Question 1: What talent, experience, and expertise would you bring to the office of Lieutenant Governor?
Austin Davis knew from an early age he wanted to dedicate his life and career to public service. In high school, Austin felt young people needed a voice in city government, so he founded and chaired the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council under McKeesport Mayor Jim Brewster, now State Senator. Austin then went on to study political science at the University of Pittsburgh and soon after, began working as Senior Advisor to Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. In 2018, Austin successfully ran for PA State House of Representatives, where he currently represents the 35th Legislative District of Allegheny County, just outside of the City of Pittsburgh. Rep. Davis currently serves as Chair of the Allegheny County House Democratic Delegation and Vice Chair of the House Democratic Policy Committee as well as sits on the House Appropriations Committee, House Consumer Affairs Committee, House Insurance Committee, and the House Transportation Committee. He is also a member of the PA Legislative Black Caucus, Climate Caucus, and PA SAFE Caucus. As Lt. Governor, Austin Davis would bring all of this expertise and experience to the office and would continue to grow and expand his field of knowledge to encompass everything that the job entails.
Question 2: What is your plan to win this election with regards to fundraising, field, and votes?
Our plan is to reach as many voters as possible across the Commonwealth between now and the primary, and then between the primary and the general election. Whether virtually or in person, Rep. Davis plans to visit all 67 counties across PA, because he understands elections aren’t only won in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, but in places like Erie and Scranton. Getting out the vote will be the most important factor in winning both the primary and general elections, so our team plans to do everything possible to ensure high voter contact which in turn, will lead to high voter turnout on election day. In terms of fundraising, our goal is to raise 2 million in order to successfully run a primary campaign with aggressive TV, mail and digital programs. Our campaign has raised over $620K, a historic amount at this point in an Pennsylvania LG Campaign. We will continue working in lockstep with the Shapiro campaign in order to execute all of our fundraising, outreach, and field plans.
Question 3: What endorsements are you seeking or do you have to date, if any?
Some of our most prominent endorsements include the PA Democratic Party, Governor Tom Wolf, Governor Ed Rendell, Attorney General and PA Dem’s endorsed candidate for Governor, Josh Shapiro, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) as well as majorities of the House and Senate Democratic caucuses, including all of leadership.
Question 4: Of the four statutory and two constitutional duties of the Lieutenant Governor, which do you believe is the most important, and why?
My biggest priority will be chairing the board of pardons.
Question 5: What would be your three highest priorities as Lieutenant Governor?
As Lt. Governor, Austin Davis’ three highest priorities would be creating ladders of opportunity for lower income families, ensuring every child regardless of their zip code receives a quality education, and creating family sustaining jobs.
Question 6: Should privately-owned prisons be permitted in Pennsylvania?
Absolutely not.
Question 7: What steps would you take in your role with the Board of Pardons to reduce our prison population?
In order to reduce PA’s prison population, Austin Davis would take a fair and balanced approach towards those who come before the board, with a strong belief in second chances. It is also not lost on him that he would be the first African American to ever Chair the Board of Pardons in Pennsylvania, giving hope to those who come before the board that oftentimes look like him and come from similar backgrounds as him.
Question 8: When, if ever, should the State legislature expressly preempt and prohibit local regulation by a chartered municipality?
The only time such a step should ever be taken is if that municipality is violating the constitutional rights of the individuals within their jurisdiction. This power should be used incredibly sparingly and with great restraint.
Question 9: What do you believe can and should be done to reduce income and wealth disparity in the Commonwealth?
First and foremost, creating family sustaining jobs is a must in order to reduce income inequality in our communities. For far too long, families have been struggling to make ends meet while sometimes working several jobs at a time. We need to create jobs that pay well and provide decent benefits to workers and their families. Another key to reducing income and wealth disparity is increasing the minimum wage here in Pennsylvania, which will help lift thousands of families out of poverty. As previously mentioned, creating ladders of opportunity would be one of the top priorities of a Shapiro/Davis administration, and this can be done by increasing fair funding for schools, increasing funding for vocational training in high school and beyond, as well as giving young people the resources they need in order to be successful in life.