In the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh suburbs, a new advocacy group called Empowering America’s Parents has begun a six‑figure digital and text advertising push aimed at Pennsylvania voters. The organization was created by former Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, a potential 2028 presidential contender, to promote the Education Freedom Tax Credit – a federal tax credit of up to $1,700 for contributions to scholarship‑granting organizations, signed into law by former President Donald Trump as part of the Working Families Tax Cut Act.

What the program does

The U.S. Department of Education describes the participating scholarship organizations as nonprofits that accept qualified contributions from individuals and use the funds to provide scholarships for education‑related services at private or public schools. Those services can include tuition, fees, academic tutoring and classroom supplies, as well as support for children with disabilities.

Youngkin’s criticism of Democratic governors

Youngkin told The Center Square that 30 states have already opted into the program, while the 20 states that have not are led by Democratic governors. He said those governors are “being literally puppeted by the teachers unions” and urged them to move past that influence.

Campaign details

A source familiar with the organization said the ad blitz targets “persuadable voters who support school choice.” The first wave of the campaign launched on Friday with a 30‑second spot that emphasizes the benefit to “hardworking families” and the fact that the tax credit would be funded by the federal government, not state dollars. The voice‑over states, “Nothing is more important than our kids, so who’d be against scholarships for tuition, tutoring, services for kids with disabilities, all paid for by a federal tax credit with no state dollars, not hardworking parents.”

Internal polling cited by the group suggests that awareness of the Education Freedom Tax Credit is low, but that support rises once voters understand the details.

State response

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office said the governor is awaiting federal guidance on key questions, including eligibility criteria and how the program would interact with existing state initiatives. The Shapiro administration has not committed to opting Pennsylvania in.

U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon and several Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania, have publicly advocated for the program. McCormick told a June press call that he hopes the governor will “opt in” after seeing the opportunity.

Legislative activity

At the state level, several Republican state senators and one Democratic legislator, Anthony Williams, have introduced bills that would require Pennsylvania to join the federal program.

Opposition comes from groups such as AFT Pennsylvania, which argue that tuition tax credits and voucher‑type programs could divert resources from traditional public schools.

Broader political context

The creation of Empowering America’s Parents has been noted by national media as a possible signal that Youngkin is testing the waters for a 2028 presidential run. Gov. Shapiro, who is seeking re‑election in November, has also been mentioned as a potential future presidential candidate.

As the debate over school choice continues to play out across the country, Pennsylvania remains one of the states where the decision to adopt the Education Freedom Tax Credit could have a direct impact on families seeking more options for their children’s education.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.