Stacy Garrity, Pennsylvania’s two-term state treasurer, announced on Monday that she will seek the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro in the 2026 election. This sets up a potential race between a relatively low-profile statewide official and a possible future White House contender.
Garrity stated that her campaign will focus on bringing jobs back, strengthening the economy, and making Pennsylvania more affordable for families across the state. While some prominent Republicans in Pennsylvania support her candidacy and hope for a clear primary, those hopes have been complicated recently by Doug Mastriano, the party’s 2022 gubernatorial nominee, indicating he may run again.
Garrity has been signaling her intentions for months and has intensified her criticisms of Shapiro. In fundraising appeals, she accused Shapiro of being weak on law and order and opposed to her “pro-worker, pro-energy, pro-America” platform. In a video released on Monday, she positioned herself as a strong ally of former President Donald Trump, highlighting her military background and promising to address issues she attributes to Shapiro’s leadership, including Pennsylvania’s high taxes and rising grocery costs.
In response, Shapiro criticized Garrity for supporting Trump’s tax cut and spending reduction plans, suggesting her backing was more about seeking Trump’s approval than advocating for Pennsylvanians. He argued that the plan would harm rural hospitals, Medicaid recipients, increase energy costs, and worsen the federal deficit.
Garrity defended the legislation, saying it requires able-bodied recipients to work for benefits and ends assistance for those living in the country illegally. Trump has not yet endorsed a candidate in the race.
When asked about Garrity recently, Shapiro emphasized his focus on job creation, school funding, maintaining police presence, and bipartisan cooperation, dismissing Republican efforts as political games.
Garrity faces a challenging road ahead. She remains relatively untested politically, having spent less than $3 million combined in her two treasurer campaigns in 2020 and 2024. Shapiro, 52, boasts a strong track record with three statewide wins, a reputation as a skilled fundraiser who spent over $70 million in his gubernatorial race, and has gained national attention as a possible presidential contender in 2028.
For Republicans, winning the governor’s seat is about more than just unseating Shapiro; they want a strong candidate to help boost turnout in congressional races and defend their House majority.
Shapiro’s political base is centered around Philadelphia’s populous suburbs. Garrity, 61, hails from rural northern Pennsylvania and entered politics later in life. She is a trained accountant and former Army reservist who retired as a colonel after serving in Iraq, where she managed a detention center.
Since her upset win for treasurer in 2020, Garrity has been a prominent campaigner and frequent supporter of Trump, serving as a visible surrogate for Mastriano in 2022. Shapiro won that year’s gubernatorial race by nearly 15 points, a tough cycle for Republicans.
Despite their political differences, Garrity and Shapiro have maintained a professional relationship and avoided partisan conflicts in official matters. Shapiro even gave her a warm introduction before her second term as treasurer began.
During Garrity’s tenure, Pennsylvania saw large budget surpluses, helped by federal COVID relief and inflation-driven tax revenue increases. However, the state is expected to return to its typical deficit position, and Garrity has warned that continued management under Shapiro could lead to higher taxes.
As treasurer, Garrity retained several top Democratic staffers, expanded unclaimed property return methods, and increased investments in Israel bonds.
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