Ticking off a list of what he would do on "Day 1" if elected, Doug Mastriano, the Republican nominee for Pennsylvania governor, told supporters at a rally in Centre County Tuesday night he will be "unmasking" children, cutting state regulations and putting parents in charge of their children's education.
“On Day 1, we’re going to be out of this regional greenhouse carbon tax, and we’re going to drill and dig like we’ve never done before," Mastriano said to cheers.
Along with economics, Mastriano covered topics like COVID-19 regulations, gender pronouns and critical race theory to cheers from the crowd. Mastriano was a sharp critic of Gov. Tom Wolf's response to the pandemic, along with vaccine and masking requirements.
Mastriano said he would have the secretary of education require schools to post all of their curricula on line "for full accountability and transparency."
“This is about parental rights," Mastriano said. "Moms and dads and guardians, you have the last and final word in the education of your sons and daughters. Period.”
Mastriano skipped the topic of abortion. But he did take aim at his Democratic opponent, Attorney General Josh Shapiro, on how the state responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, economic issues and social issues.
"He's just too dangerous and reckless for Pennsylvania," said Mastriano, a state Senator from Franklin County. Mastriano has been trailing Shapiro in the polls.
A few hundred people turned out for the "Restore Freedom" rally at the C3 Sports arena in College Township, Centre County.
Jean Uhrig, of Madera, Clearfield County, was handing out signs before the event. She said she followed Mastriano's "fireside chats" on Facebook during the pandemic. She said she has friends who lost their businesses during the pandemic.
"I just hope people open their eyes and get our country back, and I think Mr. Mastriano's the one who can do it," Uhrig said.
Cheryl Kahner, of State College, said she agrees with Mastriano on almost everything.
“Except one thing, and that’s abortion," Kahner said. "I think it should be pro-choice. But that’s because I went to nursing school before Roe v. Wade.”
Still, even though Mastriano has said he wants an abortion ban after six weeks with no exceptions, she supports him.
"I think he's going to have good ideas," she said. "And I think he's going to be straightforward with the people of the state."
