2020 Candidates
Marty Qually
PA State House 91st District
www.martyqually.com
Marty Qually is a longtime Adams County resident, living in Gettysburg with his wife Elizabeth, children Nick, Kate, Lucien, and Sam, and dog Bella. Marty began his first term as County Commissioner in 2012. Prior to serving as a County Commissioner, Mr. Qually served as an appointed County Auditor and as an elected Gettysburg Borough Councilperson.
Marty Qually has served as Adams County Commissioner since 2012. Prior to serving as a County Commissioner, Mr. Qually served as an appointed County Auditor and as an elected Gettysburg Borough Councilperson. Commissioner Qually is primarily focused on three areas,
Marty Qually supports a balance between economic growth and our need for a high residential quality of life. By serving as liaison to the Adams County Planning Commission and as a board member of the Adams County Economic Development Corporation, Mr. Qually is able to influence decision making in an effort to place appropriate development in areas which do not affect the environmental or historic beauty of our communities.
Lastly, Commissioner Qually is dedicated to open government. He has championed for and continues to organize evening community forum throughout the county. These forum ensure that important local issues are addressed and public input is obtained from residents. He also maintains an open door policy and freely encourages the public to call him both at the office and on his personal phone.
Commissioner Qually received all of his education in this area attending Saint Francis Xavier School, Delone Catholic High School and Mount Saint Mary’s University. Marty Qually is a long time resident of Adams County and resides in Gettysburg with his wife Elizabeth Meighan and their four children Nick, Kate, Lucien, and Sam.
PA State House 91st District
www.martyqually.com
Marty Qually is a longtime Adams County resident, living in Gettysburg with his wife Elizabeth, children Nick, Kate, Lucien, and Sam, and dog Bella. Marty began his first term as County Commissioner in 2012. Prior to serving as a County Commissioner, Mr. Qually served as an appointed County Auditor and as an elected Gettysburg Borough Councilperson.
Marty Qually has served as Adams County Commissioner since 2012. Prior to serving as a County Commissioner, Mr. Qually served as an appointed County Auditor and as an elected Gettysburg Borough Councilperson. Commissioner Qually is primarily focused on three areas,
- Improving county finances and efficiency,
- Making Adams County a place that preserves its quality of life and encourages economic development through effective planning,
- Is committed to being accessible and accountable to the public. Marty’s commitment to providing better services at reduced costs is evidenced by his work to end expensive county office space leases in favor of a new Human Services Building. This new building has greatly enhanced service to the public and will reduce the annual costs to tax payers for years to come. He currently leads the County’s Capital Improvements Team and is working to create a long term office space needs assessment and a capital improvements plan. These efforts will better outline the County’s long term needs and create a path to achieving these goals.
Marty Qually supports a balance between economic growth and our need for a high residential quality of life. By serving as liaison to the Adams County Planning Commission and as a board member of the Adams County Economic Development Corporation, Mr. Qually is able to influence decision making in an effort to place appropriate development in areas which do not affect the environmental or historic beauty of our communities.
Lastly, Commissioner Qually is dedicated to open government. He has championed for and continues to organize evening community forum throughout the county. These forum ensure that important local issues are addressed and public input is obtained from residents. He also maintains an open door policy and freely encourages the public to call him both at the office and on his personal phone.
Commissioner Qually received all of his education in this area attending Saint Francis Xavier School, Delone Catholic High School and Mount Saint Mary’s University. Marty Qually is a long time resident of Adams County and resides in Gettysburg with his wife Elizabeth Meighan and their four children Nick, Kate, Lucien, and Sam.
Matt Nelson
PA State House 193rd District Candidate
www.mattnelson193rd.com
Matt Nelson is dedicated to representing Pennsylvania’s 193rd district with integrity and an open mind. The last thing Harrisburg needs is another career politician. Instead, Matt offers the perspective of a scientist - someone trained to identify and solve complex problems based on facts, research, and ingenuity. He also wants his children to grow up seeing a political process that works towards finding common ground, building bridges, and avoiding further political polarization. Matt’s experience collaborating with people from diverse backgrounds and leading people with varied perspectives will serve him well in forming relationships and working with constituents and colleagues on both sides of the political aisle.
