Bill McSwain, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania under former President Donald Trump, is running for Governor in 2022.
McSwain held a press conference on Monday in Chester County formally announcing his intentions for the GOP nomination for the statewide office.
“I will fight with all the commitment I learned as a Marine and a prosecutor to protect the vulnerable and to restore freedom, public safety, and economic and educational opportunity,” McSwain said, according to a press release. “I will be a governor who will give the job every ounce of energy that I can muster…a governor who will not just show up for you, but stand up for you, your family, and your freedom.”
McSwain also released a 2:20 plus long campaign announcement video that highlights his service in the military, tenure as the U.S. Attorney under Trump’s administration, support for law enforcement, goals for the office, while also taking shots at Gov. Tom Wolf’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’ll revive Pennsylvania’s economy by cutting taxes for working families, supporting small businesses, and reducing regulations,” McSwain said in the campaign video. “I will get the government off your back.”
“I will fight with all of the commitment I learned as a Marine and a prosecutor to restore law and order, freedom, and economic opportunity,” McSwain says later in the announcement video.
Although McSwain formally launched his campaign on Monday, his name was mentioned as a potential candidate for governor for several months.
In March, the Philadelphia Inquirer first reported on McSwain launching the “Freedom PA PAC,” which the paper described at the time as his “most significant step yet toward a run for governor next year.”
In July, McSwain garnered headlines for a letter he penned to Trump the previous month, where he criticized the way the 2020 presidential election was conducted in Pennsylvania, followed by a request for his support in the 2022 race for Governor.
While Attorney General Josh Shapiro has been viewed as the Democratic frontrunner for Governor, McSwain joins a crowded GOP field in the race.
Former Congressman Lou Barletta, Charlie Gerow, CEO of Quantum Communications and Vice Chairman of CPAC and the American Conservative Union, Jason Richey, an Allegheny County resident and partner at Pittsburgh’s K&L Gates law firm, Dr. Nche Zama, former Corry Mayor Jason Monn, and Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale have all formally announced bids for the statewide office.
State Sens. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) and Scott Martin (R-Lancaster) announced exploratory committees for Governor in June, while Congressman Dan Meuser (R-Luzerne), and state Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-Franklin) are also reportedly weighing a run for Governor.
