The matchup between York’s District Attorney and the former Auditor General is one of the country’s most-watched row office races.
While the presidential matchup and Senate race between Republican Dave McCormick and Sen. Bob Casey are commanding the most attention this cycle, there are some marquee matchups down ballot. All three row offices – Treasurer, Auditor General, and Attorney General – are all up for election this year.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General is the state’s top law enforcement officer and is crucial in all state legal and regulatory matters. Overall, the Pennsylvania Attorney General is responsible for prosecuting crimes against the state, including organized crime and public corruption, as well as civil litigation on behalf of almost all commonwealth agencies.
The Attorney General race this year is unique in that it is the only one of the three row office races that doesn’t feature an incumbent.
Governor Josh Shapiro was elected to a full term as AG in 2020 but did not serve his full term due to his election as Governor in 2022. To fill the remainder of his term, Shapiro appointed Deputy Attorney General Michelle Henry in January 2023. Henry decided to not run for reelection.
Vying to replace Henry as Pennsylvania’s next AG are Republican Dave Sunday of York County and Democrat Eugene DePasquale of Allegheny County.
Dave Sunday has been the District Attorney for York County since being elected in 2018. He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and has experience as a prosecutor serving as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Department of Justice.
Sunday has made stopping the opioid epidemic, and keeping families safe from the harmful effects, a top issue of his campaign.
“I’m not exaggerating with the fentanyl epidemic. When I was a kid, if you screwed up, you might have a hangover. In today’s world – and I’m not saying this for dramatic flair – when a kid messes up, they literally could die in that moment in time.” said Sunday during a Q&A before continuing, “my mission and vision is to allow the attorney general’s office to be robust and professional and thoughtful in all of its duties. My personal mission is to do everything I can to keep children and families safe. Period.”
DePasquale was Pennsylvania’s Auditor General from 2013 to 2021 and previously served in the State House representing the south central PA-based 95th legislative district. He also spent time as the Chairman of the York County Democratic Party.
DePasquale has made law enforcement responsibilities less of a focus of his campaign in favor of a more nationalized Democrat values campaign based on the environment, democracy, and access to abortion.
“It’s important that we have someone who upholds the right values,” said DePasquale during a recent interview. “When it comes to the right to abortion, protecting our democracy, and protecting our environment, the alternative to not having someone with those values as attorney general could be detrimental to our state for decades to come.”
Polling of this race is limited, but the available polling shows a dead heat. An Emerson College poll of likely voters showed 43% support for both Sunday and DePasquale with a large group – 14% – of voters still undecided.
Voters still have time to make up their minds, and they will be able to see DePasquale and Sunday face off in two televised debates before Election Day. The first will be at 10 AM., Oct. 3rd on WGAL – the debate is also scheduled to air in the evening – and at 7 PM, Oct. 15th on ABC27.
