Austin Davis has made history after being sworn in as the first Black Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. He is second in line behind Governor Josh Shapiro in executive leadership of the Commonwealth.
Currently, at 33 years old, Davis is the youngest Lieutenant Governor in the nation and is the first millennial to win statewide office in Pennsylvania.
On Twitter, Davis shared a photo of him being sworn in, alongside his wife Blayre Holmes Davis.
“I am honored to serve as Pennsylvania’s Lieutenant Governor,” he tweeted. “I will work tirelessly to ensure that every family in this Commonwealth has ladders of opportunities to succeed—so that every generation that comes after can be better off than the one that came before them.”
During the inauguration of Shapiro and his administration, Davis spoke about how the “Keystone State” is a commonwealth with vast opportunities where everyone can be successful.
“Today we are sending a message to the next generation of leaders—young people across our state, and especially Black and Brown young people—that Pennsylvania has and will always be a place where all are welcomed and where everyone has the opportunity to succeed,” Davis said.
“I say to all the young people watching right now, who are worried and unsure about their future—that the American Dream is alive and well in Pennsylvania,” he added. “That no matter how you grew up, no matter where you come from, or what you look like—this Commonwealth will always be a place where you can create your own destiny.”
According to his bio, before being elected to his current position, Davis served as executive assistant to Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. In 2014, he became the youngest person and the first Black vice chair at the Allegheny County Democratic Committee.
In a special election held in 2018, Davis won the state representative seat as the first African American to serve as State Representative for the 35th district in Allegany County.
Davis has also served on the board of directors of the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, The Consortium for Public Education, Communities in Schools of Pittsburgh, Auberle, Adonai Center for Black Males, Small Seeds Development, and the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh Charter School.
Davis is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.
As Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor, Davis will assume the responsibilities of the governorship if Shapiro is unable to fulfill his oath of office. He will also chair the state Board of Pardons and will preside over the state Senate.
