Former Pennsylvania Governor and Dartmouth Class of 1977 alumnus Tom Wolf described the results of the November 5 elections as a ‘generational shift’ for the Democratic Party during a public talk at the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy on November 6. The event, part of the ‘Law and Democracy: The United States at 250’ speaker series, drew about 100 attendees and addressed themes of public service, political leadership, and national values.
Wolf cited Democratic victories in recent gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey, the mayoral race in New York City, and a progressive ballot referendum in California as evidence of a political transition. He said that the elected candidates represented changing priorities within the party. ‘They looked different in terms of their politics,’ Wolf said. ‘They were actually out there trying to do things that were aimed at helping actual people, not interests, not some abstract set of goals.’
The speaker series commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and encourages reflection on the principles of American democracy. Government professor and Rockefeller Center director Jason Barabas ’93 moderated the conversation.
Wolf urged the audience to focus on moral character in civic life. ‘The salvation of our political system and the nation is the rediscovery of virtue,’ he said. Reflecting on his own career, Wolf stressed the importance of integrity, noting that he was able to expand public education funding and Medicaid in Pennsylvania despite a Republican-controlled legislature. He served as governor from 2015 to 2023.
‘What the eight years proved to me was that virtue does have a place,’ Wolf said. ‘Hold on to your deepest principles, don’t sacrifice them at all unless you see something better and actually get a lot of good things done.’
Wolf, who led his family’s business before entering politics in 2013, said this background gave him a different outlook. Rather than viewing politics as the mechanical output of policies, he described it as an exchange of ideas grounded in values. In an interview following the event, Wolf emphasized that politics should prioritize decency, civility, honesty, and fairness—qualities he said were shaped by his years at Dartmouth.
He also pointed to his record of legislative vetoes as efforts to defend rights for women and LGBTQ+ individuals. ‘A lot of [the vetoes] had to do with women’s rights and with LGBTQ+ issues, which to me were non-negotiable,’ Wolf said. ‘I’d just sit down and [say], “We’re not going to go down that road.”’
Audience members responded positively to the discussion. Vincent Castillo ‘28, a Pennsylvania native, said it was meaningful to hear Wolf describe how he governed a politically divided state. ‘In a state like Pennsylvania, you need to kind of acknowledge both sides,’ Castillo said. ‘Just hearing his perspective on how he did that is so impactful and it really sets down a bridge for how we can involve ourselves in any political endeavors.’
First-year student Victoria Kartashev ’29 called the talk ‘memorable’ and noted Wolf’s optimism. ‘The governor was very optimistic, very hopeful for the future, especially about young people being the future,’ she said.
As the United States approaches its 250th year, Wolf’s remarks reinforced the idea that both elected officials and voters play a role in preserving democratic values through principled leadership and civic engagement. For more campus news, follow the Dartmouth Independent.