Born and raised in Hanover, Matt grew up the son of a truck driver and waitress. He and his sisters learned the importance of hard work and dedication from their parents who also encouraged them to maximize their potential. After graduating assalutatorian at Hanover High School, Matt attended GettysburgCollege where he earned his bachelors of science degree in chemistry and certification in secondary science education. Matt met his wife Dana in Philadelphia while the two were studying at the University of Pennsylvania. They have been married for twelve years and have two wonderful daughters, Adeline (age 10)and Brynna (age 8). Dana teaches fourth grade in their homeschool district (Bermudian Springs) and is currently pursuing additional accreditation as a math specialist through Penn State.
Matt was the first employee hired at AquaPhoenix Scientific, aHanover-based manufacturing company specializing in water testing kits. He serves as their research and development chemist and has been instrumental in growing the business into a multimillion dollar company. When not hard at work, Matt can be found shuttling his daughters to dance or piano lessons, cheering from the sidelines at travel soccer games, or coaching youth basketball.
PA State House 193rd District Candidate
www.mattnelson193rd.com
Matt Nelson is dedicated to representing Pennsylvania’s 193rd district with integrity and an open mind. The last thing Harrisburg needs is another career politician. Instead, Matt offers the perspective of a scientist - someone trained to identify and solve complex problems based on facts, research, and ingenuity. He also wants his children to grow up seeing a political process that works towards finding common ground, building bridges, and avoiding further political polarization. Matt’s experience collaborating with people from diverse backgrounds and leading people with varied perspectives will serve him well in forming relationships and working with constituents and colleagues on both sides of the political aisle.
Born and raised in Hanover, Matt grew up the son of a truck driver and waitress. He and his sisters learned the importance of hard work and dedication from their parents who also encouraged them to maximize their potential. After graduating assalutatorian at Hanover High School, Matt attended GettysburgCollege where he earned his bachelors of science degree in chemistry and certification in secondary science education. Matt met his wife Dana in Philadelphia while the two were studying at the University of Pennsylvania. They have been married for twelve years and have two wonderful daughters, Adeline (age 10)and Brynna (age 8). Dana teaches fourth grade in their homeschool district (Bermudian Springs) and is currently pursuing additional accreditation as a math specialist through Penn State.
Matt was the first employee hired at AquaPhoenix Scientific, aHanover-based manufacturing company specializing in water testing kits. He serves as their research and development chemist and has been instrumental in growing the business into a multimillion dollar company. When not hard at work, Matt can be found shuttling his daughters to dance or piano lessons, cheering from the sidelines at travel soccer games, or coaching youth basketball.
Brent Ottaway
US Congress 13th District Candidate
www.facebook.com/Brent4Congress
Pennsylvania Roots
Brent Ottaway has deep connections to Pennsylvania and District 13. He was born in Corry, PA, where his father worked an insurance agent, and his mother owned and managed a gift shop. After graduating from Corry Area High School, he earned a B.A. in Communication Arts from Grove City College. He left the state for a few years to work as a magazine editor and obtained an M.A. in Journalism from West Virginia University in 1990. That Fall he took a faculty position in the Department of English/Communications & Modern Languages at St. Francis College (now University), and with his wife Ellen, settled in the Hollidaysburg area.
Service in Higher Education
Ottaway’s career demonstrates his commitment to higher education as a public good—and his dedication to supporting both young people and the faculty who teach them. Now in his 27th year at St. Francis, Brent has become a cornerstone of his department and has served in multiple administrative roles, including Dean of General Education, Associate Dean of the School of Arts and Letters, President of the Faculty Senate, and Faculty Athletics Representative. In the past few years, he has added a significant role as director of a study-abroad program, encouraging students to engage with other cultures and global issues that affect us at home.
Engaged in Community
Brent’s active life in Hollidaysburg displays his passion for developing caring communities. He and Ellen raised five children and volunteered extensively in the public schools and community, including coaching of soccer, baseball, and basketball teams. He was elected to two terms on the Hollidaysburg Area School Board, where he held the role of Vice President, and later to two terms on the Penn-Mont Academy Montessori School Board of Directors. He served on the Hollidaysburg Area Public Library Board of Directors for more than a decade, including several terms as President.
