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Doug Mastriano Finally Concedes Pennsylvania Governor’s Race

The far-right 2020 election denier finally admitted his loss in a statement Sunday night—five days after the election was called in favor of his Democratic opponent, Josh Shapiro.

Far-right 2020 election denier Doug Mastriano finally conceded his loss in the Pennsylvania governor’s race Sunday night—five days after the election was projected in favor of his Democratic opponent, Josh Shapiro, by nearly every major news outlet. As of Sunday, Shapiro led his opponent by 14 percentage points, with nearly all votes counted. “Difficult to accept as the results are, there is no right course but to concede,” Mastriano said in a statement posted to Twitter. “Josh Shapiro will be our next Governor, and I ask everyone to give him the opportunity to lead and pray that he leads well.” Mastriano was endorsed by former President Donald Trump and repeatedly made false statements that echoed his claims of a “rigged” presidential election in 2020. During the campaign, the state Senator also attracted criticism for his presence in Washington, D.C. during the January 6 Capitol riot and his past advocacy for a bill that would have prosecuted women who underwent abortion procedures as murderers.