After much speculation, former President Trump endorsed Pennsylvania State Senator Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial race in a statement Saturday. Mastriano — who has established himself as a frontrunner throughout the race — was competing for the coveted endorsement in a crowded field.
“There is nobody who has done more, or fought harder, for Election Integrity than State Senator Doug Mastriano,” Trump wrote in a statement. The former president also touted his endorsement of Dr. Mehmet Oz for the state’s Senate seat, saying Mastriano and Oz will “make an unbeatable team going into the most important Midterm Election in the history of our Country,” he continued.
“I have fully endorsed Dr. Oz, and now it is my great honor to give my Complete and Total Endorsement to a man who will never let you down, Doug Mastriano for Governor of Pennsylvania!”
NEW!
President Donald J. Trump announces his Endorsement of Doug Mastriano for Governor of Pennsylvania pic.twitter.com/HrGKVKb7BY
— Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) May 14, 2022
Mastriano, who served as a Colonel in the U.S. Army prior to starting his political career, has built his campaign around election integrity. He has held several rallies in support of a full forensic audit of the state’s 2020 election and called for numerous election security measures, including mandatory voter I.D.
On November 25, 2020, Mastriano was instrumental in organizing a hearing where numerous Pennsylvania election irregularities were laid out. The committee heard from poll watchers from both Delaware and Philadelphia counties, statistics experts and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani. “I don’t even know how this happened in America,” Mastriano said after hearing from the witnesses. “We can send, 50 years ago men to the moon, but we can’t have a safe, secure election in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania? What’s going on here…… We move heaven and earth to secure elections in Iraq and Afghanistan, but we can’t secure elections in Pennsylvania?”
Mastriano soon met with then-President Trump and voted to send alternate electors when the presidential vote was being certified.
Senator Mastriano was also very active in anti-lockdown efforts across the state. He attended several, grassroots anti-lockdown events and was a vocal supporter of an amendment that would limit Governor Wolf’s emergency powers if passed. The amendment was indeed adopted by voters last May, making Pennsylvania the only state to vote for and pass such measures. As a result of his anti-lockdown work, he has received endorsements from numerous re-open activists across the state.
Trump’s coveted endorsement was rumored to have been narrowed down to a decision between Mastriano and former U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta. Former Delaware County Commissioner Dave White and Bill McSwain, a former federal prosecutor, have also polled reasonably well.
Trump’s endorsement could push Doug Mastriano over the edge, however. The PA Senator has held onto a 3-4-point lead on average, according to numerous polls, over the last several weeks.
Mastriano has been campaigning with Purple Heart veteran and businessman Teddy Daniels, who is running for Lieutenant Governor. Like Mastriano, Daniels has called for a forensic audit since the state was called for Joe Biden in November 2020.
Pennsylvania’s primary is scheduled for Tuesday, May 17.