A Passion for Reason
Ottaway believes that legislators must be problem-solversand that facts and issues must take precedence over ideology. In recent years, Congress has failed to serve America’s best interest as representatives on both sides of the aisle shout past each other rather than shouldering their responsibility to think rationally, speak with civility, and advocate for solutions, not parties. Across his varied career and community roles, Ottaway has sought to bring people with very different backgrounds and viewpoints into conversation, brokering relationships and collaborations that help everyone involved. His talent for careful deliberation and civil discourse is sorely needed in Washington.
To the Future
Ottaway will soon be releasing position statements on major issues, but his concerns can be summed up by his desire to “end Washington’s war on the future.” Preoccupied with their next election, our representatives have steadfastly refused to take a long-term view. Examples of this failure are becoming more numerous and more dangerous:
It is time for reasonable people to make reasoned decisions in Washington. Brent Ottaway is the right person to serve that role, the kind of pragmatic citizen-legislator that the country’s founders had in mind.
US Congress 13th District Candidate
www.facebook.com/Brent4Congress
Pennsylvania Roots
Brent Ottaway has deep connections to Pennsylvania and District 13. He was born in Corry, PA, where his father worked an insurance agent, and his mother owned and managed a gift shop. After graduating from Corry Area High School, he earned a B.A. in Communication Arts from Grove City College. He left the state for a few years to work as a magazine editor and obtained an M.A. in Journalism from West Virginia University in 1990. That Fall he took a faculty position in the Department of English/Communications & Modern Languages at St. Francis College (now University), and with his wife Ellen, settled in the Hollidaysburg area.
Service in Higher Education
Ottaway’s career demonstrates his commitment to higher education as a public good—and his dedication to supporting both young people and the faculty who teach them. Now in his 27th year at St. Francis, Brent has become a cornerstone of his department and has served in multiple administrative roles, including Dean of General Education, Associate Dean of the School of Arts and Letters, President of the Faculty Senate, and Faculty Athletics Representative. In the past few years, he has added a significant role as director of a study-abroad program, encouraging students to engage with other cultures and global issues that affect us at home.
Engaged in Community
Brent’s active life in Hollidaysburg displays his passion for developing caring communities. He and Ellen raised five children and volunteered extensively in the public schools and community, including coaching of soccer, baseball, and basketball teams. He was elected to two terms on the Hollidaysburg Area School Board, where he held the role of Vice President, and later to two terms on the Penn-Mont Academy Montessori School Board of Directors. He served on the Hollidaysburg Area Public Library Board of Directors for more than a decade, including several terms as President.
A Passion for Reason
Ottaway believes that legislators must be problem-solversand that facts and issues must take precedence over ideology. In recent years, Congress has failed to serve America’s best interest as representatives on both sides of the aisle shout past each other rather than shouldering their responsibility to think rationally, speak with civility, and advocate for solutions, not parties. Across his varied career and community roles, Ottaway has sought to bring people with very different backgrounds and viewpoints into conversation, brokering relationships and collaborations that help everyone involved. His talent for careful deliberation and civil discourse is sorely needed in Washington.
To the Future
Ottaway will soon be releasing position statements on major issues, but his concerns can be summed up by his desire to “end Washington’s war on the future.” Preoccupied with their next election, our representatives have steadfastly refused to take a long-term view. Examples of this failure are becoming more numerous and more dangerous:
- A tax package that adds to the deficit while offering little benefit to the people who need it most and huge windfalls to the wealthiest
- A hodge-podge healthcare approach that, because of a lack of cooperation between parties, is deeply flawed, resulting in too many Americans suffering with inadequate care.
- Foreign policy that is reducing America’s standing in the world at an alarming rate.
- Economic planning that looks to the jobs of the past rather than to the industries of the future.
- Destructive, short-sighted environmental policies for which future generations will pay a high price.
- A lack of courage in the face of lobbyists that has ignored common-sense gun safety measures at the expense of too many innocent victims.
