As the only Democratic candidate on the ballot, Andre Carroll is poised to win his party’s nomination for state representative in Northwest Philadelphia’s 201st House District, writes Jess Bunch for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Carroll’s entrance into the political arena was heavily inspired by the 2021 sentencing bill introduced in the Pennsylvania House to impose stricter sentences in crimes where guns were present.

Carroll strongly disagreed with the bill and wanted to do something about it.

“We’ve seen disproportionately too many folks who look like myself, and many folks in this community, be the recipient of harsh punishments,” he said. 

The bill ultimately didn’t pass the legislature.

In 2022, Carroll ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic primary against incumbent Stephen Kinsey. As Kinsey prepares to step down after 11 years in the seat, Carroll is well-positioned to become his successor. 

Gun violence is among Carroll’s top issues. He’s noted his support of any legislation that makes it harder for young people and non-law abiding citizens to purchase weapons, efforts to hold gun manufacturers legally accountable, and to restrict the purchase of ammunition.

He’d also invest in mental health services for youth and family care initiatives, and support raising the state’s minimum wage.

Read more about East Germantown’s Andre Carroll as the April 23 primaries approach at The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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