Madison Kwiecinski 

News Editor 

Mvk5945@psu.edu 

Shortly after Tyler Titus conceded the race for Erie County Executive on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 3rd, Brenton Davis held a news conference to declare his victory. This election was set to mark the youngest Erie County Executive in history regardless of who won, but is a title Brenton Davis now holds. 

This victory made Brenton Davis the youngest ever Erie County Executive, at only 38 years old. Davis will be sworn into office in January. The concession also marked the end of Titus’ historic run to be the first openly transgender person as a County Executive. 

““Since launching my campaign, I’ve talked with so many people who found a home in our campaign, who found light and inspiration in our shared vision for an inclusive future. I hope queer, trans, and non-binary youth who are unsure of their place in this world look to this campaign and feel hope for their future, see themselves in government, and believe tomorrow will be better than yesterday.”

“I said from day one that I wanted this campaign to be about everything we can be. I wanted to give Erie County voters a bold, hopeful vision of a healthy, safe, prosperous future. I wanted to build a campaign of possibility, representation, and opportunity. I believe we did that. And I believe that fighting for what’s right is always worth it,” said Tyler Titus in their concession. Titus then went on to say although they cannot implement their vision this time around, they plan to continue to fight for that vision in the future. Therefore this will likely not be the last time Titus runs for public office. 

Soon-to-be County Executive Brenton Davis, a Navy veteran and a small business owner, staked his run on economic restraint and redevelopment in Erie, citing the need for economic recovery following the pandemic often as a piece of his platform. His economic development plan centered on a pro-business and no-new-tax agenda. 

During the news conference announcing his win Davis stated that, “In four years, I want to see an Erie that is growing. A place to which our lost children can return, not just with family waiting for them, but the good jobs that will keep them here.”

Davis defeated the democratic candidate Tyler Titus by a roughly 3,000 vote margin, and he is the first Republican to hold the office in nearly 20 years. Davis told the Erie Times-News Tuesday night that his apparent victory felt “surreal.” In 2017 Davis ran for the Republican nomination for Erie County Executive, but failed to win the nomination. In January, he will hold the office he began working toward several years ago. 

“It’s the culmination of many years of hard work coming down to one event,” Davis said. “It’s humbling to see 32,000 people say that you are the person to lead us into the next generation.” 

Davis called for fiscal responsibility, hope, and renewed bipartisanship during his Wednesday remarks. He also mentioned at the press conference that he is in the process of forming a transition team that he hopes will include members of both political parties, a sign of his willingness to work toward bipartisanship. 

“I see an Erie County with a balanced budget, free of wasteful spending and focused on caring for those that can’t care for themselves.” said Davis,  “And we must be a county determined to help same people back into the working world with the dignity of good jobs, safe neighborhoods, and a sense that anything is possible if we try.”

The Erie County Executive is a full-time job that pays an annual salary of $107,118, that oversees 1,200 employees and the administration of all county departments, administrative units, boards, commissions, authorities, agencies and offices, according to the Erie County Home Rule Charter. Davis will be succeeding Democratic incumbent Dahlkemper, who elected not to seek another term.