A Pitt professor is considering a run for Pennsylvania attorney general, adding to the growing number of Pitt faculty choosing to run for public office. 

Eugene DePasquale, an adjunct law professor at Pitt, will officially launch his campaign for attorney general in June for the Democratic party, and he sat down with The Pitt News to discuss his plans for the November 2024 election. If elected, DePasquale said he plans to continue teaching at Pitt “if the schedule allows it and the school is okay with it.”

Previously, DePasquale served in the Pennsylvania House from 2006-12 and then won the race for auditor general while concurrently being reelected to the state House in 2012, going on to serve two terms before leaving his post in 2020 due to term limitations. In 2020, DePasquale lost a bid for one of Pennsylvania’s seats in the U.S. House of Representatives to current congressman Rep. Scott Perry.

Since leaving elected office, DePasquale spent time teaching classes within the political science department. DePasquale said he’s especially impressed by the growing amount of student activism efforts throughout the state and at the University. 

He added that while he plans to “fight” for the needs of all Pennsylvanian constituents, his time spent teaching has given him a valuable perspective on the concerns of students and young adults.

“Well, to me, if I’m elected attorney general, it’s about being an attorney general for everybody, and so, whether it be a student or you know, middle class or wealthy or people that vote for Trump or Biden, but I think having this experience of teaching these students I’ve gained an appreciation for the concerns they have,” DePasquale said.

DePasquale said he wants students to know that he plans to fight for their concerns as well, citing student loan debt, legalization of marijuana and sexual assault prevention as some of his “high priorities” if elected attorney general. 

“Taking out a loan is one thing — getting screwed over in the interest rates and by companies, that is a whole different ball game,” DePasquale said. “Holding those actors accountable is something that, again, I have gained an appreciation of by being in the classroom.”

Henry Cohen, a first-year political science major, took an American politics class with DePasquale and said he volunteered for DePasquale’s campaign for the House of Representatives during 2020. 

“First thing I will tell you is that he’s somebody who is a professor here, so he knows us,” Cohen said. “I think that he’s probably got a better handle than a lot of other people who would be running because he understands what we deal with every day as opposed to someone else who hasn’t stepped foot on a college campus in 20 years.” 

Will Allison, next year’s president of Pitt’s College Democrats, said the club hosted DePasquale at a club meeting on March 27 to discuss his campaign with Pitt students. 

“For me, the two biggest things I think are fundamental is can the person do the job and can they win the job?” Allison, a junior political science major, said. “And in a state as close as PA, you can’t just win the primary, you have to beat a Republican in the general election and he’s already done it and outperformed other candidates that were running on the same ticket.”

DePasquale said he feels the previous attorney general — now governor, Josh Shapiro — did a good job during his tenure, and while he doesn’t “disagree” with his tenure, he is preparing himself for some challenges including transgender rights and First Amendment protections that Gov. Shapiro didn’t have the chance to tackle. 

“I think we’ve got to be prepared for those assaults to happen and for having an attorney general that’s going to stand up for the trans community, because those assaults are coming,” DePasquale said. “I also think that there’s going to be an effort to win more seats in the school boards and attacking the First Amendment and, you know, book bans, and having an attorney general who’s going to stand up and fight against book bans is going to be important. I think he would have been on the right side of it, but those are challenges I can see coming down the pipe that didn’t necessarily happen under his watch.”

In addition to advocating for more transgender rights, DePasquale said being the son of a convicted felon, he “understands both sides” of the war on drugs, and he remains steadfast in his mission for the legalization of marijuana — a tenet to his current campaign that he has kept throughout all of his past campaigns.

“Certainly, again, when it comes to marijuana, I think my position is clear on that — it should be legalized and at a minimum, decriminalized — and having an attorney general that’s going to have that stance from day one is something I think is important for students in this region to know,” DePasquale said.

DePasquale said he wants the people of Pennsylvania to know that he is a “fighter,” and his past political experience makes him better qualified for the position.

“As someone that’s won statewide twice, I’ve represented every corner of this state, and I’ve got a connection with people from every corner of the state,” DePasquale said “And they may not always agree with me, but they know that I’m a fighter and I’m willing to take on tough fights.”

DePasquale said he thinks the challenges for the next attorney general are “immense.”

“I have what it takes to be a good attorney general because I have a record of protecting Pennsylvania,” DePasquale said. “So I think having someone with my skill set and having already run a complicated statewide office, and my track record of taking on big fights makes me the right fit for attorney general.” 

DePasquale acknowledged that the attorney general campaign is “not at the forefront of everyone’s minds,” especially since it coincides with the 2024 presidential election. He said while the position may lack “flash,” it is integral to many of the key issues facing the state.

“Your constitutional rights, your right to a fair justice system, your right to clean air and pure water and your reproductive rights may hinge on who the state attorney general is,” DePasquale said. “And having someone that’s willing to take on those battles, I think is important, and that’s why people should care about it. That’s why I believe people should support me.”