PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano for the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania governor.
In a statement, Trump said, "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."
Trump also referred to Mastriano's support of his unsubstantiated claims of a stolen 2020 presidential election. Mastriano has been a major Trump ally, even helping to organize bus rides for supporters to attend the former president's January 6, 2021 rally. He has denied, however, participating in the Capitol insurrection following the rally.
The nomination comes just three days before the state's primary, and two days after Pennsylvania state Sen. Jake Corman dropped out of the race. Corman threw his support behind former U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, who has trailed Mastriano in polls, along with former U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain and former Delaware County Councilman David White.
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Another gubernatorial candidate, former U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart, left the race Friday, also endorsing Barletta.
Other Pennsylvania Republican leaders have also expressed concern over whether Mastriano can win the general election against Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who runs unopposed for the Democratic nomination. State Sen. Kim Ward endorsed White this week in a Facebook post, writing, "The goal isn't to win the primary. Winning the primary and losing the general because the candidate is unable to get the voters in the middle, isn't a win."
Barletta responded to Trump's endorsement of Mastriano in a statement Saturday morning. "Throughout this campaign I have proved that I'm the best Republican to unite the Republican Party and defeat Josh Shapiro, and I will continue unifying our grassroots conservatives towards our shared goal," he wrote, adding, "I look forward to having President Trump’s endorsement Wednesday morning."
Learn more about the Republican primary for governor on the Jawncast.