Austin Davis
| Austin Davis | |
| Born | born 1989 |
|---|---|
| Birthplace | Pennsylvania, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Title | Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania |
| Known for | Serving as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania under Governor Josh Shapiro |
Austin Davis (born 1989) is an American politician serving as the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania under Governor Josh Shapiro. He's a Democrat who took office in January 2023, making him one of the youngest people to ever hold the post in the state. Before that, he served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. As lieutenant governor, Davis has thrown himself into advocating for community revitalization, affordable housing, gun violence prevention, and expanded social services. He's traveled all over the commonwealth pushing the Shapiro-Davis administration's budget priorities and policy work, especially focusing on underserved communities and economic opportunity for working families.[1][2]
Early Life
Davis was born in 1989 and grew up in Pennsylvania. From an early age, he cared about public service and community involvement—the kind of thing that would later define his career in state politics. He represents the communities he came from, and his western Pennsylvania roots shaped his thinking on economic development, access to social services, and community investment.
His background comes through in how he talks about these issues as lieutenant governor. In a 2026 opinion piece for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Davis discussed his work on affordable housing and looked back at his first months in office, talking about the direct advocacy he'd done right after taking over in 2023.[1]
Career
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Before becoming lieutenant governor, Davis served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. During his time in the legislature, he represented a Pittsburgh-area district and concentrated on economic development, education, and public safety. That work raised his standing in state Democratic circles and made him a plausible candidate for higher office.
Election as Lieutenant Governor
Josh Shapiro tapped Davis as his running mate for the 2022 gubernatorial race. They won the general election, and Davis was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania in January 2023. Taking office made him one of the youngest people ever to fill that role in the state.[1]
Tenure as Lieutenant Governor
Affordable Housing
Housing costs have been front and center in Davis's work as lieutenant governor. In a February 2026 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette opinion piece, Davis described his early push on this issue, explaining how in spring and summer 2023, just months into the job, he'd gotten involved in housing policy advocacy. He talked about making "a final, impassioned plea" for housing investments, emphasizing how serious the administration was about helping Pennsylvanians afford to stay in the state. The column laid out how Governor Shapiro's approach was actually helping people with housing costs across the commonwealth.[1]
The Shapiro-Davis administration has put forward budget ideas to boost housing availability and affordability, with Davis out front talking about them during trips through Pennsylvania communities.
Gun Violence Prevention
Davis has been central to the administration's work on gun violence prevention. In December 2025, he announced nearly $3 million in funding for the Hospital-based Violence Intervention Program (HVIP) at an event in Philadelphia. HVIP is meant to reach victims of gun violence while they're in medical care, connecting them with services to cut down on re-injury or retaliation. Davis called the program "one of the most powerful tools in combatting gun violence" and stressed the Shapiro-Davis administration's commitment to backing programs that actually work based on evidence.[3]
This HVIP funding was part of a bigger set of public safety initiatives from the administration, with Davis often showing up to represent the governor at community safety and violence reduction events.
