Governor Shapiro’s PAC endorses DePasquale over Kenyatta, but not McClelland • Spotlight PA

HARRISBURG — Gov. Josh Shapiro’s political action committee donated $1.38 million to state Democratic candidates in the months leading up to the Nov. 5 election.

The beneficiaries include attorney general candidate Eugene DePasquale and potential auditor general Malcolm Kenyatta. It’s worth noting, however, that Shapiro’s PAC hasn’t given any money to Democrat Erin McClelland, who is trying to reverse control of Pennsylvania’s treasury.

A spokesman for Shapiro did not respond to a request for comment.

Shapiro’s PAC has contributed $4.9 million since 2023 and raised $9 million through Oct. 21, according to a recent campaign finance filing. That total increased significantly when Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris named him as her running mate.

To date, the PAC has spent nearly $5 million, including nearly $307,000 to JET-A LLC, which provides private flight charter services, and currently has $8.9 million on hand. The next gubernatorial election in Pennsylvania will be in 2026.

McClelland did not support Harris in selecting Shapiro as his running mate. In a post on X, she endorsed North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper over a candidate who “(swept) sexual harassment under the rug.” Many interpreted this post as nodding towards allegations of sexual harassment against Shapiro’s former legislative aide Mike Vereb, which led to Vereb’s resignation.

State Sen. Sharif Street (D., Philadelphia), the Pennsylvania party chairman, said that “resentful” according to McClelland’s post.

A spokesman for McClelland’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment. She previously told Spotlight PA that “any slight insinuation that there are problems” with the state site “would be untrue.”

Shapiro seconded DePasquale and Kenyattawho received $100,000 and $25,000 from his PAC, respectively. However, he did not support McClelland who did so he fought raise significant money.

McClellandformer addiction and mental health counselor, won an unexpected primary victory over party-endorsed state Rep. Ryan Bizzarro (R-Erie). Now he will face the incumbent treasurer of the Republican Party Stacy Garritywho consistently outperformed her.

Garrity is a retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel who touts her efforts to return unclaimed property. She is a supporter of former President Donald Trump, the current GOP presidential candidate, and spoke at a 2021 rally to cast doubt on the 2020 election results (she claims she attended the event to criticize the electoral process ).

DePasquale, a former state auditor general, will face several candidates, including Republican Dave Sunday, York County district attorney. Sunday received significant support from a PAC tied to Pennsylvania’s richest man. There is no leader in the race. Kenyatta, a state representative from Philadelphia, is trying to defeat incumbent Republican Auditor General Tim DeFoor.

Shapiro’s PAC also contributed $1 million to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Democratic Campaign Committee and $250,000 to the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Campaign Committee. The former is trying to maintain the Democrats’ one-seat majority in the House of Representatives, while the latter is trying to wrest the state Senate from Republican control.

Spotlight PA’s Katie Meyer contributed reporting.