PENNSYLVANIA – Pennsylvanians from every corner of the Commonwealth are voicing their support for Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis and highlighting the work he’s done so far for families, small businesses, and local communities.

Lt. Governor Davis and Governor Josh Shapiro are showing up in communities across the Commonwealth — and it’s making a real difference. From small business owners and local leaders to advocates and entrepreneurs, Pennsylvanians are saying Lt. Governor Davis is committed to building a better and brighter future for all Pennsylvanians.

Read and watch below what Pennsylvanians are saying about Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis’s leadership:

Andrea Grove, Owner of Elementary Coffee Co.: “I definitely think Austin Davis is a champion for small businesses in Pennsylvania. The Shapiro-Davis administration is giving unprecedented opportunities to micro and small businesses and it’s really exciting. Out of anywhere in the U.S. right now, Pennsylvania is the best place to own and operate a small business.”

Lindsey Ramsey: “There was this little girl who came right to him and just started pouring out to him what was happening at home. And I remember after he read the book, he said, ‘Lindsey, I want to learn more.’ He said, ‘I want to be a champion for early childhood. I want to learn more about it. I want to know the help that you guys need, and how I can help you.’ He gets that we all need access early on to these resources to be able to continue to grow and develop and refine skills throughout our childhood into adulthood. He cares and that’s what makes him so special.”

Willie Reynolds, Mayor of Bethlehem, PA: “Once upon a time, people didn’t have the optimism they have now about being able to get a job and take care of their kids and being able to buy a house. But we’re making progress and there’s a lot more work to be done. People are more optimistic because they know that we have a partnership between our community and our leaders in Harrisburg. And Austin’s at the center of that partnership.”

Gina Pelusi, Gun Violence Prevention Advocate: “To have a lieutenant governor who [gun violence prevention] is his why. This is why he got involved in politics. This is why he got involved in this work. For this to be the reason, to me honestly, it feels like a gift. Lieutenant Governor Davis continues to be someone who shows up over and over again — every time we’re trying to organize, put some sort of program together to raise awareness for a specific issue in relation to gun violence. He experienced gun violence in his community and has channeled it into something incredible and he cares […] There’s no price tag for that.”

Edith Gutierrez-Hawbaker, Owner of TLJ Creative Group: “[Austin] understood that increased opportunities for our small, diverse businesses and the opportunity to invest in our own communities was essential. He was constantly pushing against just taking the status quo, to try to eliminate the red tape that it takes for us to procure these government contracts and just succeed in businesses. Austin Davis has a clear North Star on how to lead the Commonwealth into the next generation of success for small businesses.”

Joyce Bender, Owner and Founder of Bender Consulting Service, Inc.: “It means so much to me as a woman living with epilepsy and hard of hearing, to think I can have Austin Davis as a lieutenant governor continuing on as a national advocate for disability rights. He sees everyone at all levels and he cares […] He has done everything I’ve ever asked him when it came to disability. Thank you for not leaving out people with disabilities.”

Bill Isler, President and CEO Emeritus of Fred Rogers Productions: “From the day I met him, he wanted to do the best he could to see that all children had the opportunities that he had as a child. He wanted to make sure that children were given the best that we could give them. I think that when the Lieutenant Governor gets up every day and when the Governor gets up every day, I think one of the first things they think about is, ‘What are we going to do about the future of the Commonwealth and the future of this country?’ And what we have to start doing is doing more for children. We have to give children the best we can: the best schools, the best preschool programs, the best child care programs. I have seen him in big cities, and I have seen him in small towns. I have seen him with large groups, and I have seen him with children, and he is engaged as you could ever want anybody to be engaged. And he’s always learning and always asking the question, ‘How can we do more? How can we make it better?’”

Stephanie Turman, President and CEO of Always Busy Consulting: “I first met Lieutenant [Governor] Austin Davis when he was the leader of the Young Democratic Party. Watching him grow up to become the man that he has become, I could only say that I’m so proud of him. Now that he’s a family man, it is even more precious to watch because I know he’s a great dad, a great husband. Austin being a parent, he was already at a 10. I believe he’s at a 20 now because he wants to leave this world better off for his daughter.”

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