Cris Dush

In March 2018, Dush gained some notoriety for introducing resolutions, co-sponsored by 12 other Republicans state legislators, to impeach four Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices in response to the court's decision to strike down a new Republican-drawn Pennsylvania congressional district map as a partisan gerrymander that violated the state constitution's requirement of "free and equal" elections.[6][7] Dush made this proposal after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request from Republican legislative leaders in Pennsylvania to block the redrawn congressional map.[8] Dush asserted that the justices' decision constituted "misbehavior in office" and was a judicial infringement on legislative power.[7] The attempt to impeach the justices was denounced by Chief Justice Thomas Saylor, and failed House Republican Leader David L. Reed decided not to support it.[9]

In November 2019, Dush announced he would not seek a fourth term in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, noting a promise he made to only serve three terms when he was first elected in 2014.[10] In January 2020, Dush said he would seek the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania Auditor General, joining a race against two other Republicans seeking the nomination.[11] The next month, however, Dush left that race and announced that he would run for the state Senate instead,[12] for the 25th district seat left open by the retirement of Joe Scarnati.[13]

In 2020, Dush faced accusations of antisemitism after comparing Governor Tom Wolf's handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Pennsylvania to Nazi Germany. A group of Jewish organizations, including the Philadelphia branch of the Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, condemned Dush's comments as "offensive and wrong."[14][15]

Dush opposed proposals by Democratic Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman to legalize the adult use of marijuana in Pennsylvania.[5]