PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania — Longtime Pennsylvania conservative leader Charlie Gerow announced at a firehouse in Cumberland County on Thursday that he is seeking the Republican nomination for governor in 2022.
His announcement marked the first time a Latino candidate has sought the nomination in the Keystone State from either party.
Gerow was born in Londrina, Brazil, and was adopted by American missionaries who moved back to the United States shortly thereafter.
Gerow, who grew up in suburban Philadelphia, has spent his entire life in Pennsylvania. He began in the conservative movement under Ronald Reagan, for whom he worked for over 25 years, which included the arrangements for Reagan’s funeral in June 2004.
For the past 20 years, Gerow has been CEO of Quantum Communications in downtown Harrisburg.
In an interview with the Washington Examiner, Gerow said he is running “not because I need a title, but because I want to do a job for the people of Pennsylvania. We need leadership I can provide,” he said. “This will be a campaign from the people for the people talking about citizens taking back their freedom and regaining opportunities.”
Gerow, vice-chairman of the American Conservative Union, joins at least four other declared candidates, including former Congressman Lou Barletta, Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale, Pittsburgh lawyer Jason Richey, and Dr. Nche Zama, a cardiothoracic surgeon.
Current Gov. Tom Wolf, a York County Democrat, cannot seek a third term.
As of Friday, no Democrats have announced they are running. The worst-kept secret in Democratic circles is that current Attorney General Josh Shapiro will seek the office, but in an interview, Shapiro said not to expect an announcement anytime soon.
Pennsylvania is a quirky state. Donald Trump narrowly won the presidential race in 2016, before President Joe Biden narrowly won it in 2020. The congressional delegation is evenly split, with nine House Democrats and nine House Republicans; the U.S. Senate seats are currently evenly split as well.
Down-ballot Republicans saw movement their way last cycle when two of the three statewide row offices went Republican against expectations, and the state House and state Senate stayed comfortably Republican, despite claims from Democrats both chambers would go blue.
The other big statewide race to watch here in 2022 is the one for the current U.S. Senate seat held by retiring Republican Pat Toomey. On the Democrat side, current Lt. Gov. John Fetterman has already announced he is running to replace the seat, along with Montgomery County chairwoman Val Arkoosh and state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta.
Western Pennsylvania congressman Conor Lamb has not said whether he will remain in his seat or jump into the Senate race. U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin said in an interview with the Washington Examiner last week he held a fundraiser for Lamb, which seems to indicate Lamb will launch a Senate run.
Army veteran Sean Parnell and businessman Jeff Bartos have declared they are seeking the Republican nomination for that U.S. Senate seat.
