Memorandum: State of the Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Race

Stacy Garrity launches her statewide “Get Out of The Way” ad campaign, highlighting Pennsylvania’s economic challenges with Gov. Josh Shapiro’s record.

Stacy Garrity launches her statewide “Open Season” ad campaign, questioning Gov. Josh Shapiro’s involvement in PA data center development and campaign contributions.

Danica Hartenfels thanks residents and supporters of PA's 189th District, reflects on her campaign journey, and encourages voters to get out and vote on November 3.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 13, 2026 Contact: Matthew Beynon – mbeynon@brabendercox.com ***PRESS RELEASE*** National Federation Of Independent Business Endorses Garrity for Governor HARRISBURG, PA – The Garrity for PA campaign is proud to announce that State Treasurer and Republican nominee for Governor Stacy Garrity (R-PA) has been endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The NFIB joined Stacy Garrity at a press conference this morning to make their announcement. Stacy Garrity said: “Pennsylvania small businesses and their employees are struggling under Josh Shapiro. The 5 th highest tax burden in the nation, more than 166,000 regulations, and a Governor who puts handouts to multi-billion-dollar corporations ahead of supporting the small businesses that are the heartbeat of our economy. It doesn’t have to be this way, and it won’t in a Garrity-Richey Administration.” “My administration will cut red tape and the regulatory hurdles that are strangling Pennsylvania’s small businesses, and we will reduce the tax burden that is making it harder to make ends meet. The 13,000 Pennsylvania small businesses and their millions of employees deserve a governor who will fight for them, not the corporate fat cats, and my message to those Pennsylvania businesses struggling under Josh Shapiro is clear: Help is on the way” concluded Garrity. Greg Moreland, NFIB Pennsylvania State Director, said: “Pennsylvania’s small businesses need a governor who understands that Main Street is the backbone of our economy and that government should be a partner in their success, not an obstacle to it. Stacy Garrity recognizes that high taxes, burdensome regulations, and rising operating costs make it harder for small business owners to grow, invest, and create jobs. We are proud to endorse Stacy because we believe she will fight for policies that strengthen Pennsylvania’s business climate, reduce the burdens on our job creators, and give small businesses the opportunity to thrive. Pennsylvania’s small business owners deserve a governor who will stand with them, and we believe Stacy Garrity is that leader.” The National Federation of Independent Business represents more than 300,000 small businesses across the nation, including 13,200 small businesses in Pennsylvania. Overall, small business accounts for more 99.6% of all businesses in Pennsylvania and more than 2.5 million Pennsylvanians are employed by small businesses, accounting for more than 45% of Pennsylvania’s workforce.  PAID FOR BY GARRITY FOR PA

For Immediate Release: October 9, 2026 Contact: info@robforpa.com Congressman Rob Bresnahan Earns Endorsement of Hazleton City Firefighters IAFF Local 507 Pittston, PA — The Rob Bresnahan for Congress campaign today announced the endorsement of the Hazleton City Firefighters, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 507, in Congressman Rob Bresnahan's reelection bid in Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District. In its endorsement letter, Local 507 pointed to Bresnahan's continued support for the firefighters serving the City of Hazleton, including his efforts to help address a critical staffing shortage. The union specifically highlighted Bresnahan's recent visit to its firehouse, where he met directly with members to hear their concerns, as well as his advocacy surrounding the department's recent federal grant applications. "Your willingness to advocate on behalf of our Local, including your support surrounding our recent federal grant applications, demonstrates your commitment to addressing the public safety needs of the communities you represent and the firefighters who serve them," wrote IAFF Local 507 President Shawn McArdle in the union's endorsement letter. The full endorsement letter can be read HERE . "When someone calls 911, they expect help to be there. The men and women of the Hazleton City Fire Department put their lives on the line every day to answer those calls, and they deserve the staffing, equipment, and resources necessary to do their jobs safely," said Congressman Rob Bresnahan . "I've had the opportunity to sit down with these firefighters, hear their concerns firsthand, and work alongside them to address their needs. I'm honored to have their endorsement, and I'll continue