By Elliot Liermann and Holly Wang
Dave McCormick, a former hedge fund executive, narrowly defeated Sen. Casey in one of the closest Senate races in Pennsylvania history. Courtesy of getarchive.net
University students across Pittsburgh are an essential part of the city’s identity and progress. The Tartan reached out to Pittsburgh’s elected officials to understand how their policies would impact college students.
Congresswoman Summer Lee provided a detailed statement, while others had not responded at the time of publication. Below is an overview of Pittsburgh’s elected leaders, their backgrounds, and policy positions, highlighting their priorities for students and residents alike.
Summer Lee, U.S. representative for Pennsylvania’s 12th congressional district since 2023 was reelected with 56 percent of the vote. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Summer Lee (D): U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District
Summer Lee, the first black woman from Pennsylvania elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, has represented the 12th District since 2023 and was re-elected in 2024. Known for her progressive policies, Lee prioritizes labor rights, environmental justice, healthcare access, and education reform.
In a statement to The Tartan, Lee emphasized the importance of tackling housing affordability to ensure students can live safely and affordably, improving public transit to support mobility, and combating climate change for a sustainable future. Lee also advocates for higher education accessibility — including student debt forgiveness — to reduce financial burdens and create pathways to success.
Labor and Economic Justice:
Supports the PRO Act, higher wages, and union rights. She has also secured federal grants to expand affordable housing and revitalize neighborhoods.
Environmental Justice:
Advocates for the Green New Deal, ending fracking, and transitioning to clean energy. She has funded clean water initiatives and infrastructure improvements.
Healthcare:
Supports Medicare for All, which emphasizes comprehensive coverage, particularly for people in marginalized communities.
Education:
Champions equitable public school funding, teacher pay raises, universal pre-kindergarten, and free school meals.
Infrastructure:
Secured millions in funding for public transit, clean energy systems, and lead removal programs to boost regional growth and connectivity.
Dave McCormick (R): U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania
Dave McCormick, a Republican businessman, Gulf War veteran, and former CEO of Bridgewater Associates, defeated Democrat Bob Casey in the 2024 Senate election. McCormick emphasizes fiscal conservatism, national security, and energy independence.
Economy:
McCormick advocates for fiscal responsibility, opposing tax increases, and supporting market-driven energy solutions. He also promotes the adoption of blockchain and cryptocurrency as economic engines.
Border Policy:
Strongly supports securing the U.S. border, opposing sanctuary cities, and enhancing resources to combat drug and human trafficking.
Foreign Policy:
Focuses on U.S. global leadership, strengthening military deterrence, and supporting allies like Israel against threats from Iran and non-state actors. McCormick also aims to reduce U.S. reliance on China.
Education:
Proposes expanding school choice, emphasizing STEM and civics education, and increasing workforce training opportunities.
Energy:
Believes in balancing economic growth and environmental sustainability through clean energy innovation.
Abortion:
McCormick doesn’t support abortions except in cases of rape, incest, and to save the mother’s life, while opposing a national abortion ban.
Dave Sunday (R): Pennsylvania Attorney General
Dave Sunday, a Republican and former York County District Attorney, won the attorney general office in 2024, becoming the first Republican to do so since 2008. Sunday focuses on combating the opioid epidemic, enforcing gun laws, and addressing violent crime.
Public Safety:
Supports stricter gun laws, cracking down on illegal firearm possession, and using the death penalty for qualifying crimes.
Opioid Crisis:
Prioritizes fighting fentanyl and opioid trafficking as a central focus of his term.
Abortion:
Defers to the legislature on abortion access, asserting it is not a constitutional right.
Marijuana:
Opposes the legalization of recreational marijuana, citing public health concerns.
Stacy Garrity (R): Pennsylvania Treasurer
Stacy Garrity, a Republican and retired U.S. Army Reserve Colonel, won her final term as Pennsylvania treasurer in 2024. Garrity emphasizes fiscal responsibility and accessibility in state finances.
Unclaimed Property:
Enhanced the state’s database to return $4.5 billion in unclaimed property.
Inflation:
Raises concerns about inflation but has not detailed specific strategies to address it.
College Affordability:
Works to diversify financial aid options and expand affordability but opposes the Keystone Scholars program.
Investments:
Divested $394 million in Chinese assets, $3 million in Russian holdings, and increased investments in Israeli bonds after Hamas’s October attack.
Timothy DeFoor (R): Pennsylvania Auditor General
Timothy DeFoor secured re-election as auditor general of Pennsylvania in 2024. DeFoor said he focuses on fiscal accountability, government transparency, and education reform policies.
Fiscal Accountability:
Conducts risk-based audits to cut wasteful government spending and ensure efficient use of taxpayer dollars.
Education:
Advocates for integrating financial literacy in schools through the “Be Money Smart” initiative. Advocates for reforming audits for public, charter, and cyber schools to enhance oversight and accountability.
Government Transparency:
Focuses on making financial reporting more detailed and accessible to taxpayers.