Eight out of nine members of the state’s Republican congressional delegation on Monday endorses State Sen. Doug Mastriano for governor. The ninth GOP member of Congress, Middletown Township’s Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, did not endorse his party’s candidate.
In a social media post by Mastriano’s campaign, they released a letter signed by GOP congressmen John Joyce, Mike Kelly, Fred Keller, Dan Meuser, Scott Perry, Guy Reschenthaler, Lloyd Smucker, and Glenn Thompson. Fitzpatrick’s name was absent, which was noticed by several people on social media.
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Fitzpatrick’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Mastriano, who is from Franklin County in the south-central portion of the state, touted the endorsement of the congressmen that followed a meeting with the members last week in Washington D.C.
It was unclear if Fitzpatrick who was endorsed by then-President Donald Trump in 2020, was part of the meeting. His campaign didn’t respond to questions.
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“We are proud to endorse Doug Mastriano for governor of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania’s families are struggling to put gas in their cars and food on their tables. Progressive policies supported by Joe Biden and Josh Shapiro have led to fewer jobs, higher crime rates, rampant drug addiction, and less freedom for Pennsylvania’s hard-working families … Doug Mastriano’s passion for life, freedom and liberty make him the clear choice for our next governor,” the congressmen said in their endorsement letter.
“I am grateful and humbled to receive the endorsement of these great champions of liberty and prosperity,” Mastriano said in a statement shared on Twitter. “I look forward to working with our Congressional Delegation and making our commonwealth a place where the people are free and the economy is thriving. We will be strong partner for change in Pennsylvania.”
Mastriano has framed himself as a grassroots candidate who is willing to champion former President Donald Trump’s values. The former president has endorsed Mastriano in his bid for governor.
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Mastriano easily won the spring GOP primary election, but he has faced push back over statements about the 2020 election, being on the U.S. Capitol grounds around the time of the January 6, 2021 attack, his embrace of aspects and supporters of the violent Qanon conspiracy, a campaign consultant who made anti-Semitic statements, and other controversies.
Several high-profile state Republicans, including from Bucks County, have come out against Mastriano and for Democratic candidate Josh Shapiro, who serves as the state’s attorney general.
Shapiro campaign has called Mastriano’s viewpoints “beyond the mainstream.”
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Over the weekend on Twitter, Ashley Ehasz, the Democrat opposing Fitzpatrick, mused as to whether the congressman would endorse Mastriano.
“Voters deserve to know if Brian Fitzpatrick endorses a candidate for governor who was at the Stop the Steal rally on January 6th. But considering that Fitzpatrick voted against the establishment of the January 6th Committee, perhaps we already do,” Ehasz told LevittownNow.com on Monday.
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