The Pennsylvania pol who's a threat to Josh Shapiro
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State Treasurer Stacy Garrity. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty Images
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity, a supporter of President-elect Trump, has become the most popular state pol in Pennsylvania. Yet to many in deep-blue Philly, she's largely unknown.
Why it matters: Garrity is the first person political insiders put on a short list of contenders who could challenge Gov. Josh Shapiro in 2026.
By the numbers: Garrity now holds the record for most votes earned by a candidate in a statewide race. Her more than 3.5 million votes in November eclipsed a mark set by Shapiro when he ran for attorney general in 2020.
The intrigue: Pennsylvania is among a handful of states that have never elected a woman as governor or senator.
What they're saying: Garrity has a legit shot to change that, pundits say, pointing to her centrist approach and her military background.
- "She ticks all the boxes," St. Joe's professor emeritus and political commentator Randall Miller tells Axios. "She's made the state money and made good decisions. Captain of the ship, whether storms or smooth waters."
Zoom in: As Pennsylvania's fiscal watchdog, Garrity manages more than $160 billion in state funds.
- She helped get a record-setting hundreds of millions of dollars in unclaimed property back into residents' hands in 2022 and 2023 — one contributing factor to her popularity, perhaps, given that most state residents aren't likely to interact much with the treasurer. (Search your unclaimed property here.)
- She's also earned a reputation for increasing transparency around how Pennsylvania spends taxpayer money.
Friction point: Garrity invested millions more than before in Israeli war bonds after the start of the Israel-Hamas War. Her decision drew the ire of pro-Palestinian activists who protested at the state capitol in Harrisburg.
- Garrity tells Axios she "unapologetically" supports Israel and has no plans to divest the state's funds, even as world leaders call for an investigation into allegations of genocide in Gaza.
Flashback: Garrity became the first Republican to hold the treasurer's office in 16 years when she ousted Democratic incumbent Joe Torsella in 2020. Still, she had him speak at her swearing-in ceremony and kept his staff, against the advice of some around her.
The other side: Shapiro is still top dog, pundits say.
- Garrity beat a poorly funded upstate candidate who wasn't favored by state Democrats. If she runs for governor, she'd face a much stiffer contest against a popular incumbent with cross-party appeal who nearly joined a presidential ticket.
- "Her job is not sexy. She'll have to force it out," Miller says. "Being governor is."
Catch up quick: Garrity grew up in rural Bradford County and says she was the first person in her family to go to college (Bloomsburg University). She was a longtime Army officer who earned the nickname "Angel of the Desert" for her humanistic approach overseeing an Iraqi prison camp, per NPR.
- Before deciding to run for state treasurer, she put her decision through a hometown "prayer chain."
What she's saying: Garrity tells Axios that she's not thrilled with some of Trump's rhetoric but believes he'll put the country in a better place. She's not commenting on 2026, saying she was just focused on being "the best possible state treasurer."