Two announce candidacies for Pa. Senate seat held by retiring Richard Alloway II
Two Republican candidates have come forward for the state Senate seat that will soon be vacated by Richard Alloway II, less than two weeks after he announced his retirement.
Doug Mastriano, a retired U.S. Army colonel who lives in Greene Township, and Republican State Committeeman Trevor Taylor of Adams County have said they will run for the 33rd Senate District seat, which serves Adams, Franklin, Cumberland and York counties.
Alloway said he will retire Feb. 28. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman must set a special election to fill the remainder of his term, through 2020.
Mastriano pledges to fight for the people
Mastriano, who announced his candidacy on Jan. 22, said he served during the Cold War, fought in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm and deployed three times to Afghanistan after 9/11 over 30 years of active-duty service. He vowed to continue his fight for citizens' rights to free speech, to bear arms and to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, as he did as a soldier.
In his candidacy announcement, he pledged to:
Protect farmers and fight to roll back regulations that hurt their business;
support the elderly
fight regulations hurting manufacturing companies and small-business owners;
protect military service members and veterans;
oppose abortion and stop giving taxpayer funding to facilities that provide it;
and support school choice and lift mandates that punish home-schooled students.
Mastriano also told the residents of the district he will fight "to get the government off our backs and out of our wallets."
Mastriano, a strong supporter of President Trump, ran in the 2018 primary to represent Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District and replace longtime Rep. Bill Shuster, who retired. He came in fourth for the nomination, ultimately won by Rep. John Joyce, but won Franklin County.
To learn more about Mastriano and his campaign, go to https://www.facebook.com/Fight4pa/.
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Taylor touts experience
"As an active member of this vital and historic community, I believe there is no greater honor than representing the people of Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and York counties in the Pennsylvania State Senate," Taylor said in his campaign announcement. "As Senator I will always promote the peoples' interests and uphold the essential Constitutional and conservative values which underpin our individual freedom and prosperity."
He pledged to:
Introduce legislation to eliminate the Inheritance Tax specifically with family owned farms and businesses in mind.
vote against expansion of any natural gas impact fees.
vote to protect Second Amendment Rights and fight Governor Wolf's scheme to ban many of the most common types of legal firearms.
improve Pennsylvania's infrastructure.
and vote against raising taxes and ensure each taxpayer's dollar is spent efficiently
Taylor said his experience working in the private sector, the federal government and in elected state and local posts will benefit him as a senator.
In addition to his election as a Republican State Committeeman, Taylor serves as the executive director of the Adams County Republican Club. He was also elected to serve as Straban Township's Chairman of the Board of Auditors.
He has also worked for the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration as a Policy and Procedures subject matter expert and as part of a team helping to manage a multi-million-dollar program revitalizing the agency's grants administration process. He currently assists the Deputy Director of the Congressionally-Sponsored Task Force on National and Homeland Security, focusing on key civil defense issues affecting the national security of all Americans.
Taylor pointed to his endorsement by retired Brigadier General Ken Chrosniak, a former instructor at the U.S. Army War College.
For more information about Taylor and his campaign, go to https://www.facebook.com/TeamTaylorForPA/.