Your Guide To Candidates Ann Marie Mitchell & Frank Farry In The Sixth State Senate District

The Sixth Senate District covers Bensalem Township, Hulmeville Borough, Ivyland Borough, Langhorne Borough, Langhorne Manor Borough, Lower Southampton Township, Middletown Township, Penndel Borough, Northampton Township, Upper Southampton Township, Warminster Township, Warwick Township, Warrington Township, and Wrightstown Township.

Hear directly from the candidates below.

Democrat Ann Marie Mitchell

1. Please provide a short biography of yourself, including current town of residence and age.

I grew up in a working-class community where my parents embraced the American dream. My father survived post-WWII Ukraine and Germany and arrived in the United States as a teenager with his mother, baby sister, and stepfather. He became a union member and as a teacher rose to be the science chairman of a local public school district. My mother is a 2nd generation Italian-American whose father supported their family as a union master electrician.

After attending public high school, I became the first woman in my family to graduate from college and the first person in my family to graduate from law school. My hard work and dedication earned me a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania, where I graduated from the Wharton School of Business with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics. Later, I earned my J.D. from The U Penn Law School.

My husband and I have made Northampton Township our home for 20 years and are proud parents of two Council Rock graduates who now attend Temple University and Barnard College. We are passionate about women’s healthcare and mental healthcare access, LGBTQ+ equality, and public education. Over 25 years of experience in law and business have made me a strong negotiator with a clear understanding of consensus building and getting people on both sides of an issue to build consensus.

2. Why are you seeking this office?

My goal is to ensure voters’ needs are met with legislation that delivers on those needs. A majority of Pennsylvanians support increased state funding for public schools, cuts to property taxes, affordable healthcare, mental healthcare for children, protection of workers, safe communities, and protection of fundamental rights including abortion rights. Yet, there has been no significant progress. As a mother, Wharton graduate, University of Pennsylvania educated lawyer, business person, and active member of the community, I believe we can achieve all of these things. 

3. If elected, what legislation would you propose or support in regards to the economy? How would you support small businesses?

Businesses are as impacted by increased energy and transportation costs as the workforce. Shortages in transportation over the past 2-4 years have put a lot of pressure on businesses and exacerbated supply chain issues which continue to ripple through the economy. Labor shortages have also squeezed some industries. Our commonwealth should plan for long-term modernized energy solutions and invest in the infrastructure needed to grow PA’s economy. We need to ensure that there is an ample educated workforce and attractive communities to ensure our young people stay in PA and to draw a talented workforce to opportunities in PA. 

4. With reversal of Roe v. Wade, what is your position on abortion?

As Senator, I will stand against any effort to strip away the right to an abortion, specifically in the cases of rape, incest, or in situations where the life of the mother is at risk. The reasonable limits set by the Roe V. Wade decision are supported by a vast majority of voters and residents of Pennsylvania, and I support them as well. I oppose attacks on women’s healthcare like the proposed constitutional amendment that my opponent supported – similar to the attacks we’ve seen in Kansas, Texas, and Indiana. Bucks County voters don’t want to see PA turned into Texas. My endorsements from Planned Parenthood and the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Organization for Women demonstrate that I am committed to this issue.

5. Health care has consistently ranked among the most important issues for Levittown-area voters. What is your stance on health care and the state government’s role in it?  

Solving our nation’s health care crisis is critical to the health and well-being of our communities. The business of healthcare has too many Americans resorting to crowdfunding to pay for necessary medical procedures, and prescriptions. While lobbyists and large companies determine the bottom line and reap unconscionable profits, mounting medical bills continue to be the number one reason Americans file for bankruptcy.  I am committed to working diligently on both sides of the aisle to negotiate with insurance lobbyists and big pharma and create affordable healthcare options and reduce the cost of prescription medication.

6. The Pennsylvania Constitution states “people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment.” What is your position on protecting the environment and combating climate change? 

PA can be a leader on environmental issues if we look through the lens of economic development. By ending the tax loopholes for increasingly greedy oil and gas companies, we can spur infrastructure investment while we go after price gougers. Big energy can use some of its outsized profits to update systems in the interim and then meet modern environmental standards. By investing in green energy and environmentally sound practices like circular manufacturing, PA can keep existing jobs and bring new good-paying jobs to PA. I am proud to say I am endorsed by Sierra Club, Conservation Voters of PA, and Clean Water Action, organizations that aim to protect the “right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic, and esthetic values of the environment” mentioned in our Commonwealth’s Constitution.

7. Where do you stand on the issue of gun control? Also, where do you stand on combating gun violence? 

I care deeply about making sure Pennsylvanians, including our law enforcement and other first responders, are safe living their lives. I know the importance the enforcement of good laws and regulations plays in keeping our community safe. I recognize that sport shooting and hunting are essential to Pennsylvania culture and that personal protection is an important concern. As the daughter of a hunter and avid gun collector, I got my first permit at 14, after completing an NRA-sponsored gun safety course. 

