Jim Wertz

ON THE ISSUES 

• Committed to expansion of public transportation 
• Committed Expanding wind and solar investments that help create jobs for our union Electricians and Carpenters
• Will work to ensuring Pennsylvania’s drinking water is safe from PFAS

WHY THIS RACE MATTERS

• Flipping this seat will help flip the the majority in the Pennsylvania State Senate

CANDIDATE BACKGROUND

Jim Wertz was raised by a single mother and widowed grandmother and became the first in his family to graduate from college at Edinboro University. In his first semester at Edinboro, he found work as a camera operator at the local NBC affiliate station, utilizing skills he had gained from his vo tech program in high school. He worked his way up, becoming a news director and a production manager. Jim continued to tell stories of the people of Erie County, opening up his own Telly Award-winning production company.

Jim has been teaching various subjects at Edinboro since 2005, most recently media and broadcast journalism. He spent ten years as a contributing editor to the Erie Reader and six years as Chairman of the Erie County Democratic Party. During his tenure with the party, Erie County saw gains in municipal and county seats as well as an increase in voter participation and volunteer engagement.

The father of 15 and 11 year-old daughters and a three year-old son, Jim is running for State Senate because democracy matters, education matters, and working people matter. Central to why he is running is his commitment to shaping a better future for his children and all children - a future where they are healthy, safe, and empowered. That means addressing the climate crisis head-on, investing in clear air and water, and protecting our region's greatest asset, Lake Erie.