Pittsburgh’s ABC affiliate reports:
A hard-right Pennsylvania state lawmaker said Thursday night that he will not challenge Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, leaving the GOP field wide open as Republican Party officials try to recruit a strong candidate in the moderate battleground state to help capture a Senate majority in 2024.
Doug Mastriano, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump in last year’s race for governor but lost in a landslide, said in a livestreamed appearance with his wife that he will not run for Senate “at this moment the way things currently are.”
Former hedge fund CEO David McCormick is the favorite of party leaders and has drawn pledges of financial support from top Republican officials — should he decide to run. A three-week recount in the 2022 primary contest left McCormick behind Dr. Mehmet Oz by fewer than 1,000 votes.
Read the full article. Mastriano had teased a “good news” press conference for last night.
Mastriano said in a livestreamed appearance with his wife that he will not run for Senate “at this moment the way things currently are.” https://t.co/70mu1R4o7D
— TribLIVE.com (@TribLIVE) May 26, 2023
McConnell told me last month that PA was on his list of four states for potential pickups. Wouldn’t engage on Mastriano. Is all in on McCormick. https://t.co/ZSGouOBSaXhttps://t.co/8wPc9czWBm
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 26, 2023
Mastriano says he won’t run for US Senate; GOP field in Pennsylvania race still wide open https://t.co/ugQIDf4wmL
— WTAE-TV Pittsburgh (@WTAE) May 26, 2023
Doug Mastriano, the far-right state senator who was blown out in Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial contest last fall, announces he will not run for Senate in 2024. https://t.co/AtgTCrQdvE
— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 26, 2023