Solomon's words (PAGE 2): DEMSTOCK 2021 - A HUGE SUCCESS FOR RURAL PA SPECIAL FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(KERSEY, PA) - Democratic activists from all over western Pennsylvania gathered at the Elk County Fairgrounds in Kersey this past weekend for two days of networking, learning and celebration at the third bi-annual Demstock 2021 event. Over the weekend, close to 200 activists from rural counties heard from Democratic leaders and candidates, including Senator Bob Casey, Lt. Governor John Fetterman, Congressman Conor Lamb, four candidates for Pennsylvania appeals courts, a candidate for Congress and a Butler County Commissioner.

The event stretched over August 20 and 21 and included a Friday night campfire fundraiser for six young Democrats running for municipal and county level offices across Western PA this year and Saturday afternoon workshops on issues, policy and campaign techniques.In addition, close to a dozen advocacy groups, municipal Democratic committees and county Democratic committees set up tables in the one of the two exhibit halls at the fair, sharing information about their organization and its mission.

Elk County Commissioner Matt Quesenberry welcomed those in attendance to his county and spoke of some of its unique aspects including the abundant natural resources as well as its vibrant manufacturing base.

Senator Casey kicked off the evening political speeches with a litany of ways Republican policies have ignored the needs of children and families in the same rural areas where they have enjoyed electoral support. The Senator stressed how the GOP has voted against programs for children; slashed health care budgets; opposed tax cuts for average families, badly needed programs for infrastructure, jobs and schools; opposed programs for recovery from the economic impacts of the COVID pandemic and even discouraged masks and vaccinations.

Casey stressed how the American Rescue Plan Act benefited all Pennsylvanians and mentioned that the current infrastructure bills would bring much needed funds to rural PA. He noted how these very popular programs across America were being supported only by Democrats in Congress.

“Democrats”, Casey said, “are on the side of the working class and middle class...we’ll leave it to the Republicans to take care of the rich.” He concluded “You believe as I do. You believe that this should be a Commonwealth in life as well as in name.”

Superior Court Judge Maria McLaughlin, running for Pennsylvania Supreme Court, praised rural Democrats for their hard work and bravery in red rural counties. “When you lose by less, you win” McLaughlin pointed out as the path to victory statewide. She spoke of being the granddaughter of immigrants and the first in her family to attend college.

McLaughlin, who visited Elk County three times along with multiple visits to other area counties during her last statewide judicial race, stressed the importance of all of Pennsylvania’s counties. She made it a point to visit all 67 in during her last successful campaign. Grabbing a county courthouse photo as proof, her goal is to repeat that this year. The judge believes that in order to truly understand the people involved in the cases she decides, she needs to make sure that she knows where they came from and the communities they call home.

McLaughlin was joined by three other candidates for state appellate courts, all campaigning across Pennsylvania and all recommended or highly recommended by the Pennsylvania Bar Association. It was stressed that the same could not be said of the current GOP statewide judicial ticket.

Judge Tamika Lane, a candidate for Pennsylvania Superior Court, spent years as a pro bono advocate, a public defender and currently is a Common Pleas Court Judge. Lane mentioned that she is the sole judge handling human trafficking cases. In addition, she handles serious felony criminal matters including but not limited to, domestic/family violence, sexual assault, attempted murder, aggravated assault, arson, robbery and burglary.

Judge Lori Dumas, candidate for PA Commonwealth Court, pointed out her roles as a tireless community advocate stressing she has been a common pleas court judge for 18 years, the majority of her tenure in the Juvenile Division where she fought for fair and equal justice for the most vulnerable children and families. She has served in the Criminal Division and is currently assigned to the Civil Division. She has presided over thousands of trials, both jury and non-jury.

Judge David Spurgeon, candidate for PA Commonwealth Court, spent 18 years in the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office before being elected to the court of Common Pleas in 2016. An advocate of diversionary courts, he assisted in the creation of Veterans’ Court and supervised the attorneys assigned to Mental Health Court. Spurgeon was integral in the development of the first specialized accountability docket in Pennsylvania to address repeat batterers of violence.

In a theme echoed by all four judges, Spurgeon, the last judge candidate to speak, mentioned how important Democratic policies and programs benefited him in the past and allowed him to be where he is today.

Conor Lamb, Congressman from the Pennsylvania 17th district and candidate for the Democratic nomination for US Senate in 2022, pointed to the assistance the Democrats have provided to rural communities and counties, assistance Republicans consistently opposed, despite a republican majority constituency. Lamb won election to Congress from a red district three different times.

Lt. Governor John Fetterman, candidate for the Democratic nomination for US Senate in 2022, is no stranger to rural Pennsylvania. In each of his three campaigns, he visited every county in Pennsylvania “It isn’t easy being a Democrat in a deep red county,” Fetterman said. “You are, in my opinion, the heart and soul of the Democratic Party.”

Butler County Farmer Rick Telesz, launching a 2022 run for US Congress from the 16th District, admitted voting for Donald Trump in 2016, and soon decided that was “a terrible mistake.” His mind changed, he said, he was proud to speak at the Democratic National Convention and to have campaigned with Jill Biden for her husband Joe in 2020.

The keynote address came not from Senators or Congressmen, but from Butler County Commissioner Kevin Boozel. The Commissioner spoke of being a minority commissioner in a red county.Someone stole his yard signs in 2020, he said, and when he put a Biden sign too high to reach on his barn, vandals shot paintballs at it and even tried to burn it down. After the election, so-called “patriots” showed up at a county commissioners meeting because they didn’t like the election results and wanted to arrest him and his Republican colleagues.

“But Democrats are better at running governments” he said. “We are Democrats and we make it work. We work for everybody, Republicans or Democrats....because we are on the side of the people.”

Demstock began on Friday afternoon with some door-to-door canvassing in St. Marys, followed by a campfire fundraiser hosted by Kristy Gnibus of Erie County, who challenged Mike Kelly for his District 16 congressional seat last year. The campfire event raised over $3,000, providing $500 each in campaign funds to the six young municipal and county candidates. One of those aspiring public servants is Shane Schneider from St. Marys. Shane was appointed to the St. Marys City Council earlier this year and is seeking his first full term on the November ballot.

Volunteers from Potter County provided hotdogs and snacks for Saturday lunch while the picnic dinner was prepared and served by the host Elk County Democratic Committee.

Demstock host organizer and Elk County Democratic Chair Rich Schweikert said Demstock ‘21 took “six months of planning and 48 hours of intense effort surrounded by amazing Democrats from almost 20 counties.” He expressed thanks to Demstock co-chairs Jim Heckman of McKean County and Braxton White of Clarion County, and to volunteers from Elk, Potter, McKean, Butler, Clarion, Clearfield and Indiana counties.

Event organizers said they plan on holding Demstock again in the summer of 2023, this time in Indiana County.

Judges-Casey.jpg - Judge Lori Dumas, Judge Timika Lane, US Senator Bob Casey, Judge Maria McLaughlin, Judge David Spurgeon
Photo credit David Spurgeon

Photo credit David Spurgeon

Friday Candidates.jpg -Zach Bloom (Clearfield Co. Controller Candidate), Tierra Williams (Ferguson Twp. Supervisor Candidate), Cassie Swalm (Clarion Borough Council Candidate), Shane Schneider (St. Marys City Council Candidate), Host - Kristy Gnibus, James Smith (Indiana Borough Tax Collector Candidate), Lavender Capenos-Paolucci