Harrisburg, New York The news portal Politico recently wrote about Doug Mastriano that he was one of Trump’s “most loyal soldiers”. The senator from Pennsylvania received this attribute not only because of his previous job as a colonel in the US Army: Mastriano is also considered one of Trump’s greatest supporters. In 2020, he was the one who was particularly vocal in spreading Trump’s fantasies of electoral fraud in his state.
Unsurprisingly, his engagement earned him the goodwill and support of the former US President. While he already had a slight lead in the polls, Mastriano clearly prevailed in the Republican primaries after Trump’s campaign. Now it is clear: Mastriano will fight with the Democrat Josh Shapiro for the post of governor of Pennsylvania in November.
But there is rumbling in the Republican Party. Apparently, many members are uncomfortable with the idea that Mastriano could take on this responsible post. Because he stands for beliefs that are difficult to convey in mainstream society. He is seen as a religious hardliner with a penchant for irrational pathos.
In an opinion piece by the US news channel MSNBC, he is characterized as a Christian nationalist who sees Pennsylvania as a “promised land for Christ”. There, according to his plan, he will establish “God’s kingdom”.
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At the same time, he calls for the already lax gun laws to be further relaxed. He is also an advocate of the “Heartbeat Act”, which bans abortions after proof of a heartbeat. The law, which follows the Texas example, would criminalize abortions after the sixth week. And during the pandemic, Mastriano had spoken out against measures to contain the infection process.
Average citizen would not vote for Mastriano
Several influential Republicans are now distancing themselves from their candidate. A total of ten top politicians have announced that they will support the democratic challenger Josh Shapiro and also collect money for a counter-campaign.
In fact, while Mastriano is not without a chance, his radical messages are likely to raise concerns in the moderate middle class. At least, that’s what Brian Rosenwald, a policy expert at the University of Pennsylvania, thinks. “It is unlikely that an average citizen who is annoyed about rising fuel prices will now go and vote for a hardliner like Mastriano,” says the scientist.
And there are many of those average people in Pennsylvania. Historically, the US state is democratic territory, but in 2016 Donald Trump managed to win over a section of the democratic-minded working class. It is now clear that Pennsylvania will remain a swing state. In 2016 Trump won by a slight margin, four years later the US state was democratic again.
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But once again the Republicans are lying in wait, as political scientist Rosenwald argues: “The Republican core voters definitely want arch-conservative values and radical legislatures.”
On the other hand, there is this simmering conflict in the party, which will probably accompany the conservatives until the presidential election in 2024.
There are increasing signs that Donald Trump could soon announce his candidacy for US President.
(Photo: Reuters)
The central question is whether one has the best chance of entering the White House with or without Trump. Many members despair at his missteps, many consider him someone who could endanger US democracy after his re-election as president. And his list of sins, especially as agitator of the masses during the storming of the US Capitol, is getting longer and longer.
It is now accepted that Trump will seek the presidency again. US media reports that he could announce his candidacy as early as September – historically early. But the primary elections in the Republican party are still on the way to an official candidacy.
The new generation of hardliners is ready
Not all Republicans would vote for the 76-year-old in the primary, as current polls show. With Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the Texan Ted Cruz, ex-Vice Vice President Mike Pence, Nikki Haley (South Carolina) and ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, there are already candidates who are similarly radical as Trump himself, but less biased, according to Rosenwald .
The Republican also encounters resistance with his radical theses.
(Photo: Reuters)
In the Republican Party, there could be a desire to win the election with radical messages, but without their old figurehead, Trump.
Publicist Mark Leibovich, author of the book Thank You for Your Servitude, outlines a climate of fear among Republicans who secretly detest Trump. Publicly, they would continue to support the ex-president because they feared personal disadvantages. The few who made their assessment public would have done massive damage to their political careers.
The same uneasiness about radicalizing politics is now haunting various Republicans in Pennsylvania. It’s that uneasiness that can stop Doug Mastriano from winning. A divided party would remain.
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