But What About The Rest of The Ballot?: A “Who’s Who” for the 2024 General Election

It’s time, Philly. One of the most historic election days is just on the horizon, and with certain rights on the line, your vote is needed now more than ever. Of course, most of our focus is on the two major presidential candidates, but there are a lot more names on the ballot that you might not recognize. Here's what you should know about these 2024 General Election candidates.

U.S. Senator - Statewide

For nearly two decades, BOB CASEY has served as the senior U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, with a background of being a former state auditor and treasurer. Additionally, his father, Robert Casey Sr., was a former governor. He’s strongly advocated for healthcare expansion, gun control, and protecting worker’s rights.

Senator Casey once coined himself a “pro-life Democrat.” However, the overturn of Roe v. Wade made him a staunch supporter of abortion rights. In the aftermath of the ruling, Casey stated, “Our daughters and granddaughters should not grow up with fewer rights than their mothers.” Since then, he’s voted “yes” on several bills to reestablish protections for abortion, recently voting for the Reproductive Freedom for Women Act on July 10th.

Senator Casey has also changed his stance on gun control. He was strongly against gun regulations and restrictions in his early days in office. The tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in late 2012 drastically altered his opinion. “Our country cannot surrender to the idea that gun deaths [are] unavoidable,” says Casey. He’s called for background checks and to ban the public use of semi-automatic rifles.

Casey adamantly supports LGBTQ+ rights and has signed several protection bills. Recently, Senator Casey and John Fetterman were under fire for cutting renovation funds to the William Way LGBT Community Center in Philadelphia. A right-wing Twitter account, Libs of Tiktok, criticized the center for hosting an 18+ BDSM event. Casey’s spokesperson states he withdrew his funding after being informed about this.

Casey hopes to make high-quality education accessible to every child and believes issues around race and gender identity should be taught. He’s also funded a bill for teaching African American history in schools. "For far too long, our education system has taught an incomplete version of American history, which downplays the oppression that the Black community has experienced and continues to experience,” Casey says.

Republican businessman DAVID MCCORMICK is a West Point graduate and Gulf War veteran with a background in government service. This will be his second attempt at becoming a Senator, after losing to Dr. Mehmet Oz in the 2022 Republican primaries.

His views emphasize free markets, a strong national defense, and conservative economic policies.

Although McCormick is pro-life, he’s openly opposed a national abortion ban and supports abortion in the cases of rape, incest, and saving the mother’s life. “This is an area where we have to find common ground,” Mccormick says. He believes life begins at conception, and supports the Pennsylvania law that limits abortion after 24 weeks. In an interview with Fox News, he stated the overturning of Roe v. Wade was a “huge victory for the protection of life.”

In a now private YouTube campaign video, McCormick can be seen firing an assault-style rifle, and says he’s “pro-gun and proud of it.” He fervently supports the Second Amendment, stating on his campaign website, “law-abiding citizens [have the right] to own firearms [and] neither Congress nor the states can take that away.” McCormick supports background checks and increasing security in schools.

Mccormick’s support for same-sex marriage can be traced back to 2013 when he and 131 fellow Republicans signed an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court. Though his hedge fund’s company policy covered gender reassignment surgery, McCormick ran transphobic advertisements during the 2022 primaries and opposes transgender women playing in competitive women’s sports.

McCormick's website says he wants to “revamp the education system with a strategy that unlocks the courageous, American spirit.” This means challenging the “woke” ideology of teaching anti-American values. Additionally, topics like sex and gender education concern him because “children are too young to process them.”

Attorney General - Statewide

EUGENE DEPASQUALE was Pennsylvania’s auditor general from 2013 to 2021. He’s known for his efforts to improve government transparency in areas like education funding and environmental protection.

DePasquale is strongly pro-choice and wants to protect those fleeing republican states seeking a legal abortion. “Anyone who has to leave any of those states in the country here, I’ll protect their reproductive freedom,” he says in an interview with The Keystone. His stance is majorly inspired by his wife experiencing an ectopic pregnancy, which required a life-saving emergency abortion.

In 2018, Depasquale authored a gun safety report that included 12 recommendations to minimize gun violence. These recommendations included expanding access to mental health care, cracking down on stolen and lost guns, and vigorous background checks. His website states he will collaborate with local and state authorities to put an end to gun-related tragedies.

Depasqule recently interviewed with Philadelphia Gay News about his support for LGBTQ+ rights. He wants to work with the school board to protect queer students from bullying and will work fervently to combat the goals of Project 2025.

The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) recently announced an endorsement of Depasquale .“Eugene will work to hold state government and school districts accountable so that every Pennsylvania student gets an equal opportunity at a quality education.” PSEA President Aaron Chapin says.

DAVE SUNDAY is a navy veteran who served as York County’s district attorney since 2018. His focus is mainly on the opioid epidemic, gang violence, and bringing down crimes in his community.

Not much is publicly known about Sunday’s stance on abortion, as he’s stated that his opinion “won’t be a part of his job” and “he will follow the law regardless of his personal opinion.” He’s also said that the right to abortion should be decided by state legislature, and isn’t guaranteed under the state constitution.

The Gun Owners of America have officially endorsed Sunday for his resistance against universal registration checks and support for concealed carry agreements. Sunday has recently halted an ordinance that would’ve regulated firearms in the city of York.

Additionally, there isn’t much information on Sunday’s opinion on LGBTQ+ rights. His campaign heavily focuses on issues like gun control, public safety, and the ongoing war on drugs through the lens of upholding conservative values. It is unclear how these policies affect LGBTQ+ rights.

During the COVID-19, Sunday declined to prosecute violations of state mandates related to school mask requirements, suggesting a belief in limiting government intervention in educational settings. He openly supports high-quality education for pre-K and early childhood students.

Auditor General

MALCOLM KENYATTA

Kenyatta strongly advocates for abortion rights. In October 2022, just months after the controversial overturn of Roe v. Wade, he rallied activists in front of the Pennsylvania state capitol to defend bodily autonomy. “Abortion is healthcare,” he said, “the government has no right to force anyone to give birth.”

He’s also focused on reducing gun violence. Earlier this year, he authored a bill to end the sale of “ghost guns,” or firearms without serial numbers. “The impact of untraceable firearms on our communities is unfathomable. We need to get ‘ghost guns’ out of the hands of criminals and folks who shouldn’t have access to firearms,” he said.

As the first openly LGBTQ person of color to run for the U.S. Senate, Kenyatta is a passionate advocate for LGBTQ rights. His own experiences as a Black gay man inform his commitment to advancing equality and protecting LGBTQ+ communities.

Kenyatta has consistently supported equal education, especially for marginalized groups. He chairs the Presidential Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity for Black Americans and is dedicated to ensuring educational excellence and economic opportunity for all.

TIM DEFOOR

Tim DeFoor hasn’t made clear public statements that directly address social issues like abortion, LGBTQ rights, or gun control. However, DeFoor has emphasized education, particularly financial literacy. He advocates for teaching financial literacy in schools from K-12, believing it is essential for the long-term economic success of students and the state.

For the full list of candidates, visit the Philadelphia City Commissioners website.