(WHTM) – Pennsylvania State Senator and former Republican candidate for Governor Doug Mastriano says he will make a “special announcement” on Thursday night after hinting earlier this week he would enter the 2024 US Senate race.
The Mastriano announcement is expected to come on a Facebook Live video at 8 pm
Mastriano hinted at a campaign for Senate earlier this week despite losing the 2022 governor’s race by over 800,000 votes to Josh Shapiro.
During the 2022 campaign Democrats painted Mastriano as an extreme candidate on issues such as abortion and elections. Mastriano was also deposed by the January 6 committee after video appeared to show him in Washington DC on January 6.
The first Republican candidate to enter the 2024 Senate race, Mastriano led in an April Franklin & Marshall poll against 2022 Senate candidate Dave McCormick 42% to 28%.
McCormick, who lost the Republican primary to Mehmet Oz last year by less than 1,000 votes, has yet to formally announce whether he will run again. The former hedge fund CEO has been promoting a new book and is reportedly considering a second run for the Senate.
Author Kathy Barnette, who finished third in last year’s Senate race and was endorsed by Mastriano, has said she will not run in 2024.
The Republican primary winner will likely face incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Casey, who announced in April he will seek a fourth term in office.
The April Franklin & Marshall poll Showed Casey leading Mastriano in a hypothetical matchup 47% to 31%.
