With the November 2 elections right around the corner, beginning this week, we at the Beacon will be posting handy primers to the upcoming races. Our goal here is simple: There’s a lot of races going on in Bucks, and they all matter. But with the world being a crazy place — and Bucks also being a slightly crazy place right now situated within that crazier place — it’s easy to get distracted.
Without sounding too bossy: You shouldn’t. Whether we’re talking about the DA’s race as we are today, or the scads of hyperlocal school board races, there will be outcomes here that will affect both your immediate community and and the larger community of Bucks County — 600,000 of your neighbors, give or take a bunch.
We make no bones about this being a politically progressive site, but even if you’re here hate-reading for the other side (we see you), we want to welcome you and encourage you to please, please vote, no matter who you’re voting for.
With that being said, let’s meet today’s candidates!
DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR BUCKS COUNTY
Name: Antonetta Stancu
Party Affiliation: D
Experience: Has previously served as a criminal defense lawyer, Bucks County Deputy District Attorney, Assistant United States Attorney, and Bronx County Assistant District Attorney.
Platform Issues: Stancu lists mental health as a top priority, drawing a direct line from this issue to the opioid crisis and crime/policing in general. Criminal justice reform and “rebuilding the bridge between law enforcement and the community” also factor in to her plan as well, including instituting a community policing program and decriminalizing marijuana at the personal use level.
Notable Endorsements: Planned Parenthood, Transport Workers (AFL-CIO), Bucks Co. Democratic Committee, and a host of present and former electeds, from Gov. Ed Rendell to State Sen. Steve Santarsiero.
Quotable Quotes: Here she is dunking on her opponent back in March for, yeah, what is a pretty remarkable flub: “As a 16-year veteran prosecutor and a Bucks County taxpayer, I am disgusted that District Attorney Matt Weintraub’s top deputy, Gregg Shore, was caught working as a DoorDash driver on county time. While Bucks County faced drug overdoses, violent crimes, and even homicides, Weintraub’s top deputy was defrauding taxpayers. Instead of trying cases, he should be tried for theft.”
Website: antonetta4da.com
Name: Matt Weintraub
Party Affiliation: R
Experience: Weintraub’s the incumbent, having served since 2016, was also Assistant Lehigh County DA from 2001 to 2006
Platform Issues: Back in 2017, Weintraub told the Jewish Exponent he planned to be progressive and proactive, but it would seem he has a different definition of those words than others might. In the limited amount of information available on his website, the current DA positions himself as a tough-on-crime go-getter who wants to “keep families safe,” “push out the pushers,” and generally supports “21st Century policing” which reads to us as further perpetuation of a surveillance state.
Notable Endorsements: FOP, Gov. Mark Shweiker, Bucks County Central Labor Council, and so on.
Quotable Quotes: ““We do believe there are people out there that know something that can help us,” on offering rewards for 3 unsolved murders in Bristol.
Website: weintraubforda.com
Note: The candidates are slated to face off in two forums, on Oct. 18 and 19.
