Mastriano all but declares in race for Pennsylvania governor

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A Republican state senator who has helped spread conspiracy theories about last year’s presidential election and led opposition to pandemic-related shutdowns, vaccine mandates and masking orders is all but officially declaring that he’ll run for governor.

Sen. Doug Mastriano said in appearances online over the weekend that he has reached the fundraising goal he set to formally become a candidate and is organizing an announcement rally Jan. 8 near his home in southcentral Pennsylvania.

Mastriano is the third state senator to enter the double-digits-deep Republican field to potentially succeed outgoing Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat.

On the Democratic side, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro has effectively cleared the primary field.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Shapiro declares candidacy for governor, blasts Republicans