PRESS RELEASE—GETTYSBURG

On Saturday May 20th, the leaders of a new political party gathered in Gettysburg to formally install its officers and adopt their bylaws. The Pennsylvania Forward Party looks to start making a major impact in our Commonwealth’s politics. This party was formed last summer from a merger of three organizations: the Serve America Movement; the Renew America Movement, and the legacy Forward Party. The national co-chairs of the Forward Party are former Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang & former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman. The leaders in Pennsylvania have been hard at work organizing the executive committee and drafting the bylaws.

The Forward Party was created to heal the divisions in our communities, commonwealth, and country. It has a strategy designed to empower local leaders to unlock policy solutions that work in their communities. The Forward Party is guided by their three principles: Free People; Thriving Communities; & Vibrant Democracy. They hope to change the incentives in our system by supporting a final five non-partisan primary process, ranked choice voting, and independent redistricting, along with other good governance reforms.

At their meeting on Saturday, the leaders of the Pennsylvania Forward Party discussed their plans to have at least twenty-five elected officials in the Commonwealth by the end of the 2024 cycle. The Forward Party also intends to have several aligned officials who choose to remain with their major parties. The Forward Party will be endorsing candidates as well in the elections this year & in the future. Their goal is to elect candidates who are willing to show up and work with people from all walks of life to find real solutions that work in our communities—regardless of what party they belong to. Craig Snyder, the former chief of staff to the late Senator Arlen Specter, is stepping into being the Pennsylvania Party’s chief political strategist. The Pennsylvania Forward Party also enjoys the support of Senator Specter’s former rival, Admiral Joe Sestak.

The meeting concluded by formally installing the officers of the Pennsylvania Party. These leaders had been operating on an interim basis until an election of the state’s members. The officers are: State Chair Christian Fyke (Westmoreland County); Secretary Benjamin Valimont (Allegheny County); South West Regional Chair Brian McMurray (Allegheny County); Central Highlands Regional Chair Emily Korns (Somerset County); Capitol Regional Chair Hector Torres-Diaz (Lancaster County); South East Regional Chair Kyle DeMarino (Chester County); North East Regional Chair William Detweiler (Monroe County); Head of Fundraising Timothy Snyder (Delaware County); & Treasurer Bill Jones (Allegheny County). Founding members Jack Merritt, Rachel Shanok, & Gabe McGuire were also honored.

The video of the Pennsylvania Forward Party's May General Meeting taking place the Monday after this historic event in Gettysburg can be viewed here:

https://youtu.be/GyV1YP5eXm4?si=6o3wZDHm9GQPaNAQ