State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R – Butler) announced his candidacy Wednesday for the Republican Party nomination for Lt. Governor, having filed only the day before. The representative is the highest-ranking lawmaker on Pennsylvania’s Liberty Index.
In his remarks, Mr. Metcalfe emphasized fiscal responsibility as his primary focus, followed by concerns such as illegal “invasion,” defining marriage as between a man and a woman, and preventing compulsory unionism in the Commonwealth with Right-to-Work legislation.
“I sponsor Right-to-Work legislation in Pennsylvania, I’m the biggest supporter in the legislature,” said Mr. Metcalfe. “That’s going to be one of the main planks. The fiscal issues are front and center, it’s spending and taxes that are killing our economy. When you get off to the other planks of the platform, it’s the right-to-work issue that would provide the freedom of workers to enjoy employment in any workplace without that threat of compulsory unionism. It’s another part of the economic equation which has been proven in other states.”
He also said “We filed yesterday in a blindside move. It wasn’t personal for any of my good friends or supporters that have been working with me. We had an under-the-radar campaign and we wanted to blindside Mr. (Rob) Gleason, the state party chairman, and all of his minions that continue to try and push out legitimate candidates that can actually take on what’s causing the harm to our state.” He said he was confident his petition would withstand challenges because he filed with about 2,100 signatures and only 1,000 were required. “Any challenge to my petition would be a very open attempt to try to take out the biggest threat to the state committee’s endorsed candidate.”
The representative also emphasized his commitment to accountability, particularly with respect to the future governor. “I will be working to build support across the state and upset the party establishment to ensure that we’re actually going to have a lieutenant governor whose going to publicly expose the future governor, if he doesn’t do what he’s supposed to do, and take him out in the primary if he violates the trust of the people.”
Mr. Metcalfe said he would also handle the executive jobs for the position, such as working with PEMA, should he be elected. “The traditional aspects of the lieutenant governor job I would certainly embrace and move forward wholeheartedly. I wouldn’t be redefining the office in that sense. I will be publicly watching the governor and exposing when he does good and when he does wrong.”
He lists his accomplishments as: signing the Americans for Tax Reform pledge; spearheading the repeal of the 2005 legislative pay raise; organizing the state’s annual Right to Keep and Bear Arms Rally; fighting to stop funding for Planned Parenthood; and outlawing teacher strikes.
The representative concluded his remarks when he said “This is not the last blindside for the Republican establishment.”
Darwyyn Deyo can be contacted by email at darwyyn@paindependent.com
