Chris Foster hopes to gain recognition of Forward Party
A third-party candidate for state treasurer from Southwestern Pennsylvania is hoping for a win for the party in the November election.
Chris Foster, 35, who grew up in Upper St. Clair in Allegheny County, is running for treasurer as a candidate of the Forward Party. He visited the Butler Eagle on Thursday to discuss his candidacy and the party.
He said he was a lifelong member of the Democratic Party until he aligned himself this year with the Forward Party, which was created in 2022 and claims to be the third largest political party in the country.
“I think it’s the right time for the right person to throw their hat in the ring,” Foster said.
Working in clinical research compliance and as a real estate agent securing “millions” of dollars in transactions has prepared him to lead the office, Foster said. He said he is not a certified public accountant, and it is not necessary for the treasurer to be a CPA because staff performs the work of the office. The office has a staff of about 300 people and documents money deposited in or withdrawn from state coffers, he added
He said he will be ready to serve if he wins, which he admits is improbable.
“I’m a pragmatist. I’m unlikely to win,” Foster said.
Like other Forward Party candidates, Foster is running with the goal of receiving at least 2% of the vote in his race. If any Forward candidate wins 2% of the votes in their race, the party wins minor party status that would allow people to register as Forward Party voters in future elections, he said.
The national Forward Party lets state parties chose their priorities. Foster supports the state party’s reform-oriented priorities of open primaries, an independent redistricting commission and ranked choice voting. Pennsylvania’s primaries are closed, meaning voters registered with the major parties can vote for candidates in their parties in primary elections. The party supports creating an independent citizens redistricting commission, which would establish legislative districts when redistricting is required due to population changes reported in censuses every 10 years. In ranked choice voting, voters have the option to rank candidates in order of preference. If the first choice candidate doesn’t have a chance to win, the ballot counts for the next choice.
Foster said closed primaries act as a limit to attracting talented candidates and voter engagement, and “cuts the connection between voters and democracy.” He said it is disheartening to hear people say they are not interested in politics because it reflects a lack of voter engagement.
He said he agrees with the party’s practice of allowing local candidates to address local issues instead of mandating solutions from the top.
Getting 4,000 people to sign his nomination papers was a challenge because many voters have already decided who they are voting for, he said. Major party candidates for treasurer are required to obtain 1,000 signatures on nominating petitions, but minor party candidates have to get 2,500 signatures on nominating papers.
“It was intimidating, but it was worth it,” Foster said.
Also running for treasurer are incumbent Republican Stacy Garrity and Erin McClelland, a Democrat from Allegheny County.
