PA Governor Bout: Shapiro v. Mastriano
By Jackson Feiner – Staff Writer
2022 is full of elections across the country. On November 8 Pennsylvania voters will be heading to the polls to place their ballot.
Pennsylvania has two monumental elections coming up in November, the gubernatorial and Senate race.
Lackawanna county has three big elections with the race for the House also being on the ballot.
The race to be Pennsylvania’s next governor is primarily between Democratic state attorney general, Josh Shapiro and Republican state senator, Doug Mastriano. Minor party, independent, and write-in candidates include Christina Digiulio (G), Joseph Soloski (Keystone Party of Pennsylvania), and Matt Hackenburg (L).
Current Democratic governor, Tom Wolf is term-limited and is not allowed to seek a third consecutive term.
Josh Shapiro was born on a Navy base in Kansas City, Missouri, but grew up in Montgomery County. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester, Shapiro received his J.D. from Georgetown University.
Shapiro served in the State House from 2005 to 2011, then was Montgomery County Commissioner from 2011 to 2017. In 2016 he was elected state attorney general.
Shapiro’s campaign has focused on two key points: his record as attorney general and his ability to veto legislation passed by the Republican majority state legislature, if elected governor.
Shapiro has said that his experience in the criminal justice system and on cases related to LGBTQ+ issues, workers’ issues, and election security are all concerns he would continue to pursue as governor. Shapiro’s campaign website also highlights his support of abortion rights and absentee/mail-in voting.
Mastriano was born and raised in New Brunswick, New Jersey. As a youth, Mastriano was a member of the Boy Scouts of America and earned the rank of Eagle Scout.
He received his bachelor’s degree from Eastern College and has multiple master’s degrees from military institutes. Mastriano also obtained his Ph.D. from New Brunswick University (Canada). He served in the United States Army from 1988 to 2017, retiring with the rank of colonel. In 2018, Mastriano was elected as state senator from the Cumberland Valley.
Mastriano has proposed numerous election policy changes, including a ban on no excuse absentee/mail-in voting and drop boxes and universal voter identification. Mastriano has also voiced his support to banning abortion after the detection of a fetal heartbeat
Mastriano has also stated that if he was elected governor, he would rescind all mask and vaccine requirements related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Emerson College, Shapiro currently has a 10-point lead over Mastriano in the polls, however, there is time between now and November and polls can be inaccurate. All that matters is what the final tally says.