We’ve been promised some “crazy good news” soon from none other than the king of Franklin County, state Sen. Douglas Mastriano. I’m writing this on Sunday, May 21, so there is a very good chance that, by the time you read this online or in print, Doug’s “good news” will be out.
Fresh off a primary election in which he invested enough to buy a county commissioner’s race or two, dumping at least $15,000 into the campaign coffers of Dean Horst alone, Mastriano must feel the wind at his back, and is teasing a run for the United States Senate seat currently held by Bob Casey Jr.
If Mastriano does throw his hat in the ring, it will delight to no end two groups of people: His followers and Pennsylvania Democrats.
His followers will swoon with the excitement that comes from going out on another crusade for their idol, and the Democrats will be giddy not only at the prospect that Casey will hold on to his Senate seat, but also the likelihood that Mastriano’s presence on the Republican ticket will tip Pennsylvania’s electoral college votes to Joe Biden, which could give us four more years of misery.
Mastriano told the Philadelphia Enquirer, “If we do run for U.S. Senate, it’s ours to lose in the primary, I don’t think we can be stopped.”
Mastriano made a surprise appearance at an event in Lebanon County and was met with cheers from the crowd of 20 to 25 people.
“Our teams are alive and well in all 67 counties,” Mastriano added. “People are ready to go. So, we’ll see you next week.”
It seems that Mastriano is focused on the 2024 primary election, hoping he can pull off a big win the same way he did in the 2022 gubernatorial Republican primary against a crowded field of candidates. The only problem then was that after garnering 44% in the primary, he went on to wage a disaster of a campaign ending with a huge loss in the November general election. I
n fact, he seemed to give up on his quest for the governorship and finished with over $1 million unspent in his campaign war chest.
This time around, things may be a bit different. Republican Dave McCormick is busy making the rounds in an effort to oppose Mastriano in next year’s Republican primary.
McCormick lost to eventual Senate candidate Mehmet Oz in the 2022 primary by less than 1,000 votes, requiring an ill-considered endorsement from former President Donald Trump to put Oz over the top.
This time around, there likely won’t be more than two candidates in the GOP primary — McCormick and Mastriano — and it’s going to take more than 44% to give Mastriano the nomination.
It’s also not likely that Mastriano could muster the same level of primary support that he did in 2022 because many smart Republicans don’t believe in making the same mistake twice. Another smart Republican won’t likely be endorsing Mastriano in the primary either, and that is Trump, according to reports in web publications like The Hill and Politico, both quoting unnamed Trump insiders. Aside from that, Trump has a pattern of not backing a candidate twice, especially after a disastrous loss.
In a delicious bit of irony, Mastriano, actually said, “I’m not an opportunist. I didn’t want to do politics. I did it out of necessity.”
It’s ironic because he’s been pursuing elective office practically since he arrived in Franklin County, carrying his carpet bag. It’s also worth noting that Mastriano has never beaten a general election opponent with a pulse.
All of the above aside, neither facts, trends, history nor data seem to matter to either Mastriano or his acolytes. Mastriano told the Philadelphia Enquirer that he likes Dave McCormick, stating, “I like his background, but for us, and I hate to say it this way, but no one else is gonna beat my drum. It’s going to have to be myself.”
Mastriano added: “I’m a once-in-a-lifetime candidate for this.”
When I hear that type of boasting, the ancient Greek term “hubris” comes to mind.
Better yet, since Mastriano claims to be a devout man, maybe he should consult Proverbs 16:18, which states: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Of course, Mastriano may actually decide not to run for the U.S. Senate. Now, that would truly be “crazy good news,” especially for Republicans.
Dwight Weidman is a resident of Greene Township and is a graduate of Shepherd University. He is retired from the United States Department of Defense, where his career included assignments In Europe, Asia, and Central America. He has been in leadership roles for the Republican Party in two states, most recently serving two terms as Chairman of the Franklin County Republican Party. He has been an Amateur Radio Operator since 1988, getting his first license in Germany, and is a past volunteer with both Navy and Army MARS, Military Auxiliary Radio Service, and is also a certified firearms instructor. In his spare time, he dabbles in genealogy and learning new languages.
