Governor Josh Shapiro Endorses Anand Patel in Bucks County’s District 18 State House Race

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced his endorsement for Anand Patel this week in a State House seat Democrats are looking to flip from Red to Blue.

This was one of several State House races where Shapiro announced his endorsement for the Democratic candidate, as he hopes to keep, and expand, Democrats’ majority in this legislative body. Patel is running in the 18th District, which includes Bensalem and Hulmeville, against Republican K.C. Tomlinson.

“Maintaining a Democratic majority in the Pennsylvania State House is critically important to accomplishing my priorities as Pennsylvania’s Governor — good schools, safe communities, economic opportunity, and protecting real freedom,” said Governor Shapiro. “That’s why I’m all in to defend our majority and elect more Democrats to the State House this November. Together with House Democrats, we’ve delivered commonsense accomplishments for Pennsylvanians, from the largest tax cut for seniors in decades and a childcare tax credit for working families to historic education funding and economic development investment — and I need them by my side to keep delivering for Pennsylvanians.”

READ: Bucks County Republican State Representatives K.C. Tomlinson and Craig Staats Vote Against Free Lunch for K-12 Students

Patel, who came to the United States from India at the age of two with his parents, worked at a nutrition store as a part-time employee before being able to buy two stores of his own. In 2015, he decided to run for the Bensalem school board and was the only Democrat to win a seat that year.

“I am looking forward to working with Governor Shapiro as we fairly fund our schools, expand the child tax credit, and protect the rights of every Pennsylvanian,” said Patel about the endorsement.

On his campaign website , Patel said that workers should have the right to unionize, women should have the right to make their own healthcare decisions, and schools should receive “their fair share of funding.” Gun Sense Voter, Public Wise, and the National Democratic Redistricting Committee have all endorsed Patel in his race.

READ: Democrats Are Trying to Make Democracy Work in Harrisburg

A few months ago, Patel’s opponent Tomlinson voted against a bill that would have provided free lunches to K-12 students in public schools. The PA House Democratic Campaign Committee quickly responded by saying the move was “ a heartless vote that will hit hardest the most impoverished student populations.” Tomlinson also opposed legislation that would have mandated reporting lost or stolen guns and help deter the illegal sale of firearms via straw purchases. And she recently voted against House Bill 1977 , which would protected consumers from paying for hidden credit card fees.

Tomlinson also refused to participate in a Bucks County State House candidate forum on education that was scheduled for this week, with her and eight other Republicans’ refusal to take part resulting in the Bucks County NAACP-League of Women Voters joint event to be canceled. Patel, on the other hand, was one of just six candidates (five of them Democrats) to sign up.