Pennsylvania Republicans Try to Kneecap Far-Right Gubernatorial Frontrunner Mastriano in Final Stretch

Pennsylvania Republicans are working together to prevent far-right state Rep. Doug Mastriano from winning the GOP gubernatorial primary.

Voters will head to the polls Tuesday to pick a candidate to face off against presumptive Democratic nominee Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

The GOP primary was crowded Thursday with eight candidates led by Mastriano, according to recent polling from the Trafalgar Group.

The pollster found the hard-right candidate and 2020 election skeptic is leading the race with 27.6% support. Former Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA) is in second with 17.6% support.

The other candidates in the race are far behind, while Trafalgar noted 11.3% of those polled were undecided.

New @trafalgar_group #PAGov ‘22 #GOP Primary #Poll shows Mastriano lead #PApol

27.6% @DougMastriano
17.6% @RepLouBarletta
15.1% @davewhiteforgov
14.4% @McSwainPA
5.3% @CormanForPA
3.7% @HartForPA
3.0% @VoteJoeGalePA
2.1% @Charlie_Gerow
11.3% Und

Report: https://t.co/fyDFGjyish pic.twitter.com/kgQzgKkmj5

— The Trafalgar Group (@trafalgar_group) May 9, 2022

State Sen. Jake Corman, who was polling at 5.3%, dropped out of the race Thursday and endorsed Barletta. He urged other candidates to follow him to stop Mastriano.

Corman notes Republicans have lost four of the last five races for governor in Pennsylvania. Warns about nominating someone “who can’t possibly win in the fall,” a reference to his state Senate colleague Doug Mastriano, the primary’s front-runner.

— Chris Brennan (@ByChrisBrennan) May 12, 2022

“The time has come for me to show leadership and support someone who can win in November – and that’s my friend, Lou Barletta,” Corman stated. “For the greater good of our party, and for the people of Pennsylvania, I hope my fellow candidates will join me.”

Lancaster Online reported:

Reports of a stop Mastriano effort emerged earlier this week, with observers speculating that several top tier GOP candidates would need to bow out and get behind one candidate to have any chance of defeating Mastriano. But in addition to White, the other Republican closest to Mastriano in the polls is still in – Bill McSwain, a former U.S. attorney, his spokeswoman said.

Mastriano’s emergence as a force in Pennsylvania politics originated with his skepticism of the 2020 election results. He argued last year a “full forensic investigation” of his state’s election was needed.

Last week, the GOP frontrunner called Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) an “amateur” conservative, NBC News reported.

“You guys think Ron DeSantis is good? Amateur,” Mastriano said. “We love you, Ron, but this is Pennsylvania. This is where the light of liberty was set in 1776, where this nation was born.”

Mastriano’s electability has been questioned:

Doug Mastriano will hurt the GOP chance in Pa. of flipping the Gov’s mansion. Shapiro adores the idea of a debate with Mastriano. Barnette & OZ weaken chances of retaining Toomey’s seat. Dems hold a 500-thousand plus voter registration margin. GOP wins by leaning center right.

— Gary R’nel (@GaryRnel) May 13, 2022

As the Washington Examiner noted, Republicans have only won one of the last five gubernatorial races in the state.

The Pennsylvania GOP plan to kneecap Mastriano is similar to one in the state to stop far-right Senate candidate Kathy Barnette, who has surged in the polls over the last two weeks.