It is time for reasonable people to make reasoned decisions in Washington. Brent Ottaway is the right person to serve that role, the kind of pragmatic citizen-legislator that the country’s founders had in mind.
Governor Tom Wolf
Governor
www.wolfforpa.com
Whether as a business owner or governor, Tom Wolf is a leader consistently taking on the status quo and trying to help middle class families. Tom Wolf is a different kind of leader, and he has been a different kind of governor.
Tom Wolf grew up York, Pennsylvania and attended college at Dartmouth, but he interrupted his studies to join the Peace Corps before returning to finish his degree. He earned graduate degrees from the University of London and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Before he was governor, Tom was the owner of the Wolf Organization, a distributor of lumber and other building products. Tom bought the family business and grew the Wolf Organization — eventually more than quintupling the business in size.
As governor, Tom has made historic investments in education, increased career and technical education, expanded Medicaid to more than 720,000 Pennsylvanians, and reduced the commonwealth's uninsured rate to its lowest point in history.
He has also stood up to Washington and Harrisburg Republicans every step of the way by stopping legislation that would criminalize abortion and defund Planned Parenthood, and he has joined other governors in fighting Trump’s efforts to repeal Obamacare and dismantle Medicaid.
Governor
www.wolfforpa.com
Whether as a business owner or governor, Tom Wolf is a leader consistently taking on the status quo and trying to help middle class families. Tom Wolf is a different kind of leader, and he has been a different kind of governor.
Tom Wolf grew up York, Pennsylvania and attended college at Dartmouth, but he interrupted his studies to join the Peace Corps before returning to finish his degree. He earned graduate degrees from the University of London and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Before he was governor, Tom was the owner of the Wolf Organization, a distributor of lumber and other building products. Tom bought the family business and grew the Wolf Organization — eventually more than quintupling the business in size.
As governor, Tom has made historic investments in education, increased career and technical education, expanded Medicaid to more than 720,000 Pennsylvanians, and reduced the commonwealth's uninsured rate to its lowest point in history.
He has also stood up to Washington and Harrisburg Republicans every step of the way by stopping legislation that would criminalize abortion and defund Planned Parenthood, and he has joined other governors in fighting Trump’s efforts to repeal Obamacare and dismantle Medicaid.
John Fetterman
Lieutenant Governor Candidate
www.johnfetterman.com
Pennsylvania born and raised, John was born to teenage parents who were just starting out on their own. At the time, his father worked nights to put himself through college. John grew up in York, and later followed in his father’s footsteps to Albright College, where he played offensive tackle for the Lions.
At 23, John joined up with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and threw himself into the program, mentoring his ‘little’ - an 8-year-old boy who had recently lost his father to AIDS and whose mother was also battling the disease. Before she passed away, John promised that he would continue to look out for her son and make sure that he would graduate college. Fifteen years later, John and his ‘little’ had both held up their ends of the bargain, with his little’s graduation from Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, PA.
The disparity between his own life and that of his ‘little’ motivated John to quit his job and join Ameri Corps, where for two years he served in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District, helping to set up the first computer labs in the neighborhood and teaching GED classes to young mothers and fathers.
He went on to earn a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, where he focused on finding solutions in social work, business, and public policy to confront urban challenges and economic inequality.
John then returned to Pennsylvania to start a GED program in the town of Braddock. John saw the beauty, grit, and determination that had been in the community’s roots for generations, and focused on turning Braddock, a town facing many obstacles, into a thriving and growing community.
In 2005, encouraged by his students and motivated to do more to address the inequality that was plaguing his community, John ran for mayor. He managed to win the crowded primary by a single vote, and he’s been hard at work ever since.
During the last 12 years as mayor, John has worked to build Braddock back from the verge of extinction. He’s applied a hands-on approach from Ameri Corps and his service experience to take steps to rebuild his community, bringing creative urban policy solutions to Braddock. He has worked with young people and artists to transform creative spaces downtown, and turned abandoned properties into urban gardens.
John has worked to attract new residents and new jobs, as more than a dozen businesses have relocated into Braddock and the population has stabilized for the first time in decades. He is most gratified, though, by breaking the cycle of violence in his community that culminated with nearly 5 ½ years without the taking of a life.
