Doug Mastriano isn’t a household name, and there’s a chance he never will be. He’s the far-right MAGA candidate for Pennsylvania, but his race — unlike the perpetually silly one between Dr. Oz and John Fetterman for the state’s vacating Senate seat — almost never makes news. There’s a reason for that: He avoids the so-called “fake news” media, doesn’t do debates, doesn’t even run ads. The result? His trailing in the polls, while a recent rally attracted about the same amount of people who went to last weekend’s Jan. 6 “Truth Rally.”
A new piece by The New York Times examines Mastriano’s beyond floundering campaign, which, unlike Herschel Walker’s bizarre congressional one in Georgia, hasn’t had a turn for the better. Indeed, on Saturday, he held what his running mate dubbed a “big rally” on Saturday, located in Harrisburg, the state’s capital. Only about 60 showed up, and half of them, reports NYT, were part of his campaign. In other words, he really only got about 30.
NYT sums up how well Mastriano’s outside-the-box campaign is doing compared to his Democratic opponent, Josh Shapiro:
He is being heavily outspent by his Democratic rival, has had no television ads on the air since May, has chosen not to interact with the state’s news media in ways that would push his agenda, and trails by double digits in reputable public polling and most private surveys.
There’s no sign of cavalry coming to his aid, either: The Republican Governors Association, which is helping the party’s nominees in Arizona, Michigan and six other states, has no current plans to assist Mr. Mastriano, according to people with knowledge of its deliberations.
There’s only a month and change until Election Day, and who knows? Maybe his more grassroots approach will magically click at the 11th hour. If not, Pennsylvania will be spared a governor who wants to completely eradicate safe and legal abortion, in all cases, including the life of the mother; employ someone who may not certify election results if a Republican isn’t the winner; believes in debunked gay conversion therapy; and was caught wearing a Confederate uniform.
But at least he got some free press for, like Oz, being a Jersey boy.
(Via NYT)