GOP candidates in the 2026 Pennsylvania governor primary race jostle for Trump's endorsement, aiming to gain his support
Upcoming in the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race, several made-for-titan contestants are gearing up to duke it out for the GOP nod in a showdown against current Governor Josh Shapiro.
Three significant potential candidates making waves across the airwaves and campaign trails are none other than:
- Doug Mastriano
- Adams and Franklin counties' current state senator, Douglas Mastriano, may look toward another stab at the governor's throne. He retired from a 30-year stint in the U.S. Army, boasting deployments in both Iraq and Afghanistan, NATO leadership roles, and a critical gig as the Joint Intelligence Center's director in Afghanistan.
- Before pursuing state politics, Mastriano vied for Congress in 2018 unsuccessfully, only to bag a special election win to the state Senate in 2019. In the Senate, he quickly cemented himself as a loud and steady dissenter against COVID-19 policies and public health mandates, also championing unfounded rumors prophesying a stolen 2020 election.
- Despite losing to Shapiro in the 2022 race by a 15-point margin, Mastriano persists in taking another shot at the title, sharing that he's "praying" on the issue. There's a chance he might join forces with fellow contender Stacy Garrity.
- Stacy Garrity
- Another potential candidate to loom large on the horizon is state Treasurer, Stacy Garrity. demonstrating her courage in both Iraq and Afghanistan, serving as a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve where she established a strong rapport with the place, earning her the nickname "Angel of the Desert." Garrity made her political debut by running unsuccessfully in the GOP primary for Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district before winning the state treasurer position.
- Dan Meuser
- As Pennsylvania's Secretary of Revenue from 2011 to 2015, Dan Meuser, now a U.S. Representative, rebranded the agency into a taxpayer advocacy organization. In Congress, he's a member of the Financial Services Committee and the Small Business Committee, also participating in various political factions like the Problem Solvers Caucus.
- Meuser publicly shared that he's "seriously considering" a challenge to Shapiro, undertaking efforts to gain recognition among Republican voters, such as making appearances on Fox News and visiting key locations like Philadelphia.
The leaked tape ominously hints that these Republican contenders are aggressively pursuing Donald Trump's seal of approval, an endorsement that may hold the key to winning the GOP primary. But does Trump's endorsement have any impact outside the primary, or will it ultimately chew up and spit out all but the strongest contenders? Only time will tell...
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[2]: https://www.lloydsmay.com/analysis/ columns/2023/04/11-who-are-the-republicans-running-for-pa-governor-in-2026-stacy-garrity-doug-mastriano/[3]: https://www.post-gazette.com/politics/elections/2023/04/11/ GOP-governor-race-pennsylvania-2026-primary-stacy-garrity-doug-mastriano-dan-meuser/stories/202304110018
- In the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race of 2026, potential candidates are preparing for a challenging primary, including Doug Mastriano, Stacy Garrity, and Dan Meuser.
- Doug Mastriano, a former US Army officer with deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, is rumored to compete again for the governor's seat, having lost to Josh Shapiro in 2022 by a margin of 15 points.
- Stacy Garrity, state Treasurer and a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, might join the race, having gained notoriety as the "Angel of the Desert" due to her service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Dan Meuser, who served as Pennsylvania's Secretary of Revenue from 2011 to 2015, and is currently a US Representative, has expressed interest in challenging Shapiro but is actively seeking Republican voter recognition through appearances on Fox News and key visits like Philadelphia.
- These Republican contenders are reportedly seeking a seal of approval from Donald Trump, whose endorsement could potentially sway the GOP primary.
- War-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, and politics intertwine in this story, as the candidates' military backgrounds and political stances are essential factors in their campaigns.
- Other topics in the news, such as car-accidents, fires, sports (specifically football and NCAA football), crime-and-justice, general-news, and sports-betting, may not have a direct connection to the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race at this moment.
