Pennsylvania State Senator Doug Mastriano has ruled out another bid for governor in 2026, citing what he claims is divine guidance.
Mastriano made the announcement during a live Facebook stream with his wife Rebbie, stating that they had "prayed, fasted and discussed it" before coming to their decision. When asked if God had called him not to run again, Mastriano replied with conviction: "With full peace in our hearts, we believe God has not called us to run for governor this year."
Mastriano's decision comes after a resounding defeat in his 2022 bid against now-Governor Josh Shapiro. Despite being expected to run again, Mastriano maintained an air of mystery surrounding the matter, leaving opponents and supporters alike wondering about his intentions.
Critics had previously highlighted Mastriano's stance on the 2020 election, including his presence at the U.S. Capitol during the January 6th, 2021 riot. This move was widely seen as a sign of his loyalty to former President Donald Trump.
Despite announcing he would not seek re-election for state senator in 2026, Mastriano remained silent on his future plans. As Shapiro prepares to announce his reelection campaign, it remains unclear who will challenge him from the Republican side.
The Pennsylvania primaries are set for May 19, with the general election taking place on November 3.
Mastriano made the announcement during a live Facebook stream with his wife Rebbie, stating that they had "prayed, fasted and discussed it" before coming to their decision. When asked if God had called him not to run again, Mastriano replied with conviction: "With full peace in our hearts, we believe God has not called us to run for governor this year."
Mastriano's decision comes after a resounding defeat in his 2022 bid against now-Governor Josh Shapiro. Despite being expected to run again, Mastriano maintained an air of mystery surrounding the matter, leaving opponents and supporters alike wondering about his intentions.
Critics had previously highlighted Mastriano's stance on the 2020 election, including his presence at the U.S. Capitol during the January 6th, 2021 riot. This move was widely seen as a sign of his loyalty to former President Donald Trump.
Despite announcing he would not seek re-election for state senator in 2026, Mastriano remained silent on his future plans. As Shapiro prepares to announce his reelection campaign, it remains unclear who will challenge him from the Republican side.
The Pennsylvania primaries are set for May 19, with the general election taking place on November 3.
That's just a fancy way of saying he couldn't be bothered to make up his mind, lol. And let's not forget that whole January 6th thing... I get it, loyalty to Trump might've played a part in all this. But honestly, it feels like Mastriano is just trying to save face after that crushing defeat last year. 
Either way, I'm hyped to see how it all plays out. Can't wait for May 19th... and the drama that comes with it 
i mean dont get me wrong i love a good spiritual reflection but come on senator mastriano this is PA politics not a spiritual awakening 
plus thats some pretty strong conviction coming from someone who wasnt too far off the trump bandwagon all those times at the capitol... now that he says hes done with politics id love to see him do some community service or something 
. I mean, someone's gotta keep Shapiro in check, right? But seriously, his decision to step down from state senator doesn't exactly fill me with confidence about his intentions... was that "divine guidance" just a fancy way of saying he didn't wanna deal with the drama again? 
Also, gotta wonder if this is all just about keepin' his Trump vibes to himself... now we know for sure he's not runnin' for senator again 
i mean who prays, fasts and talks to god about politics lol meanwhile shapiro is just chillin' like u know waiting for the primaries 
and mastriano still didnt give us any deets on what he'll be doing next 
He seemed pretty invested in that whole governor thing last time around. And now, just like that, he's out? 
Maybe it was the divine guidance thingy, but I don't know, man... 
It feels like there's still a lot of uncertainty around what he'll do next. Will we see him pop up again as a dark horse candidate? 
) will tell.
. Sounds like a pretty convenient excuse to me.
. Anyway, I guess we'll just have to wait and see what he does next 
.