Pennsylvania's three statewide row officers were sworn in to new four-year terms on Tuesday, joining Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro in Harrisburg and marking the first time that all three offices were filled at the same time by elected Republicans.
Treasurer Stacy Garrity and Auditor General Tim DeFoor embarked on their second four-year terms, while Attorney General Dave Sunday was sworn in to his first four-year term as the state's top law enforcement officer.
They took their oaths in separate, back-to-back ceremonies in the ornate Forum Auditorium, across the street from the state Capitol. Shapiro spoke, as did former Govs. Mark Schweiker and Tom Corbett.
Sunday, a former York County District Attorney, spoke about the philosophy that will guide his time in office. He said his career as a prosecutor taught him about accountability and redemption, and those two themes inform his outlook on the legal system.
On one hand, Sunday said criminals must be held accountable. “At the same time, we need to embrace redemption for those who have been held accountable and seek to better their lives," he said. "Remember, 95% of everyone who enters prison will come back to society.”
He called upon business owners and organized labor to embrace people who have been previously incarcerated, in an effort to help them transition back into society.
Sunday said his AG's office will push for better mental health and addiction services, especially in rural communities ravaged by opioids and other illegal drugs. But he also said he'd focus on holding drug traffickers accountable.
“As a D.A., I very rarely saw pain like that of a parent watching their child slip away into the web of addiction. We must work relentlessly to dismantle criminal organizations trafficking this poison," he said.
Mental health and addiction crises place “an unbearable strain” on police, hospitals and services, he added. Sunday also touted a reduction in gang violence in York and said the community collaboration he helped forge there can be expanded statewide.
The three row 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, auditors general can probe politically sensitive programs to see if they comply with the law and attorneys general have the authority to investigate political corruption.
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.
All three can also 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, a Navy veteran, 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 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. Both of them won two campaigns for attorney general and served six years in the office.