When Pennsylvania lawmakers continued to push outdated discriminatory policies banning marriage equality, Mayor John stood up and officiated one of the first same-sex marriages in the commonwealth.
John is proud of what they’ve achieved in Braddock, but wanted to do more not only for his community, but for his commonwealth. In 2016, John decided to run for U.S. Senate to be a champion for the struggling towns all over Pennsylvania, places like Braddock that have gotten a raw deal.
Facing off against a former Member of Congress and a candidate with the full backing of the Democratic Party, John entered the race as an outsider and an underdog. Despite being outspent more than 15 to 1, he shocked the establishment by earning 20% of the vote in a 4-way race and winning Allegheny County, the 2nd-largest county in the state.
John emerged as one of Pennsylvania’s leading progressive voices for working people, running on issues like inequality, racial justice, and ending the failed war on drugs – issues that the Democratic Party would only later recognize as key to winning over and turning out voters.
John, his wife Gisele, and their three children Karl, 8, Gracie 6, and August, 3 years, live in a restored car dealership in Braddock.
Lieutenant Governor Candidate
www.johnfetterman.com
Pennsylvania born and raised, John was born to teenage parents who were just starting out on their own. At the time, his father worked nights to put himself through college. John grew up in York, and later followed in his father’s footsteps to Albright College, where he played offensive tackle for the Lions.
At 23, John joined up with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and threw himself into the program, mentoring his ‘little’ - an 8-year-old boy who had recently lost his father to AIDS and whose mother was also battling the disease. Before she passed away, John promised that he would continue to look out for her son and make sure that he would graduate college. Fifteen years later, John and his ‘little’ had both held up their ends of the bargain, with his little’s graduation from Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, PA.
The disparity between his own life and that of his ‘little’ motivated John to quit his job and join Ameri Corps, where for two years he served in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District, helping to set up the first computer labs in the neighborhood and teaching GED classes to young mothers and fathers.
He went on to earn a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, where he focused on finding solutions in social work, business, and public policy to confront urban challenges and economic inequality.
John then returned to Pennsylvania to start a GED program in the town of Braddock. John saw the beauty, grit, and determination that had been in the community’s roots for generations, and focused on turning Braddock, a town facing many obstacles, into a thriving and growing community.
In 2005, encouraged by his students and motivated to do more to address the inequality that was plaguing his community, John ran for mayor. He managed to win the crowded primary by a single vote, and he’s been hard at work ever since.
During the last 12 years as mayor, John has worked to build Braddock back from the verge of extinction. He’s applied a hands-on approach from Ameri Corps and his service experience to take steps to rebuild his community, bringing creative urban policy solutions to Braddock. He has worked with young people and artists to transform creative spaces downtown, and turned abandoned properties into urban gardens.
John has worked to attract new residents and new jobs, as more than a dozen businesses have relocated into Braddock and the population has stabilized for the first time in decades. He is most gratified, though, by breaking the cycle of violence in his community that culminated with nearly 5 ½ years without the taking of a life.
When Pennsylvania lawmakers continued to push outdated discriminatory policies banning marriage equality, Mayor John stood up and officiated one of the first same-sex marriages in the commonwealth.
John is proud of what they’ve achieved in Braddock, but wanted to do more not only for his community, but for his commonwealth. In 2016, John decided to run for U.S. Senate to be a champion for the struggling towns all over Pennsylvania, places like Braddock that have gotten a raw deal.
Facing off against a former Member of Congress and a candidate with the full backing of the Democratic Party, John entered the race as an outsider and an underdog. Despite being outspent more than 15 to 1, he shocked the establishment by earning 20% of the vote in a 4-way race and winning Allegheny County, the 2nd-largest county in the state.
John emerged as one of Pennsylvania’s leading progressive voices for working people, running on issues like inequality, racial justice, and ending the failed war on drugs – issues that the Democratic Party would only later recognize as key to winning over and turning out voters.
John, his wife Gisele, and their three children Karl, 8, Gracie 6, and August, 3 years, live in a restored car dealership in Braddock.