As a family of gun violence survivors, gun violence prevention is personally important to me. After my family became victims of my father’s domestic violence, I learned how fortunate we were that law enforcement could remove guns from his custody. My involvement in politics in Bucks County and in Northampton came through my work with the gun violence prevention community and my daughter’s activism as a founding member of Bucks Students Demand Action. 

I am also a founding member of the Orange Wave for Gun Safety and a former member of Moms Demand Action (who has endorsed me). Increasing gun violence has cemented my resolve to fight for life-saving reforms to make neighborhoods safer like red flag laws. I will oppose efforts that put law enforcement, students, and families at risk by failing to stop illegal guns or expanding “no-permit” concealed carry. 

8. If a voter expressed concern to you about election security in Pennsylvania, how would you respond?

My first foray into politics was as a lawyer, working to ensure election security, so election security is a top priority to me. As such, my response to folks with these concerns is this — if you are concerned about election security, become an official poll watcher.

I’ve encouraged people to run for judge of election and inspector of election. The best way to ensure the elections are conducted properly is to sign up to be a poll watcher, ballot counter, or election day worker keeping a watchful eye working for your Board of Elections. You can improve the system by assisting with election operations to ensure they are safe, secure, and efficient. Efficient and secure elections are something all Americans should be concerned about, regardless of party, and the Board of Election has consistently had difficulty finding workers for election day. So, I recommend that anyone available and interested on November 8th signs up! 

9. What are the greatest problems in your district, and how do you intend to address them?

When I talk to voters, three of the top issues we discuss are the rising cost of living (combined with stagnant wages), community safety, and attacks on their rights. With recent developments in the PA state legislature, abortion care and healthcare accessibility more generally have to be the number one policy we discuss – from either side of the issue.

Folks in Bucks County are also exceptionally interested in lowering their tax burden without cutting school funding and public education. The quality of schools here does not match the tax burden homeowners face, and the state legislature (including my opponent) has done nothing to address these issues. People are fed up with the status quo and want to see change. 

Finally, the issue of gun violence is a concern here not only due to rising gun violence rates across the Commonwealth but because of gun violence occurring right here in Bucks County. I already discussed legislation I would support that would curb this violence in question 7. Another important point here is that a majority of gun deaths in PA occur due to suicide. Mental health in our students and young residents is a massive concern here as we see rising rates of suicide. 

10. What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

The best advice I have ever received is, “trust your gut.” It has led me through my career as a lawyer, given me confidence as I embark on new adventures, and now as a candidate for office, it has helped me navigate through something that does not come with a guidebook or instructions.

Republican Frank Farry

1. Please provide a short biography of yourself, including current town of residence and  age. 

I have spent my entire adult life in public service. I started as a volunteer firefighter when I was just a teenager and rose to the rank of Chief almost two  decades ago. While I went to college I continued to live and work in this  community, including volunteering on numerous boards and commissions. Out  of college I worked as an Assistant Manager of a local municipality where I saw the struggles our communities face firsthand. I was first elected to the PA  House of Representatives 14 years ago. In the House, I have been a strong  voice for our community, working with both parties to pass critical legislation to  help seniors lower the cost of prescription drugs, help small business create  jobs, and keep taxes and fees low for our working families.  

I live in Langhorne with my wife and two children.  

2. Why are you seeking this office? 

We need to keep a strong and moderate voice in our State Senate that will put  our community first. Tommy Tomlinson has been that strong voice for decades  and I am the candidate who can continue that leadership, which is why Tommy  is supporting me for this seat.  

I will continue to work to make sure our schools are strong and safe. I have  voted for record funding for our schools, including $6.4 million in additional  dollars for Bucks County schools this year alone.  

I have helped create jobs in our areas by supporting small businesses, lowering  taxes, and reducing needless regulations. I have also worked across the aisle  to strengthen our gaming industry, which has created 1,000+ jobs here in our  community.  

I am running to stand up for our working families and that starts with lowering  taxes and fees and helping them fight Washington DC’s inflation policies. We  cannot allow those failed policies to come to Harrisburg.  

3. If elected, what legislation would you propose or support in regards to the  economy? How would you support small businesses? 

I am proud to have the endorsement of the National Federation of Independent  Businesses (NFIB) and the PA Chamber of Business and Industry for my work  on behalf of small businesses. I believe that our small and medium size  businesses are the lifeline of our communities, and that the next Senator should  make them a priority.  

During Covid I pushed Governor Wolf hard to allow Pennsylvania to safely  reopen when the threat of Covid lessened. Small businesses were crushed  when the overregulation happened, and I stood up for the small businesses that  were affected. 

Today, small businesses and our families are facing a new threat – inflation. We  have seen countless businesses see their profits eaten away by the ever-rising costs of goods. Inflation is the fault of policies out of Washington DC, but I am  not content to sit back and blame them – I want to get to work fixing the  problem. One of my top priorities will be to reduce taxes, fees, and other costs  that our small businesses and working families face. Lessening their bill here at  home will help to strengthen their bottom line and allow them to create more  jobs and invest in their employees.  

