CHAMBERSBURG – Over the last few months, conversations have been taking place about Doug Mastriano’s possible run for Governor of Pennsylvania.
He hosted Rudy Giuliani’s visit to Scotland campus in the middle of May and was in New York City, overlooking Central Park, with Donald Trump just a week or two ago.
And now, it’s been reported that dougmastrianoforgovernor.com has been registered.
Nothing official yet, but it sure seems like the course is being laid.
Attorney Clint Barkdoll, Pat Ryan and Michele Jansen discussed the governor campaign this morning on First News.
Barkdoll said, “I’ve not talked to Doug in quite some time. He’s very open that he’s considering running for governor, but I think the registration of that domain name is yet another signal that he’s clearing laying the groundwork to do that.”
An announcement could be imminent.
Ryan also noted a Facebook post with a side-by-side comparison of Doug Mastriano and Lou Barletta, who has already announced his gubernatorial run.
Barkdoll said, “Lou has not had great traction when he ran for Senate years ago and I know he’s doing this tour around the state now. I think he’s the only officially declared candidate for governor. I know a lot of Republicans, even people in leadership, privately have concerns about Barletta. They didn’t like the campaign he ran for Senate a few years ago. Of course he got clobbered by Bob Casey in that race. They don’t want to see that repeat in a governor’s race. They think there’s a really good chance next year Republicans could win back the governor’s office and they want to have a good, strong candidate out there that could win.”
Jansen pointed out, “Imagine him going up against a flashy Fetterman. Fetterman is if anything, he’s certainly not quiet. I can’t imagine Lou going up against that personality. It’s not Lou’s personality at all.”
Barkdoll noted, “It’s not clear who the Democrats are going to run. It looks like Fetterman may be running for Toomey’s seat but there’s talk that Josh Shapiro may run for governor. Very high profile, someone that is able to raise money like crazy. Barletta does not stack up well when you think about some of these type of candidates and I think that’s what has some Republicans in party leadership concerned about him.”
