Alisher Aminov
Candidate Profiles allow candidates to speak directly to their constituency and answer questions specifically related to the offices they are running for. All candidates listed on Lebanon County ballots have been contacted for an interview.
Charlie Gerow is a candidate running to become Pennsylvania’s next Governor to replace outgoing Governor Tom Wolf. This article will be broken into two parts: 1) background information and 2) his candidacy for Governor.
Background:
Charlie Gerow was born in Brazil before American missionaries adopted him. He grew up in Southeastern Pennsylvania and has lived in the state for 60 years.
Gerow has a Bachelor of Art from Messiah and a J.D. (Juris Doctorate/Law Degree) from Villanova University School of Law.
Gerow said when he was younger, he was an athlete who went to a small college to “play ball” before later getting his law degree and starting a business called Quantum Communications, where he is currently the CEO. Quantum Communications specializes in “strategy, advocacy, and media.”
Gerow said that he started his career by working on the campaign of Ronald Regan.
Today Gerow is the vice-chairman of CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference), the largest of its kind, and the American Conservative Union.
Gerow said he decided to run for Governor partly because he was asked to do so by Glenn (GT) Thompson, the Dean of the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation. However, he said that he ultimately decided to run because he believes “the country is in a battle for its heart and soul, and I want to help win that fight in Pennsylvania.”
Gerow has sat on the Board of Directors for many organizations and served many community organizations throughout the years.
As a result of his work, he was awarded the Central Penn Business Journal’s ICON award, which recognizes business leaders who have “left an indelible mark in their fields, whose integrity, vision, and selfless service have lifted the Central PA Community.”
Candidacy for Governor of Pennsylvania:
Charlie Gerow said the primary staple of his campaign’s platform is revitalizing Pennsylvania’s economy, bringing jobs back to the state, and creating a world-class education system that can provide a workforce with the capability to fuel economic growth.
Gerow said that what makes his platform stand apart from other Republicans seeking the party’s nomination is that he is a political outsider who knows what is going on inside. He said that he knows what needs to be done, and he knows how to do it.
Gerow said he has worked in the public policy arena for many years, dating back to his time working on Ronald Regan’s Campaign (which marked the beginning of his career). He also said that he believes his work with CPAC and the American Conservative Union has given him a unique understanding of the state government’s process.
When asked what three policy/legislative initiates he would like to see passed if he were to be Pennsylvania’s next Governor, Gerow said:
- He would want to pass an amendment to the Pennsylvania State Constitution, allowing the people of the state to recall any governor who believes he or she is king.
- He would want to enact a school requirement that every senior graduating from a high school in Pennsylvania be required to take and pass a citizenship test before they can get their diploma.
- He would want to pass taxpayer protection and taxpayer relief under the taxpayer protection act.
Gerow said that if he could only accomplish one thing as the Governor of Pennsylvania, he would want to see Pennsylvania’s economy thrive again.
When asked what (if anything) he would like to see changed about the role of the Governor itself, Charlie Gerow said that he wants Pennsylvania’s Governor to be held to the parameters that are outlined in the state’s constitution. He said he believes the current Governor has taken/usurped powers that are not constitutionally outlined.
Gerow said that he believes that the Governor should be working with the legislature to pass policies that benefit the people of Pennsylvania as opposed to operating as a “King handing down orders, edicts, and mandates every day.”
Gerow said if he is elected and could have any one piece of legislation immediately land on his desk for approval, he would want to sign a bill that would repeal Act 77 (a voting reforms bill passed in 2019, which opened the door for widespread mail in voting availability). He said that Act 77 was passed unconstitutionally and should be repealed.
If elected, Gerow said he would focus his first term on repairing and developing Pennsylvania’s economy and work to expand opportunities for every citizen living in the state.
When asked what he would like to say directly to his constituents, Charlie Gerow said:
“I’m an outsider who knows what’s going on inside. I’m fundamentally prepared to be Governor because I know what needs to be done, and I know how to do it. I’m a businessman who knows how to run a business and will run state government like a business. I’m a patriot who will fight for individual liberty and personal freedom every single day.”
Author: Amaury Abreu
