Lancaster County lawmaker exits race for Governor

Republican Scott Martin suffered a broken leg last month in a fall on ice and said he'll need more time to rehabilitate the injury than he initially thought.

• Ed Arke
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(Harrisburg)–Lancaster County state senator Scott Martin is dropping from the race for the GOP’s nomination for governor.  Martin suffered a broken leg last month in a fall on ice and said he’ll need more time to rehabilitate the injury than he initially thought.

In a statement, the 49-year-old said the injury would leave him unable to campaign as effectively as his supporters deserve.

Martin joined the campaign relatively late, announcing in December.  He trailed in fundraising in a primary field that’s still has a double-digit number of candidates for the Republican Party’s nomination.

The winner of the May 17th primary is expected to face the presumed Democratic nominee Josh Shapiro.  Incumbent Governor Tom Wolf is in his second term and is constitutionally restricted from serving a third term.  He has endorsed Shapiro.

Martin was elected to his first term as a state senator representing the 13th District in November 2016 and was re-elected in 2020.  He supported a State Constitutional Amendment which was approved last May that would limit an emergency declaration to 21 days unless the General Assembly approves a longer duration.  It also would allow the General Assembly to end an emergency declaration thorough a joint resolution by the State Senate and House that cannot be vetoed by a Governor.

He currently serves as Chair of the Senate Education Committee and on the PA System of Higher Education Board of Governors.  Prior to his election to the state Senate, Martin served as a Lancaster County Commissioner.

Martin graduated from Lancaster Catholic High School where he was a PIAA wrestling champion, played football at Millersville University and had three stints in the Arena Football league.