Days before election, Trump endorses Mastriano in Pa.’s GOP governor primary

By John L. Micek – Capital-Star

HARRISBURG, PA – Former President Donald Trump has endorsed state Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Frankin, in Pennsylvania’s high-stakes primary for governor, dealing a potentially fatal blow to establishment Republicans who had hoped to head off a victory by the far-right politician who has trafficked in false claims of election fraud.

“There is no one in Pennsylvania who has done more, or fought harder, for Election Integrity than State Senator Doug Mastriano,” Trump said in a statement he released on Saturday morning. “He is a fighter like few others, and has been with me right from the beginning, and now I have an obligation to be with him.”

Mastriano began gaining statewide prominence in 2020, emerging as a prominent voice of the anti-shutdown movement, where he led protests against Gov. Tom Wolf’s pandemic management policies.

In the days after the 2020 election, he openly questioned President Joe Biden’s legitimacy, and was photographed at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Mastriano bused supporters to the rally that preceded the Capitol insurrection, and has denied participating in the riot, but video has shown him closer to the building than he has claimed to be. He has since been subpoenaed by the U.S. House committee investigating the deadly day.