will end up with a good attorney general.
“One of the hostilities I’ve gotten on the campaign trail is, “You’re going to be a spoiler,” and one of the things I said to those people is, ‘Look, if I don’t win, either of these gentlemen are good people,’” he said. “If somehow your second choice doesn’t win, either of them are good people.”