Dan Pastore

BUTLER TWP — Dan Pastore, of Erie County, has not held public office before, but was motivated to run for Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District when he saw local legislators not accepting the results of the 2020 Presidential election.

Pastore said he is running on the platform of fighting against the disenfranchisement of voters that he said politicians have been pushing for in recent years.

“Their efforts to undermine democracy and disenfranchise people is something we shouldn’t tolerate,” he said. “We are all entitled to fair elections, and I want to see more set in stone.”

On Thursday, Pastore traveled to The Back Alley, 540 Fairground Hill Road, where he met with voters to discuss his plans for the Congressional seat, and to hear what issues are most important to them.

Pastore is a businessman, attorney and lifelong Erie County resident. He said he worked as a carpenter for his family’s business and at a law firm where he focused on construction law. He also owned two businesses, including one focused on e-commerce. He serves on the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission board.

The incumbent, Mike Kelly, has been in Congress since 2011, and is running for the seat again against Pastore.

In his meeting Thursday, Pastore said he wants to rebuild the economy throughout the district by taking advantage of open manufacturing jobs and infrastructure opportunities.

“I have watched decline many of our communities where we once had everybody employed, businesses we have lost,” he said. “We have the chance to uplift these communities and bring back the vibrancy... Pittsburgh has done a good job of that. How do we bring that back to the rest of the district?”

A portion of this story is shared with you as a digital media exclusive. Subscribers can read the full story at the link below. To support our local, independent newsroom, please subscribe at butlereagle.com.