Sen. Doug Mastriano is running for governor of Pennsylvania. | Doug Mastriano/Facebook
Sen. Doug Mastriano is running for governor of Pennsylvania. | Doug Mastriano/Facebook
State Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-Adams) recently released the first campaign ad in his bid for the governor's office.
As numbers show that Pennsylvania's economic recovery is below the national average, Mastriano vowed to address the economy if elected governor.
"Our state has been through a lot. The lockdowns assaulted our freedoms, masking our children, closing our businesses, and confining the elderly," Mastriano said in his campaign ad. "We stood together through those dark times, protecting medical freedom, reopening our economy and our schools; we fought hard to get here. Now, I am running for governor to restore our families, our economy, and to make us the greatest state in the nation. Let’s make this a new day for PA."
The Commonwealth Foundation reported in January that Pennsylvania's economic recovery lags behind that of other states. Pennsylvania lost the most small businesses out of every state in the country, except Michigan, in 2020. Pennsylvania has not yet returned to its pre-pandemic unemployment rate of 4.8%.
CNN Business's Back-to-Normal index ranked Pennsylvania 41st in the country, with 1 being the best and 50 being the worst. CNN's rankings are based on a number of metrics, including unemployment rate, job postings, small business closures, and hotel occupancy. As of April 1, 29% of Pennsylvania's small businesses were closed either temporarily or permanently.
Mastriano is a retired U.S. Army colonel who currently serves as the state Senator for Pennsylvania's 33rd District, according to his biography. He holds four master's degrees: in strategy, strategic intelligence, military operations, and airpower. He also holds a Ph.D. in history. He has been featured on multiple national radio programs, as well as TV shows with Tucker Carlson, C-Span, and Fox Business with Stuart Varney.
Mastriano will face off against multiple challengers in the Republican gubernatorial primary on May 17, including Lou Barletta, Bill McSwain, and Dave White, according to Ballotpedia. Incumbent Gov. Tom Wolf (D) is term-limited and will not seek reelection.
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