Republican Doug Mastriano concedes to Democrat Josh Shapiro in Pa. governor's race
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Republican Doug Mastriano has conceded the Pennsylvania governor's race Sunday, days after being defeated by Democratic challenger Josh Shapiro.
"The results of the 2022 Mid-term Elections are not what we hoped, prayed, and fought so hard for, and yet there is so much for which I am grateful," said Mastriano in a statement on Twitter.
Mastriano, who ran a hard-right campaign, said he supported a complete ban on abortion, with no exceptions, and had been a point person in former President Donald Trump's drive to stay in power and spread lies about a stolen election.
Shapiro, 49, the state's two-term elected attorney general, ran to the middle on several key issues and smashed Pennsylvania's campaign finance record in a powerhouse campaign, swamping Mastriano in a deluge of TV ads.
In light of June's Supreme Court decision on abortion rights, Shapiro vowed to protect Pennsylvania's existing 24-week law and he touted his office's fights in court to protect the state's 2020 election from Trump's efforts to overturn it.
Shapiro had led polls from the start over Mastriano, and his victory - in a year in which Democrats nationally faced headwinds, including high inflation - made him the first governor to be elected to succeed a member of his party since 1966.
Shapiro will succeed Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term and had endorsed Shapiro.
