FILE PHOTO: Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin, center, speaks to supporters of President Donald Trump as they demonstrate outside the Pennsylvania State Capitol, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Harrisburg, Pa., after Democrat Joe Biden defeated Trump to become 46th president of the United States.
Katie Meyer is WHYY’s political reporter. Prior to coming to Philadelphia, Katie was WITF’s Capitol bureau chief, and covered all things state politics for public radio stations throughout Pennsylvania.
Katie came to Harrisburg by way of New York City, where she worked at Fordham University’s public radio station, WFUV, as an anchor, general assignment reporter, and co-host of an original podcast. A 2016 graduate of Fordham, she won several awards for her work at WFUV, including four 2016 Gracies.
Katie is a native New Yorker, though she originally hails from Troy, a little farther up the Hudson River. She can attest that the bagels are still pretty good there.
Julio Cortez / AP Photo
FILE PHOTO: Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin, center, speaks to supporters of President Donald Trump as they demonstrate outside the Pennsylvania State Capitol, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Harrisburg, Pa., after Democrat Joe Biden defeated Trump to become 46th president of the United States.
All but one of Pennsylvania’s Republican congressional members are endorsing their party’s candidate for governor, state Sen. Doug Mastriano.
The outlier is Brian Fitzpatrick, who represents the 1st Congressional District in the Philadelphia suburbs, covering Bucks County and part of Montgomery County. It’s more moderate than any of Fitzpatrick’s GOP colleagues’ districts, and this isn’t the first time Fitzpatrick has split with the other Republicans on key votes and endorsements.
Fitzpatrick chalked the lack of an endorsement up to a scheduling conflict. Campaign spokeswoman Nancy McCarty said the representative was “attending an Intelligence meeting” while the other members of the GOP delegation met with Mastriano, and that Fitzpatrick had sent a staffer in his stead.
“Rep. Fitzpatrick has yet to meet and/or speak with Sen. Mastriano regarding his plan for Pennsylvania, but hopes to have the chance to do so prior to the Fall elections,” she said in a written statement.
Al Drago/Pool via AP
Rep. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., speaks during a House Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, April 15, 2021.
Fitzpatrick’s decision to — at least for now — steer clear of his party’s gubernatorial candidate could also speak to Mastriano’s odds in the populous Philly suburbs: Many voters there appear unlikely to back him.
The area has been increasingly supportive of Democrats over Republicans in the last decade-plus, and Mastriano wouldn’t be the first Republican to struggle there. But suburban voters in the region still have a lot of influence over the outcome of statewide races.
A recent Fox News-sponsored poll showed Mastriano trailing his Democratic opponent, Josh Shapiro, by about 10 points statewide, and by more than 20 in suburbs generally. Suburban women were even less likely to support him.
Attorney General Josh Shapiro, left, and Sen. Doug Mastriano, right.
Mastriano has been a controversial figure in the GOP. He’s been one of Pennsylvania’s most prominent spreaders of baseless theories about fraud in the 2020 election, and used his campaign account to charter buses to the Jan. 6, 2021 rally-turned-insurrection. He supports strict abortion bans. And during the primary election, he paid the far-right website Gab for consulting.
He didn’t have much institutional support in the primary, but these endorsements from congressmen are part of a pattern of increased support.
In a letter, the eight congressional members endorsing Mastriano said they’re supporting him because of his “passion for life, freedom, and liberty.” They’re all either in predominantly Republican districts, or not seeking re-election.
Sometimes, your mornings are just too busy to catch the news beyond a headline or two. Don’t worry. The Morning Agenda has got your back. Each weekday morning, host Tim Lambert will keep you informed, amused, enlightened and up-to-date on what’s happening in central Pennsylvania and the rest of this great commonwealth.