What I look for in a candidate

When I evaluate a candidate, I look first at their basic character. Do they exhibit dignity, honesty, intelligence, and empathy?  Then I look at their purpose in running.  Candidates who demonstrate a commitment to public service win high marks. If they are running for office primarily to gain power, that is, for me, a major strike against them.  A candidate's experience, especially in public service, counts high for me also: what do they  bring to the table?

Also high on my list are the following issues and priorities:  addressing climate change, protecting democracy, protecting a woman's right to bodily autonomy (which often affects not only herself, but the well-being of her family), making laws that address the increasing inequalities in our society, improving policing and a currently unjust prison system that is also costing taxpayers millions of dollars. In the area of education, I believe in lifting up the quality of public schools especially in underfunded neighborhoods, teaching good citizenship and the whole history of our great country, not shying away from its systemic racism and other foibles and realizing that we can only learn from our mistakes.

Having met Josh Shapiro and John Fetterman more than once and become familiar with their character, backgrounds, relevant experience, and values, I believe they have the characteristics that are important to me and to many people whom I respect.  And I know they will do their best to protect us from the election deniers and other extremists who are tearing our country apart. Please join me in voting for Fetterman for U.S. Senate and Shapiro for Governor. I also advocate voting for our two local candidates:  Marty Qually for the General Assembly in Pa, and Beth Farnham for U.S. Congress (as a write-in candidate opposing John Joyce).  Marty and Beth are both committed to a woman's right to choose her own destiny and to other values and issues in which I strongly believe.

Jeanne Duffy
Gettysburg