Republicans gathered Sunday at Cannstatter’s for City Committee’s annual Great American Family Barbecue.
Party chairman Vince Fenerty and state Rep. Martina White welcomed four candidates to speak – Aaron Bashir (2nd Congressional District), Aizaz Gill (172nd Legislative District), Stacy Garrity (incumbent state treasurer) and Dave Sunday (attorney general).
Joe Picozzi, the Republican candidate in the 5th Senatorial District, was also recognized.
Others in attendance included former City Councilmen Jack Kelly and Al Taubenberger and former state Rep. John Taylor.
Garrity recalled the recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Butler County, in western Pennsylvania. The shooting killed Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief who shielded his wife and daughter during the gunfire.
“Corey’s a hero,” said Garrity, who asked the crowd to pray for his family.
Democrats will likely enter the general election with a 102-101 edge in the state House of Representatives.
White said Democrats are pursuing a left-wing agenda in the House, pointing to their blocking her school choice bill, even though testing shows that elementary school students in Philadelphia public schools fare poorly in reading and math.
White also noted Speaker Joanna McClinton’s legislation to end the requirement that an individual convicted of a life sentence needs a unanimous vote by the Board of Pardons to be considered for a pardon or commutation by the governor. If McClinton has her way, those lifers would need only a 3-2 vote to seek a pardon or commutation.
Gill faces Democrat Sean Dougherty in a race that could determine the House majority. He criticized Rep. Kevin Boyle – who lost the primary – for not voting when the House, then controlled by Republicans, impeached District Attorney Larry Krasner.
“If we flip the House, we can impeach Larry Krasner,” Gill said.
Bashir was given a shout-out by Trump when the former president spoke recently at Temple University. In his remarks at the barbecue, Bashir blamed Democrats for inflation and high gas prices and said he wants to lower the national debt, which stands at about $35 trillion.
Bashir came to Cannstatter’s after the 33rd Ward spent the day campaigning for him, Trump and Senate candidate Dave McCormick.
“We really had a good day,” said Mike McLaughlin, GOP leader in the 33rd Ward. “We had a great day of engagement. We canvassed all 24 divisions.”
The program ended with Kate Smith’s rendition of God Bless America. ••
