Garrity enters Pennsylvania governor race

Stacy Garrity, the state treasurer, will seek the Republican nomination to challenge Gov. Josh Shapiro in the 2026 Pennsylvania race.

Garrity enters governor race against Shapiro in Pennsylvania

Stacy Garrity, Pennsylvania’s two-term state treasurer, said she will seek the Republican nomination to challenge Gov. Josh Shapiro in 2026. Garrity frames her bid around jobs, cost of living, and a pro-worker, pro-energy agenda. In a campaign video, she pitches herself as a strong ally of President Donald Trump and vows to address what she calls high taxes and rising grocery prices.

Shapiro has fired back, accusing Garrity of supporting Trump’s tax and spending package and portraying her as aligned with national GOP priorities. He emphasizes job growth, school funding, and public safety, backed by an aggressive fundraising operation that dwarfs Garrity’s past campaigns. The race carries national resonance because Shapiro’s stature has grown on the Democratic side, including mentions of a possible 2028 bid. Garrity, 61, comes from rural northern Pennsylvania, offering a contrast to Shapiro’s base in the Philadelphia suburbs and a profile that blends military service with a career in accounting.

Pennsylvania has run big surpluses in recent years but is returning to a deficit footing, a complication for any gubernatorial contest focused on taxes and spending. Garrity has maintained support within the GOP and in campaign circles, while Shapiro’s incumbency and fundraising strength set a high bar for any challenger. The race also tests whether the party can field a credible top-ticket candidate to energize turnout down the ballot.

The development marks a shift in how Pennsylvania political bloodlines are drawn. Garrity’s alignment with Trump signals a bolder, nationalized frame for a candidate who has built political capital mostly as a state official. This could help energize parts of the GOP base but may deepen intra-party fractures if the primary field widens.

For Shapiro, the threat is not just Garrity but the broader question of whether the Republican bench can deliver a credible alternative at the top of the ticket. His blend of governance and fundraising has turned him into a national figure, yet Pennsylvania voters face real budget pressures. The contest will test whether budget concerns and local issues can outpace national politics in a swing state that has shown mixed results in recent cycles.

Highlights

The 2026 contest will reveal how Pennsylvania reconciles a pragmatic governing image with the pressure of national party politics.