Community Revitalization
Community revitalization matters to Davis too. He visited Allentown in January 2026 to highlight administration support for Lehigh Valley projects aimed at bringing communities back to life and backing young people and low-income families. He emphasized how the administration was putting money directly into communities that needed it and creating ways for people to get ahead economically.[4]
He also went to Ebensburg to talk up a proposed $25 million investment in the governor's budget. During that visit, Davis framed it as part of how the administration wants to strengthen Pennsylvania's economy, pour money into communities, and build economic opportunity for everyone in the state.[5]
Budget Advocacy
When Governor Shapiro laid out his budget in early February 2026, Davis got to work promoting it. He headed to Franklin County and Chambersburg to show how the new budget would help local areas. It was part of a bigger push across the state where Davis hit key budget items and explained how they'd affect different regions of Pennsylvania.[6]
Mid-February brought Davis to United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh to push for a bigger budget for PA 211, a statewide help line connecting people with social services and community resources. He joined state and local leaders at the event making the case for the 211 system and the proposed funding bump.[2] TribLIVE.com reported on the event, which featured Erica Evans, a single mother who'd lost her job as an in-home caregiver and experienced homelessness before getting help. Davis used her story to argue that more funding would let more Pennsylvanians in crisis reach the assistance they needed through 211.[7]
Political Engagement
Beyond policy, Davis stays involved in Democratic Party work. In February 2026, he showed up at a petition party at Swarthmore Borough Hall in Delaware County to back U.S. Representative Mary Gay Scanlon, a Democrat from Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district. The Delco Times covered it, noting how Davis keeps engaged with party electoral activities and pitches in for fellow Democrats at the federal level.[8]
Statewide Travel and Outreach
Davis's time as lieutenant governor has been marked by constant movement across Pennsylvania to push the administration's agenda. He's hit Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Chambersburg in Franklin County, Ebensburg in Cambria County, Allentown in Lehigh County, Swarthmore in Delaware County, and plenty of other places. These stops have usually meant events at community groups, local government offices, and nonprofits, where he meets with people and talks about how state investments and policies affect them.[6][5][4][2][8]
His travel shows a clear strategy to stay visible across Pennsylvania's different regions, including rural areas, suburbs, and cities. He tends to focus on showing what specific budget items will actually do for different areas of the state, working as both a policy advocate and a representative of the governor's office.
Personal Life
Davis comes from western Pennsylvania and has stayed connected to the Pittsburgh area his whole political career. His public statements and columns often reference his ties to the communities he serves. In that February 2026 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette piece on housing, Davis wrote personally about why he's committed to letting Pennsylvanians afford to live in the state, reflecting his broader concern with economic issues hitting working families.[1]
Born in 1989, Davis took office as lieutenant governor in his early thirties, making him one of the younger people in Pennsylvania executive leadership.
Policy Positions
His priorities as lieutenant governor cover several main areas:
- Housing affordability: Davis backs state investments to lower housing costs and boost availability, calling it a key part of the Shapiro-Davis agenda.[1]
- Gun violence prevention: He's pushed the HVIP program and other initiatives grounded in what actually works to reduce gun violence, especially in cities.[3]
- Social services expansion: Davis has called for more funding for programs like PA 211, which helps residents reach essential services in crises.[2][7]
- Community revitalization: He's promoted investments in community development, especially projects helping young people, low-income families, and left-behind regions of the state.[4][5]
- Economic development: Davis sees the administration's budget as a way to build Pennsylvania's economy and create opportunities for all residents.[6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "Austin Davis: Josh Shapiro is helping Pennsylvanians afford to live here".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.2026-02-12.https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/guest-columns/2026/02/12/austing-davis-pa-lt-governor-shapiro-housing/stories/202602120045.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Lt. Gov. Austin Davis Highlights Shapiro-Davis Budget's Proposed Increase for PA 211 Funding". 'Commonwealth of Pennsylvania}'. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "LG. Austin Davis Announces Nearly $3 Million for HVIP". 'Commonwealth of Pennsylvania}'. 2025-12-11. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Lt. Gov. Davis Highlights Administration's Support for Community Revitalization". 'Commonwealth of Pennsylvania}'. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Lt. Gov. Austin Davis Visits Ebensburg to Highlight Proposed $25 Million Investm". 'Commonwealth of Pennsylvania}'. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Lt. Gov. Austin Davis Highlights New Budget Proposal's Investments". 'Commonwealth of Pennsylvania}'. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Lt. Gov. Austin Davis stumps in Pittsburgh for boosting 211 help line budget".TribLIVE.com.2026-02-12.https://triblive.com/local/lt-gov-austin-davis-stumps-in-pittsburgh-for-boosting-211-help-line-budget/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Lt. Gov. Austin Davis attends petition party, backs U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon".Delco Times.2026-02-21.https://www.delcotimes.com/2026/02/21/lt-gov-austin-davis-attends-petition-party-backs-u-s-rep-mary-gay-scanlon/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.