Pennsylvania State Senator Doug Mastriano has ruled out another bid for governor in 2026, citing divine intervention as the reason for his decision.
In a Facebook livestream with his wife Rebbie, Mastriano revealed that after "praying a lot, fasting, and discussing it extensively," he and his wife had come to this conclusion. The Republican lawmaker acknowledged that many of their supporters had urged them to run again, but they have decided not to heed the call.
Mastriano's remarks come as a surprise, given his contentious 2022 campaign against current Governor Josh Shapiro, which ended in defeat. During the livestream, he avoided direct comments about potential future opponents like state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, instead emphasizing that any Republican candidate would require grassroots support from the party base.
The senator's announcement was met with over 500 viewers tuning in to watch the hour-long video, which included nostalgic looks back at his 2022 campaign. However, Mastriano sidestepped questions about his past criticisms of President Donald Trump and the events surrounding January 6th, 2021.
As Shapiro is expected to announce his reelection bid on Thursday, Pennsylvania Republicans are still waiting for a clear candidate to emerge in the primary elections scheduled for May 19. With no other candidates having thrown their hat into the ring yet, Mastriano's decision not to run again may be seen as an opportunity for others to fill the void.
In a Facebook livestream with his wife Rebbie, Mastriano revealed that after "praying a lot, fasting, and discussing it extensively," he and his wife had come to this conclusion. The Republican lawmaker acknowledged that many of their supporters had urged them to run again, but they have decided not to heed the call.
Mastriano's remarks come as a surprise, given his contentious 2022 campaign against current Governor Josh Shapiro, which ended in defeat. During the livestream, he avoided direct comments about potential future opponents like state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, instead emphasizing that any Republican candidate would require grassroots support from the party base.
The senator's announcement was met with over 500 viewers tuning in to watch the hour-long video, which included nostalgic looks back at his 2022 campaign. However, Mastriano sidestepped questions about his past criticisms of President Donald Trump and the events surrounding January 6th, 2021.
As Shapiro is expected to announce his reelection bid on Thursday, Pennsylvania Republicans are still waiting for a clear candidate to emerge in the primary elections scheduled for May 19. With no other candidates having thrown their hat into the ring yet, Mastriano's decision not to run again may be seen as an opportunity for others to fill the void.
It looks like Senator Mastriano has closed that book and is moving on, so now it's up to someone else to write the next chapter for the Republicans in Pennsylvania. The people will get their chance to speak, but I wonder who'll be at the podium 
I'm kinda surprised by Doug Mastriano's decision not to run for governor again 
. On one hand, it's cool that he values his personal time and decided not to take on another high-profile campaign 
. He can focus on being a senator and helping out PA instead of being the gov 
.
. Maybe it's Stacy Garrity? 
or maybe someone else entirely 
. One thing's for sure, we'll have to wait and see how this all plays out 
. 
. Also, I'm still surprised no one else has thrown their hat into the ring yet... I mean, it's been months since Shapiro announced his reelection bid 
. Does that mean Mastriano's "grassroots support" thing is just a way to keep himself in the spotlight? 
his wife seems super supportive tho 
. Anyway, I guess we'll just have to wait for Shapiro to make his move... and see who else decides to throw their hat in the ring 
anyway, it sounds like shapiro is the one to beat now 
and whoever wants to take him down gotta get those grassroots supporters on their side 
! i'm low-key surprised tho lol. thought he'd at least give shapiro a run for his money next year 
stacy garrity might be the dark horse i'm rooting for her 
I'm like totally confused why he's saying this divine intervention stuff, you know? Like, can't we just have a normal reason for not running for office? Fasting and praying isn't gonna solve all our problems, you feel me? It sounds kinda like he's trying to save face or something. And what's with the nostalgia trip during that livestream? He's basically rubbing it in everyone's faces how close he was in 2022. I'm so over this whole "grassroots support" thing... Can't we just have a decent candidate who doesn't need to go around begging for votes? 
. I mean who wouldn't want another dose of that crazy politician on the campaign trail? And divine intervention, really? Sounds like a solid excuse to me 
that Doug Mastriano isn't running for gov again lol he was so hyped about it last year 
and now he's just chillin' saying it was divine intervention 
? idk what kinda vibes that is but i guess we'll have to see who else throws their hat into the ring 
. While one can't help but chuckle at the notion of "divine intervention" influencing his decision, I find it intriguing to consider how this development might impact the Republican primary landscape in Pennsylvania 
.
It's also weird that he dodged questions about Trump and January 6th... is he really trying to distance himself from those controversies or was it just a convenient way to avoid conflict? 
. Still, I think it's gonna be tough for Republicans to find someone who can connect with the masses without being seen as too polarizing #PoliticsIsComplicated. On the bright side, maybe this gives other candidates like Stacy Garrity a chance to shine and make their mark 
he seems like someone who can rally people behind him, especially if they're looking for a change from shapiro. maybe this is exactly what the rep party needs right now - a fresh face with grassroots support 
but then again, mastriano has been pretty vocal about trump before... i'm not sure if thats gonna be an issue in 2026