Pennsylvania row officers to be sworn in, marking first time Republicans hold all three offices

Pennsylvania’s three Republican row officers are to be sworn in on Tuesday, marking the first Republicans have held all three offices

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s three statewide row officers will be sworn in to new four-terms on Tuesday, joining Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro in Harrisburg and marking the first time that the state’s voters elected Republicans to fill all three offices at the same time.

Treasurer Stacy Garrity and Auditor General Tim DeFoor will each be sworn in to a second four-year term, while Attorney General-elect Dave Sunday will be sworn in to his first four-year term.

They’ll take their oaths in separate, back-to-back ceremonies in the Forum Auditorium, across the street from the state Capitol. Shapiro was scheduled to attend.

The offices are often viewed as a springboard to running for higher office, and the row officers each have built-in watchdog duties that could affect how Shapiro governs.

For instance, a treasurer or auditor general must approve a general obligation bond issue, while both must approve a tax-anticipation note. Treasurers can block payments they see as illegal.

Attorneys general, meanwhile, must ensure all executive branch contracts are legal and can carry a governor’s policy agenda in the courts, such as in clashes with lawmakers or the White House. They also can use their statewide platform to amplify an opposition message.

The three of them will be in office at a time when there is considerable friction between Shapiro and the Republican-controlled state Senate over the pace of state spending.

The state is projected to have a $10.5 billion surplus at the end of the fiscal year on June 30, but Garrity and other Republicans are warning that the pace of state spending could deplete that in a few years.

Garrity, meanwhile, is considered a potential GOP challenger to Shapiro as he gears up to seek a second four-year term in the 2026 election.

For his part, Shapiro made the shortlist of running mates for Vice President Kamala Harris in her White House bid last year and he is widely viewed as a leading contender for the Democratic Party’s nomination for president in 2028.

Sunday was York County’s district attorney for the past seven years. Before Sunday, the last Republican to win an election for attorney general in Pennsylvania was Tom Corbett in 2008.

Four of the last five elected attorneys general went on to run for governor. Corbett won his race for governor in 2010 and Shapiro won in 2022. Each won two campaigns for attorney general and served six years in the office.