fighting for the men and women who keep our communities safe." The Hazleton City Firefighters IAFF Local 507 joins a large and growing coalition of unions and labor organizations supporting Congressman Bresnahan's reelection, representing building and construction trades, transportation and maritime workers, federal and public employees, law enforcement officers, and first responders, including: Building and Construction Trades Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (Endorsement letter HERE ) International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers Local 13 (Endorsement Letter HERE ) International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 163 (Endorsement letter HERE ) International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1319 (Endorsement letter HERE ) International Union of Operating Engineers Local 542 (Endorsement letter HERE ) Pennsylvania Laborers' District Council (Endorsement Letter HERE ) Transportation and Maritime Amalgamated Transit Union (Endorsement announcement HERE ) American Maritime Officers (Endorsement letter HERE ) Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (Endorsement letter HERE ) International Organization of Masters, Mates, and Pilots (Endorsement letter HERE ) Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (Endorsement letter HERE ) Pennsylvania Conference of Teamsters (Endorsement letter HERE ) Seafarers International Union (Endorsement letter HERE ) SMART - Transportation Division (Endorsement letter HERE ) Federal and Public Employees American Federation of Government Employees (Endorsement announcement HERE ) American Federation of Government Employees District 3 (Endorsement letter HERE ) National Postal Mail Handlers Union Local 308 (Endorsement letter HERE ) Law Enforcement and First Responders Hazleton City Firefighters IAFF Local 507 Power City FOP Lodge 18 Wyoming Valley FOP Lodge 36 O'Rourke Memorial FOP Lodge 38 Frank Albert Memorial FOP Lodge 43 Paul Bickelman Memorial FOP Lodge 46 Stroud FOP Lodge 75 Christina-Doherty FOP Lodge 84 Pennsylvania State Troopers Association (FOP Endorsement Information HERE ) Learn more at www.RobForPA.com . Paid for by Rob for PA

Tonight, Treasurer Stacy Garrity showed why she is the best candidate to lead Pennsylvania over the next four years, exposing Governor Josh Shapiro’s failures and ethical scandals. Now, it’s on us to amplify the Treasurer’s message. Below and LINKED HERE are talking points to help you discuss the clear contrast between Josh Shapiro’s failed administration and Stacy Garrity’s positive vision for Pennsylvania’s future. Please let us know if you have any questions or if we can provide you with more information as you talk to your neighbors and friends. ***DEBATE TALKING POINTS*** Josh Shapiro is a career politician who has spent his entire adult life preparing for this moment. Stacy Garrity has spent her entire adult life in service to her community, our Commonwealth, and our Nation – both in and out of uniform. Tonight, Stacy Garrity went toe-to-toe with career politician Josh Shapiro and held him accountable for his administration’s 4-years of policy failures that have hurt the People of Pennsylvania and embarrassed our entire Commonwealth. Josh Shapiro is the least transparent Governor in Pennsylvania history: Shapiro used $295,000 of taxpayer money to try and cover up sexual harassment allegations against his top political advisor. Shapiro intimidated elder abuse whistleblowers at the Pennsylvania Department of Aging. And Shapiro’s mysterious decision as Attorney General to rule the death of a young Philadelphia woman, who was stabbed upwards of a dozen times in back, a suicide. Pennsylvania voters deserve answers! Not only is Josh Shapiro the least transparent Governor in Pennsylvania history, but Josh Shapiro has also sold us out. Sold us out to out-of-state data center interests who have donated more than $5.7 million to his campaign. Sold us out to gambling interests like the billionaire owner of Fanatics, Michael Rubin, so Shapiro can use Rubin’s private plane and helicopter to travel the country. And sold us out to Reid Hoffman, the founder of LinkedIn, who traveled with convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and then donated $2.1 million to Shapiro’s campaigns. Pennsylvania families are struggling under Josh Shapiro. Today, Pennsylvania’s economy ranks 47 th in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report and Pennsylvania families face the 5 th highest tax burden in the nation. At the same time, Pennsylvania’s inflation rate is 25% higher than the national rate. Today, a Pennsylvania family earning $70,000 a year pays $3,000 more annually in taxes than the same family in Florida. We need a change! A Garrity-Richey Administration will unleash Pennsylvania energy to get our economy back on track – lowering utility rates, creating 200,000 good-paying jobs, and generating $5 – 6 billion in new revenue to fill the massive budget hole Josh Shapiro has created. A Garrity-Richey Administration will cut red tape and reduce the regulatory burden that makes Pennsylvania one of the least business friendly states in the nation under Josh Shaprio. Today, Pennsylvania has 166,000 regulations strangling economic growth – hurting industries from agriculture to manufacturing. Stacy Garrity will slash the regulatory roadblocks to economic progress. Josh Shapiro has failed Pennsylvania students and families. Shapiro touts $3 billion more in education spending, but student achievement and outcomes continue to trail. Today, 7 in 10 Pennsylvania 8 th graders cannot read at grade level. Our kids deserve better! A Garrity-Richey Administration will put our children first. No longer will a student’s home zip code determine whether they receive a good education. Stacy will enroll Pennsylvania in the new Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit program, which Josh Shapiro has refused to do, even though other states governed by Democrats like New York and Colorado have joined. Today, 1.8 million Pennsylvania children are eligible for this program, but Josh Shapiro is holding them back. And a Garrity-Richey Administration will fight for Pennsylvania communities sold out by Josh Shapiro to out-of-state data center development. Stacy did what Josh Shapiro won’t – she held 5 listening sessions and heard directly from Pennsylvanians impacted by data center development. The Garrity Plan: no data centers on farmland or residential areas, data centers need to bring their own power and water, data centers must sign community engagement agreements, and there needs to be a pause in data center development so communities can bring their local ordinances up to speed. Tonight, Stacy Garrity exposed Josh Shapiro for the fraud he is. Josh Shapiro sold us out because he’s more concerned with moving to Pennsylvania Avenue than helping Pennsylvania families. Stacy Garrity has and will always fight for us and her message to Pennsylvanians struggling under Josh Shapiro is clear: Help is on the way! PAID FOR BY GARRITY FOR PA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Julia Clark September 23, 2026 ICYMI: Senator McCormick Makes the Case for More Investment, Major Reform at NIH “At the most exciting moment in medical history, I fear we will surrender our lead to China through underinvestment and mismanagement.” WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) today laid out his vision for strengthening American biomedical research, calling for greater investment in the National Institutes of Health alongside reforms to make federal research funding more merit-based, transparent, and accountable. In a Washington Post op-ed and remarks on the Senate Floor, Senator McCormick pointed to Pennsylvania as an example of what American investment in science can accomplish—from the world’s first personalized gene-editing treatment developed by researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania to groundbreaking cancer treatments and the growing use of artificial intelligence in medical research. Opinion | I’m a Republican senator. America needs more science, not less. By U.S. Senator Dave McCormick September 23, 2026 "Two years ago, KJ Muldoon was born with a rare, often fatal genetic disorder. Today he is walking and talking. How? Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania, funded by the National Institutes of Health, saved his life with the world’s first personalized gene-editing therapy. CHOP is now seeking the next miracle cure at its new Morgan Center for Research and Innovation, which I visited last week. These breakthroughs are possible because NIH funds foundational science that saves lives and lowers the cost of disease. Federal research and private enterprise made American medicine the envy of the world, and artificial intelligence is accelerating discovery like never before. Yet at the most exciting moment in medical history, I fear the United States will surrender its lead to China through underinvestment and mismanagement. This summer, the White House rightly called for a new golden age of American science. Reaching it requires long overdue reform and more investment in federal research and development. Conservatives should recognize that basic research, like national security, is a public good that private capital rarely funds. Businesses excel at turning discoveries into products and jobs, but foundational science pays off too slowly and uncertainly. Government fills the gap, funding the long-term, high-risk work that businesses turn into breakthroughs with stunning payoffs for society. The federal government spends $7 trillion a year, yet less than 1 percent goes to