Previewing the Garrity-McClelland race for Pa. treasurer

Erin McClelland pulled off an upset in her Democratic primary for a chance to unseat the Republican incumbent in the Pennsylvania treasurer's office.

With a convincing 12-point victory, McClelland defeated fellow Democrat and state Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, D-Erie, this past spring. Republican Treasurer Stacy Garrity was uncontested in the GOP primary.

Stacy Garrity (R)

First elected in 2020, Garrity is a 60-year-old Army Reserve veteran of three deployments (Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and Operation Enduring Freedom in 2008) and was twice awarded the Bronze Star for exceptional service.

Issues:

• Noting that the office had a "C" rating from the U.S. division of the nonprofit Public Interest Research Groups prior to her tenure, Garrity spearheaded a revamp of the treasury's website for Pennsylvanians to see how tax dollars are spent.

• Garrity is advocating for Pennsylvania Money Match legislation that would allow the state treasury to automatically return unclaimed property to its owners.

More: What to know about Stacy Garrity, Erin McClelland and the race for Pa. treasurer in 2024

Erin McClelland (D)

McClelland is a former substance abuse and mental health counselor who later learned supply chain logistics and process improvement strategies under then-Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill. She was unsuccessful in her 2014 and 2016 bids for U.S. Congress.

Issues:

• She's pledged to use the treasurer's contract oversight authority to ensure trade law compliance within the supply chain.

• Her campaign prospectus includes an oath to prevent pension privatization efforts, citing pending legislation that was passed by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2023.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: PA Treasurer Stacy Garrity vs Erin McClelland