Senator Bob Casey
U.S. Senator
www.bobcasey.com
Bob has spent two terms representing the people of Pennsylvania in the Senate, fighting for good jobs, higher wages and fairer workplaces. He is a leader with proven results for workers, women, children, seniors and people with disabilities. He has the experience and record of successful service that Pennsylvanians deserve in their Senator.
Bob has dedicated his career to serving the people of Pennsylvania, as Auditor General, State Treasurer and U.S. Senator. In Harrisburg, Bob compiled a record that focused on making government more accountable and responsive to the needs of Pennsylvanians. He has been a fiscal watchdog who made nursing homes safer and protected affordable child care. He led the fight to reform Megan’s Law to better protect Pennsylvania children and communities.
Since he was elected to the United States Senate in 2006, Bob has worked to create family-sustaining jobs and foster financial security for Pennsylvania families; protect our children and invest in their futures; ensure safety at home and respect for America abroad; promote honesty and accountability in government; preserve the dignity of the vulnerable of all ages among us; and advocate for his constituents and help them solve problems they face.
Bob was the prime Senate sponsor of landmark legislation for individuals with disabilities, the Stephen Beck Jr. Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE), which allows millions of families across the United States to save for the long-term care of their loved ones with disabilities in a tax-advantaged savings account.
He is a leader in public education, fighting for expanded access to everything from pre-K to technical schools to universities. As concerns arose across the nation about the dangers of campus sexual assault, Bob took action and passed into law the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act (Campus SaVE), which outlines steps schools can take to educate students and help prevent sexual assault, requires uniform reporting standards for sexual assaults on college campuses and requires schools to provide clear guidelines to students on their sexual assault policies.
From legislation cracking down on terrorists’ financing to a law that makes it easier for small businesses to expand, Bob has a wide range of accomplishments for the people of Pennsylvania. He is committed to raising wages and creating and retaining jobs across the state. A tireless advocate for middle-class families, workers and seniors, Bob is a voice for those who are threatened by Congressional Republicans’ tax cuts to the ultra-rich and recent attempts to undermine Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
U.S. Senator
www.bobcasey.com
Bob has spent two terms representing the people of Pennsylvania in the Senate, fighting for good jobs, higher wages and fairer workplaces. He is a leader with proven results for workers, women, children, seniors and people with disabilities. He has the experience and record of successful service that Pennsylvanians deserve in their Senator.
Bob has dedicated his career to serving the people of Pennsylvania, as Auditor General, State Treasurer and U.S. Senator. In Harrisburg, Bob compiled a record that focused on making government more accountable and responsive to the needs of Pennsylvanians. He has been a fiscal watchdog who made nursing homes safer and protected affordable child care. He led the fight to reform Megan’s Law to better protect Pennsylvania children and communities.
Since he was elected to the United States Senate in 2006, Bob has worked to create family-sustaining jobs and foster financial security for Pennsylvania families; protect our children and invest in their futures; ensure safety at home and respect for America abroad; promote honesty and accountability in government; preserve the dignity of the vulnerable of all ages among us; and advocate for his constituents and help them solve problems they face.
Bob was the prime Senate sponsor of landmark legislation for individuals with disabilities, the Stephen Beck Jr. Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE), which allows millions of families across the United States to save for the long-term care of their loved ones with disabilities in a tax-advantaged savings account.
He is a leader in public education, fighting for expanded access to everything from pre-K to technical schools to universities. As concerns arose across the nation about the dangers of campus sexual assault, Bob took action and passed into law the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act (Campus SaVE), which outlines steps schools can take to educate students and help prevent sexual assault, requires uniform reporting standards for sexual assaults on college campuses and requires schools to provide clear guidelines to students on their sexual assault policies.
From legislation cracking down on terrorists’ financing to a law that makes it easier for small businesses to expand, Bob has a wide range of accomplishments for the people of Pennsylvania. He is committed to raising wages and creating and retaining jobs across the state. A tireless advocate for middle-class families, workers and seniors, Bob is a voice for those who are threatened by Congressional Republicans’ tax cuts to the ultra-rich and recent attempts to undermine Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.