NIH research. That sliver delivers outsize returns. NIH’s Diabetes Prevention Program, for example, cut Type 2 diabetes risk by 58 percent over a three-year period. NIH-supported eye-disease research saved $28.5 billion in health care costs over 10 years. Drug therapies also reduced legal blindness by 50 percent among people with wet macular degeneration, an eye disease caused by leaking blood vessels. And CAR-T cell therapy, pioneered at Penn with NIH support, reengineers patients’ T cells to attack cancer, producing decade-long remissions and replacing years of costly treatments. The list goes on. Nationally, every NIH dollar also generates roughly $2.50 in economic activity. In Pennsylvania, NIH research sustains over 21,000 jobs and generates an impact of more than $5 billion annually, and AI will accelerate breakthroughs. Earlier this year, for example, NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya and I saw how researchers in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are using it to detect cancer earlier, speed drug discovery and make surgery more precise. Yet America’s global leadership is slipping. China is closing the gap, having increased research and development spending from 36 percent of the U.S. level in 2008 to parity in 2024. Beijing now accounts for about one-third of the world’s clinical-stage drugs. Meanwhile, the U.S. is underinvesting in discovery. Federal R&D fell from 1.86 percent of gross domestic product in 1964 to 0.63 percent in 2024. Since 2003, the NIH budget has shrunk by more than 10 percent, adjusted for inflation. We have also let politics intrude on science. The NIH under the Biden administration gave CHOP $155,000 to develop training on “structural racism” and “intersectional microaggressions.” Such initiatives abused taxpayer money and undermined trust. Finally, NIH has become opaque and bureaucratic. Nearly 1 in 3 grant dollars goes to overhead, and taxpayers can’t easily see financial ties of researchers to industry. Each of these failures has a fix. First, rather than cut NIH by nearly 40 percent, as the Office of Management and Budget proposed last year, we should double its $48 billion budget within five years. These are big numbers, but if they yield discoveries that trim the nation’s $5.3 trillion health bill by just 1 percent, they will more than pay for themselves. Second, prioritize merit-based science. The Trump administration rightly reassessed grants lacking merit, and it canceled nearly 1,400 midstream, many over diversity, equity and inclusion language. While some of these grants deserved to be canceled, some were legitimate research with buzzwords inserted to get approval from the Biden administration. For half those grants alone, taxpayers had already paid nearly $1.3 billion for work that might never be finished. Rather than waste that investment, we should let researchers revise their applications and keep working. That is why I led five Senate Republican colleagues in urging the administration to do exactly that. Third, demand accountability. The NIH’s costly, noncompetitive overhead system should be replaced with one that rewards efficiency, makes institutions compete for infrastructure dollars and gives smaller research centers a fair shot. I will soon introduce the Sunshine for Researchers Act to require federally funded researchers to disclose significant financial connections to the business sector. And my bipartisan NIH Mentorship Modernization Act, introduced with Sen. Chris Coons (D-Delaware), would help retain young scientists, which is a priority for NIH. At this pivotal moment, incrementalism is the nation’s greatest enemy. America was built by pilgrims and pioneers who dared to push beyond the known. We must summon that spirit again by investing boldly, prioritizing science and reforming relentlessly. If we dare, KJ’s story can be the beginning of a new golden age of American science." Watch Senator McCormick's Senate Floor speech here . Senator McCormick spoke on the Senate Floor to lay out his case for NIH reform and investment, highlighting lifesaving medical breakthroughs developed in Pennsylvania, the economic impact of NIH-funded research, growing competition from China, and the need to eliminate waste and bureaucracy from the federal research system. “Federal research and private enterprise made American medicine the envy of the world, and AI is accelerating discovery like never before,” Senator McCormick said on the Senate Floor. “Yet at the most exciting moment in medical history, I fear we will surrender our lead to China through underinvestment and mismanagement.” “At this pivotal moment, incrementalism is our greatest enemy,” Senator McCormick said. “We must summon that spirit again by investing boldly, prioritizing science, and reforming relentlessly." Read the full remarks as prepared here.

