Pocono candidates discuss abortion, state legislative priorities at political forum

Voters heard from candidates in two state legislative races during a “Popcorn and Politics” forum hosted by the Pocono Chamber of Commerce at East Stroudsburg University on Thursday, Oct. 13.

Participating in the forum were the 40th Senate District candidates, state Rep. Rosemary Brown (R-189) and Jennifer Shukaitis, a Democratic Stroud Township supervisor; and the 189th House District candidates, Steve Ertle, a Republican and manager of The Lounge at Baymont Inn, and Tarah Probst, a Democrat and mayor of Stroudsburg.

Questions came from ESU’s political science department, the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau and the Monroe County League of Women Voters. The forum was moderated by George Roberts of BRC News13.

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40th District: Brown vs. Shukaitis

Perhaps the most heated exchange between the 40th District candidates came after a question about the government’s role in abortion restrictions following the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

“Nothing has changed in the state law. I have never voted to eliminate abortion in Pennsylvania. And I've always supported exceptions for rape, incest and the life of a mother and I always will,” Brown said, going on to accuse Shukaitis of “lying” about Brown’s position to deflect from her own stance.

“Don't let Rosemary fool you,” Shukaitis said, highlighting Brown’s support for legislation that would require burial or cremation of fetal remains, among other abortion-related bills.

“She voted to change our constitution with SB 106, to say that nobody has any right to an abortion whatsoever. Even in the case of rape, incest or to save the mother's life,” Shukaitis said.

If the state House and Senate each approve the content of SB 106 in two consecutive sessions, Pennsylvania’s voters would then decide whether the following language becomes part of the state constitution: “THIS CONSTITUTION DOES NOT GRANT THE RIGHT TO TAXPAYER-FUNDED ABORTION OR ANY OTHER RIGHT RELATING TO ABORTION.”

“The people get the voice. I can't decide that outcome. I don't know what that outcome will be. My opponent doesn't know what that outcome will be,” Brown said.

Shukaitis said that “an abortion is a medical procedure and one that should be made by a woman and her doctor alone.”

Asked about their first legislative priorities if elected, Brown named “hands-free cellphone legislation” and “financial policies that will help our inflation and help our employment issues.”

“We need to make sure that there's people in government that understand new taxes are not the mission, we are there to make sure that we help establish an environment that builds our economy and helps reduce our inflation,” she said.

Shukaitis said that procedural rules should be changed, “because right now, the committee chairs determine what bills are considered” and few bills get advanced from committees.

“And then of course, I would want to protect and preserve women's rights, our democratic values, expand voter rights, and then move along to helping our economy by not just throwing money at problems, but fixing them at the root, at the core root of our problems,” she added.

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189th District: Ertle vs. Probst

Both candidates highlighted the experience they have gained in their current roles: Ertle as a leader in the business community, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Probst as a mayor who has been elected three times.

Though the 189th candidates did not receive a direct question about abortion — the two parts of the forum did not feature identical questions — the topic did come up. Probst raised it in her opening statement, and again in response to a question about compromising and working with the other party.

“A little bit of something that makes everybody happy is better than nothing. And that's what I'm talking about with the school property taxes, for example,” she said, before outlining one area where she would hold firm: “I will never back down to a woman's right to her body, a woman's choice. Period. Never will I back down and never will I compromise.”

“You know what, I am for my daughters' choice too. Ladies, I want you to have a choice in this world. It's very important to me, to my daughters,” Ertle said.

Ertle said that his first legislative priority would be using Pennsylvania’s rainy day fund to pay for new radio equipment for area first responders.

Probst’s first priority “is to make sure we keep our democracy, because it's at stake for real in Pennsylvania,” she said.

What about Monroe County’s other state legislative races?

Monroe County is also home to the 115th and 176th Pennsylvania House districts. If not all candidates in a race were able to attend, a forum was not held.

In the 115th District, Democratic state Rep. Maureen Madden faces a challenge from Republican Krista Paolucci.

In the 176th, Republican state Rep. Jack Rader is running against a Democrat, Hope Christman, and a Libertarian, Autumn Pangia.

Rader declined, and Paolucci had another event the same night, said Shantelle Davis, senior vice president of the Pocono Chamber of Commerce and Northern Tier. She said the chamber sought contact information from the Libertarian Party but did not receive it.

Rader did not respond to a Pocono Record inquiry sent to all 115th and 176th candidates about whether they were invited and willing to participate. Responses from the others were as follows:

Madden: “I was invited to participate in the forum hosted by the Chamber of Commerce. I am more than happy to participate in debates or forums. The voters in the 115th District deserve to hear candidates contrast their positions on issues. Previously, my opponent has stated her declination to appear at debates or forums is because I will not agree to questions being shared with candidates in advance. The lack of engagement from my opponent is unfortunately a pattern. In fact, when we were both invited to a forum for visually impaired residents, without questions shared in advance, she introduced herself and promptly left before voters could ask questions. I stayed to answer questions and took the chance to meet the voters in attendance. I strongly believe that candidates for the legislature must be sufficiently confident and prepared to answer questions without manufactured responses.”

Paolucci: “I was invited and looked forward to participating.

“I have a planned campaign event on the same date and time as today's forum. My event was marketed and put on my website a week before the Chamber had even sent me their proposed date for the forum. I called the Chamber twice to see if another date was available. I was told it wasn't an option due to the cable company's schedule.

“It's simply an unfortunate scheduling conflict. Though my opponent appears to be more than happy to lie about why I can't participate.”

Christman: “I responded to the Chamber of Commerce that I was absolutely interested in participating. I will be in the audience this evening.”

Pangia: “I never did receive an invitation, my understanding is that they invited Hope Christman and Jack Rader at or around the same time and (as indicated in my press release) Jack said he’s unavailable. I will be attending tonight as an audience member.”

This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: Pocono candidates from the 189th, 40th discuss abortion at forum