Keystone Today

Having won the GOP nomination in Pennsylvania's gubernatorial election, State Sen. Doug Mastriano will face off against Josh Shapiro in the general election in November.

Mastriano won 44% of the votes in the GOP gubernatorial primary earlier this week, securing the Republican nomination, according to NBC News. Runner up Lou Barletta won 20.3% of the votes, while Bill McSwain won 15.7%. Candidates Dave White, Melissa Hart, Joe Gale, Jake Corman, Charlie Gerow and Nche Zama divided the rest of the GOP vote. Shapiro, Pennsylvania attorney general, ran unopposed and secured the Democratic nomination for governor.

"It’s time for Pennsylvanians to unite," Mastriano said in a statement. "Together, we can and will reignite the torch of liberty and ensure all Pennsylvanians benefit from the bounty God has given our state. I want every Pennsylvanian to know that although our goals are ambitious, they are also attainable. We will bring back Pennsylvania better than ever because we have the faith, bold leadership and work ethic necessary to take this Commonwealth forward. The Wolf administration has done major damage to Pennsylvania. This governor’s draconian policies, enforced by the attorney general, have stolen our individual liberties, silenced our voices, stifled our economic growth, devastated our small businesses, destroyed our energy sector and weakened our education system. Our next objective is to defeat Josh Shapiro so we can revive our economy, achieve energy independence, lower taxes, restore law and order and reform our failing education system." 

Shapiro was a staunch supporter of Gov. Tom Wolf's mandated business shutdowns in 2020, according to Pennsylvania Capital-Star. After Wolf commanded all non “life-sustaining” businesses to shut down, a group of businesses, including a laundromat, a golf course and a timber company, challenged the mandate in court. Although the Pennsylvania Supreme Court dismissed the challenge, Supreme Court Justice Alito agreed to hear an appeal. Shapiro submitted a counter-filing to that appeal, claiming that the plaintiffs did not understand the workings of the court and that they were disregarding the lives lost to COVID.

Marc Scaringi, attorney for the petitioners, wrote, “People and businesses can self-regulate, as they have done for millennia, in the face of a viral illness, without resort to massive, statewide shutdowns and lockdowns of businesses and persons done apparently at the whim of the executive and based upon scientific projections which were staggeringly wrong."

According to his bio page, Mastriano is a retired U.S. Army Colonel who currently serves as the state senator for Pennsylvania’s 33rd District. Mastriano 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 Tucker Carlson, C-Span and Fox Business with Stuart Varney.