For Immediate Release: September 17, 2026 Contact: info@robforpa.com Rob Bresnahan Ends Federal “Rain Tax” Mandate, Paige Cognetti Owned By Its Creators Cognetti caught at a fundraiser this summer hosted by the author of the Rain Tax Pittston, PA - Yesterday, Congressman Rob Bresnahan stood beside President Trump in the Oval Office as the President signed an executive order officially ending the federal "Rain Tax" mandate that has drained the wallets of homeowners and small business owners across Northeastern Pennsylvania for over a decade. While Rob Bresnahan was fighting to eliminate the Rain Tax, Paige Cognetti set off to Chicago this summer for a fundraiser hosted by Jon Carson , the man who bragged about authoring the Rain Tax executive order. Jon Carson, the chief of staff to the Obama White House Council on Environmental Quality from 2009 to 2010, spearheaded the creation of the executive order that created the Rain Tax mandate, and bragged about how easy it was to get it signed. While Rob Bresnahan was doing the work to get this unfunded mandate off the books, Paige Cognetti was raising money from the man who helped put it there.  ROB BRESNAHAN: DELIVERED RELIEF FROM THE RAIN TAX Stood beside President Trump as he signed the executive order rescinding Obama-era Executive Order 13508, ending the federal mandate behind the Rain Tax. Fought to keep the Rain Tax front and center for the White House and EPA before he was even sworn into office. Organized and hosted an environmental roundtable in Swiftwater, PA, bringing EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to hear directly from local officials about the burden. PAIGE COGNETTI: STANDING WITH THOSE WHO FORCED THE RAIN TAX Appeared alongside Jon Carson, the former Obama White House Council on Environmental Quality chief of staff who spearheaded the Rain Tax mandate. Flew to Chicago on June 5th for a large fundraiser hosted by Carson, converting Obama-era Rain Tax politics into campaign cash. While Bresnahan worked to get the mandate rescinded, Cognetti has offered NEPA families no solutions while prioritizing Democrat Machine loyalty above all else. Rob Bresnahan did what others before him couldn’t, freeing NEPA families from an unfunded, decade-old mandate. Paige Cognetti is out raising money from the Obama officials who forced it on us in the first place. “For more than a decade, Northeastern Pennsylvanians have been stuck paying for a Chesapeake Bay cleanup over 200 miles away that hasn’t even worked. I was relentless about putting this in front of the President, and now the federal mandate is officially gone. While I was fighting to lower costs for my constituents, my opponent was fundraising with the very person responsible for the mandate. I told NEPA I would fight for them, and that’s exactly what I did. The next move is on Harrisburg.” - Congressman Rob Bresnahan Learn more at www.RobForPA.com .

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 15, 2026 Contact: Matthew Beynon – mbeynon@brabendercox.com ***PRESS RELEASE*** Leading Pennsylvania Sheriffs Endorse Stacy Garrity For Governor HARRISBURG, PA – The Garrity for PA campaign is proud to announce that it has received the endorsement of 22 leading Pennsylvania county sheriffs. Stacy Garrity said: “I am honored to receive the endorsement of these respected community leaders who are on the front lines of protecting and securing our communities. Public safety is one of the most important responsibilities of our government, and it is essential law enforcement have the resources, equipment, and training they need to effectively protect our communities. My commitment as Governor will be to ensure local, county, and state law enforcement have every tool at their disposal to keep our communities safe.” Those Pennsylvania sheriffs who have endorsed Stacy Garrity to serve as Pennsylvania’s next Governor include: Frank Pitzer – Armstrong County Tony Guy – Beaver County Mike Slupe – Butler County Don Robertson – Cambria County Dan Ziegler – Carbon County Chet Hawkins – Clearfield County Dave Powers – Crawford County Jim Custer – Fayette County Sam Bartley – Jefferson County Jeff Marley – Lebanon County Eric Spiegel – Lycoming County Doug Cramer – Mifflin County Will McKenna – Montour County Brian Vennie – Pike County Kevin Siska – Potter County John Zechman – Snyder County Nick Wingate – Sullivan County John Oliver – Susquehanna County Scott Neiswonger – Warren County James Albert – Westmoreland County Bob Roberts – Wyoming County Rich Keuerleber – York County County sheriffs serve as the chief constitutional law enforcement officer in each of the Commonwealth’s 67 counties. PAID FOR BY GARRITY FOR PA