Doug Mastriano | |
---|---|
![]() Mastriano in 2022 | |
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate from the 33rd district | |
Assumed office June 10, 2019 | |
Preceded by | Richard Alloway |
Personal details | |
Born | Douglas Vincent Mastriano January 2, 1964 New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse |
Rebbie Stewart (m. 1987) |
Children | 1 |
Education | Mercer County Community College Eastern University (BA) National Intelligence University (MS) Air University (MMAS, MA) United States Army War College (MS) University of New Brunswick (PhD) |
Website | |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | ![]() |
Years of service | 1986–2017 |
Rank | Colonel |
Unit | 2nd Cavalry Regiment 3rd Infantry Division United States Army Europe and Africa |
Battles/wars | Gulf War Iraq War |
Douglas Vincent Mastriano (born January 2, 1964) is an American far-right[1][2][3][4] politician and retired military officer who has served in the Pennsylvania Senate since 2019, representing the 33rd district. A member of the Republican Party, he was also the party's nominee in the 2022 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, losing to Josh Shapiro by 14.8%.
Born in New Jersey, Mastriano served in the United States Army from 1986 to 2017 and attained the rank of colonel. He ran for U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district in 2018, where he finished fourth in the primary. Mastriano won the state senate seat for the 33rd District the following year in a special election. In 2022, he won the Republican nomination for governor and lost to Democrat Josh Shapiro in the general election.
Mastriano is a prominent figure in fundamentalist Christian nationalism and has called the separation of church and state a myth.[5][6] He has made social media posts referencing QAnon and has spoken at events that promoted QAnon and 9/11 conspiracy theories.[1][7][8][9][10][11] An election denier and self-professed close ally of former President Donald Trump, Mastriano received national attention for his efforts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election.[12]
He attended Trump's January 6 rally in Washington, D.C., prior to Trump supporters' storming of the United States Capitol,[12][13] and was seen on video passing through Capitol Police barriers after they had been breached by others in the crowd.[12] Mastriano was subpoenaed by the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack in February 2022, but stopped cooperating with the Select Committee the following August.[14][15]
The separation of church and state was a 'myth,' he said. 'In November we are going to take our state back, my God will make it so.' Mr. Mastriano's ascension in Pennsylvania is perhaps the most prominent example of right-wing candidates for public office who explicitly aim to promote Christian power in America. The religious right has long supported conservative causes, but this current wave seeks more: a nation that actively prioritizes their particular set of Christian beliefs and far-right views and that more openly embraces Christianity as a bedrock identity.
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