Day: April 29, 2022

John Brown Seeks GOP Lt. Gov Nod

By Bob Small

We wrap up our coverage of the lieutenant governor primary race, with John A.  Brown, one of the nine Republicans running for lieutenant governor.  He’s the former mayor of Bangor, Pa. and a former Northhampton County executive.  He’s the only candidate without an obvious electronic presence.

Some trivia: Pennsylvania is the only state that provides an official residence for it’s lieutenant governor, State House at Fort Indiantown Gap, This became the lieutenant governors residence, when the new governor’s residence was built in 1968

The office of lieutenant governor was created by the Pennsylvania Constitution of 1873. Prior to that, from 1777 to 1790, there was a series of vice presidents of Pennsylvania.  From 1790 to 1873, there was only a governor.

Pennsylvania is one of 17 states in which the lieutenant governor is elected separately from the governor.

In 26 states, they share a ballot. 

Oscar James Dunn became the first black lieutenant governor of a State in 1868. He was a Republican and the state was Louisiana.  Over a 150 years later, Pennsylvania has still never had a black lieutenant governor.

There is the possibility of the Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Selection Amendment coming up for a vote this November.  This would create a situation where both governor and lieutenant governor would be on the same ballot and, presumably, the same party.

Reviewing  the lieutenant governor candidates let to the thought that many of them should have opportunities to serve their state in some other capacity, as only two of them can be candidates for lieutenant governor, and, like the World Series, only one can win.

John Brown Seeks GOP Lt. Gov Nod