News

By: Jan Murphy

HARRISBURG — A six-term state lawmaker is the first Democrat to announce his candidacy for state treasurer in hopes of challenging the Republican incumbent in the 2024 general election.

State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, 37, of Erie County, made his announcement in a YouTube video posted on Tuesday that ties state Treasurer Stacy Garrity to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and supporting abortion restrictions. He said his campaign for the statewide row office is about stopping “the spread of extremism here in Pennsylvania.”

A campaign adviser to Ms. Garrity, Dennis Roddy, reacted to Mr. Bizzarro’s campaign announcement saying the Democrat doesn’t seem to know what office he’s seeking. The state treasurer serves as chief custodian of commonwealth funds.

“His announcement offers no opinions or insights into what a state treasurer actually does,” Mr. Roddy said. “In her first term, Stacy Garrity has been a guardian of the taxpayer dollar. Bizzarro, who lives quite well on his state expense account, only knows how to spend the taxpayers’ money.”

Serving as treasurer was Ms. Garrity ’s second foray into politics. The 59-year-old former Bradford County corporate executive and Army veteran made her debut in the political circles in 2019 when she vied for her party’s nomination in a special election to fill the seat vacated by U.S. Congressman Tom Marino, who resigned due to health issues. Following that, she was encouraged to pursue the statewide office she now holds.

Mr. Bizzarro said as treasurer, he’ll work to strengthen programs for seniors, help families save for college, provide low-interest loans to farmers, nonprofits and municipalities.

In his video, Mr. Bizzarro shares part of his life story in growing up in a family of prizefighters that used that fighting spirit to “knock out” his childhood leukemia diagnosis.

“Like my family, Pennsylvanians get up every morning to fight another day for a better life,” he states in the video. “They may not have a child with leukemia but they’re struggling to find affordable housing, good paying jobs with benefits, caring for an aging parent or trying to survive on a fixed income.”

Mr. Bizzarro, who chairs the House Democratic Policy Committee that has held hearings on a number of topics, said he has heard from Pennsylvanians all over the state about how government isn’t always helping.

“That’s why I entered public service and fight so hard,” he said in the video.

He said the Republican incumbent has used her office “as a platform for spreading lies and promoting extreme agendas.” He mentions Ms. Garrity’s participation in a Harrisburg event challenging the 2020 presidential election results and quotes a statement from her opposing abortions.

“Stacy Garrity is Pennsylvanian’s highest ranking extremist officeholder, state leader of a national agenda so radical it threatens our democracy as it strips away our rights,” Mr. Bizzarro said. “I’m gonna fight like hell to make sure she fails.”