4. With reversal of Roe v. Wade, what is your position on abortion? 

Like most people I recognize the complexity of this issue. It is terrible that this  has become a political weapon that some candidates are willing to use as a  means to win an election, without recognizing the humanity and the difficulty in  this public policy debate.  

Following Dobbs, I believe that my position is similar to most people – we have  to protect access to care while having some reasonable restrictions on  abortion.  

However, I do not believe that we should criminalize abortion. I do not believe  we should arrest women who seek abortion care. I do not believe we should  ban abortion in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is in danger.  

As your state Senator I would never vote to ban or to criminalize abortion.  

5. Health care has consistently ranked among the most important issues for Levittown  area voters. What is your stance on health care and the state government’s role in it?  

I have a long record of working with Republicans and Democrats to improve  access to health care for our citizens. I believe that every one of my  constituents should have access to quality and affordable health care.  

We need to start with lowering the cost of prescription drugs. I have passed  legislation that expanded prescription drug coverage for seniors through the  state’s PACENET program. We were able to add tens of thousands of seniors to  the program without raising taxes one penny.  

We need to cap the costs of insulin and other lifesaving drugs. We should  never allow the big insurance companies and the big drug companies to set the  market for the cost of drugs, and we must work to create more leverage in  purchasing drugs to lower the price.  

We also passed important legislation to develop the state marketplace through  the exchange which will save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in  premiums. 

6. The Pennsylvania Constitution states “people have a right to clean air, pure water, and  to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the  environment.” What is your position on protecting the environment and combating  climate change? 

We have a responsibility to leave the earth a better place than we found it. In  my time in the legislature, I have worked with both Republicans and Democrats  to increase funding to environmental programs. We have also worked to make  sure that we hold polluters accountable.  

I have invested in solar for my own home and support those opportunities for  our residents and businesses. When Bucks County residents had to deal with  contaminated water from PFAS chemicals, I helped lead the group of  Representatives that developed solutions from existing state funds to ensure  our residents had clean water. I believe we can help set up the market to spur  innovation and that is something that I have done in supporting the alternative  energy portfolio at the state level and funding environmentally friendly  developments.  

7. Where do you stand on the issue of gun control? Also, where do you stand on  combating gun violence? 

There is an epidemic of crime happening in the major city to our south and that  puts those in Bucks County, and those specifically in the 6^th Senate District, in  danger. We need to have serious solutions, not ideological proposals that have  no chance of passing.  

One thing we have to do is enforce the existing laws. We have a plethora of gun  laws on the books at both the federal and state levels, but all the laws in the  world do us no good if prosecutors like Larry Krasner refuse to prosecute  violent crimes committed with a gun.  

That is why I have introduced legislation that would impose a mandatory  sentence on convicted felons in possession of an illegal firearm. This  legislation is similar to the laws in New York that helped curb illegal guns and  reduce gun violence. There has to be stiff consequences rather than selective  enforcement in order to curb gun violence.  

Additionally, we must keep our schools safe. That’s why I fought for the first  significant investment in school safety and authored legislation to create a tip  line to report threats.  

8. If a voter expressed concern to you about election security in Pennsylvania, how  would you respond? 

Like I do with every concern that comes to my office, I would listen to them and  begin to dig into their issue more. Currently, we would start by working with the Department of State, the local board of elections, and if criminal in nature the  local DA and the attorney general’s office.  

I have long been a proponent of comprehensive election reform that made it  harder to cheat and easier to vote. I believe that it starts with Voter ID. We have  to show an ID to go to the movies, to buy cold medicine and many other things – but not to vote.  

I also believe we need to require signature verification on every ballot – from in  person to mail in balloting.  

We need to have confidence in our voting system or citizens will not have  confidence in the perceived winners of elections. That is the true threat to  democracy.  

9. What are the greatest problems in your district, and how do you intend to address  them? 

I have knocked on thousands of doors and the issue I hear the most about is  inflation and the economy. I will work tirelessly to be an advocate for our  working families, and that means lowering taxes and fees that they pay so that  they can save more of the money they make.  

I will also continue to work against the types of policies that have gotten us into  this position – overspending, overtaxing, and overregulating.  

My goal is to give the people a government they deserve at a price they afford.  This starts with keeping spending in check and making sure we are targeting  investments to the places that help our families – like the education system,  humane services, and transportation.  

10. What is the best advice anyone ever gave you? 

When my mom raised me, she taught me the importance of being truthful. I  have lived my life that way and it has been an important part of my public life.  Many times, people we deal with may prefer an answer different from the truth  but it is important that public figures remain truthful.  

The public is flooded with information, whether it be from the media, social  media, or campaigns. Sometimes the information is accurate. Other times it is  partially true and yet still other times it is completely false. What I can assure  you is that I will provide the public with the information that I know in a truthful  manner so that our residents have the most accurate information possible as  they make their decisions.

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