Doug Mastriano visited Williamsport, Pa., on Wednesday.

GALETON — Along Route 6 are Doug Mastriano and Carrie DelRosso supporters, many of them showing their endorsement of the Republican gubernatorial candidate and lieutenant governor candidate with burma shave signs or the candidates’ signs in their front yards.

This is Potter County — also known as “God’s Country,” and a visit by Mastriano on Wednesday drew the interest of folks who expressed a value in prayer and showed their overwhelming support for Mastriano, who was joined by his wife, Rebecca, whom he affectionately calls “Rebbie.”

The room inside Larry’s Sport Center began to quickly fill up with Mastriano supporters and others who came to see and hear the candidate. The store owner invited the Sun-Gazette to cover the event. Soon, it was standing-room-only as Mastriano’s bus pulled in, and those inside went outside to hold up signs and cheer.

The event was organized and hosted by Free Pa. Potter County Chapter, the Potter County Republican Party and Larry’s Sport Center.

“I love Potter County,” Mastriano said, his first words to those he took the time to get photographs with as the line grew longer by the minute. Before long, Mastriano was introduced and he walked up to a podium and began to take aim at his opponent — Attorney General Josh Shapiro, instantly painting the Democrat as part and parcel with liberal President Joe Biden and saying he would not only promote far-left policy but would thrive on it and make taxpayers pay for it.

A welcoming

audience

Mastriano was in comfortable confines, and his voice boomed through the speakers inside the room that had motorcycles and ATVs for sale.

Although Mastriano was more than 350 miles away from Philadelphia, he mentioned it among his first remarks.

A recent fatal shooting in the Northeastern section of Mayfair, in the state’s largest city, was cited by the candidate as an example of the failed crime policy of Shapiro and Gov. Tom Wolf. Mastriano said such slaughter on the streets has only multiplied in the past years. Under Shapiro, crime is up 40%, he said.

In Philadelphia, 277 homicides, on average, had occurred each year when Wolf first took office. That unfortunate number of deaths by violence has shot up to 600 annually, and “grave diggers can’t find places to put the bodies,” Mastriano said.

In the room decked in red, white and blue, Mastriano promised the people he would restore “common sense to our state.”

If elected, Mastriano said he would tackle the state’s economic crisis, with issues such as promoting energy independence and reducing inflation.

“On day one we are going to drill and dig like we’ve never done before,” he said.

That, he said, would provide so much prosperity that “your kids are going to want to stay here.

“Your grandkids are going to want to grow up here and they will have nice six-figure paying jobs,” he said.

His energy policy included lowering gas prices and increasing all forms of energy production in the state, creating thousands of new energy-related jobs.

Mastriano’s campaign pledged to reduce government overreach, lowering utility and food costs, enact universal voter identification and eliminate no-excuse mail-in voting and ballot drop boxes.

Social policy

Mastriano said he would end wokeness, establish a sex-trafficking task force and put a stop to what he called “ghost flights” carrying illegal migrants. Plus, he said, he would ensure Pennsylvania is no longer a sanctuary state.

While Mastriano promised he would sign executive orders, they would be codified in law with the General Assembly.

“It’s imperative that we re-elect a Republican House and Senate,” he said.

Mastriano added that he would sign numerous laws, not ruling by edict, but coming in “on day one, woke is broke in our state,” he said, pointing to what he said is the flawed critical race theory. “There will be no more reason to hate someone based on their skin color,” he said.

He said he would quickly address gender-related concerns while promising to be a governor that respected individual rights.

“On day one, no more boys on the girls team … follow the science,” he said. “We are going to defend our women athletes and women.”

The candidate also tied gender, in general, to safety in schools “with no more boys in girls bathrooms,” he said. “Pronoun confusion will end in elementary school. No more, what’s your pronoun?”

He also assured parents there would be no more sexualization taught in elementary schools.

Mastriano said having to introduce a bill to strengthen parental rights shows “you how far low we’ve gone under (Gov. Tom) Wolf and Shapiro.”

“We need to draw that line in the sand,” he said.

Mastriano said his goal is to make Pennsylvania the Florida of the North, and he asked, “What do you think?”

That drew a rave response.

His reference was followed up with promotions to boost the economy and open up the energy sector.

Such energy focus would take the emphasis off of the world getting Russian oil and gas, he explained.

“We’ll take their money, right?” he asked.

Law and order

On day one, the state would be one supporting law and order, he added.

“We’re going to have the backs of our law enforcement,” he said.

Mastriano continued this week on the stump asking for votes from Republicans, Independents and Democrats, alike.

Pennsylvania has had seven individuals who became president of the United States and 47 governors.

Either he or Shapiro will become the 48th governor on Nov. 8.

Mastriano is a retired U.S. Army colonel who contributed 30 years of military service. He is serving his second term as the senator from the 33rd district.

He’s made a pledge to visit each county in the state prior to election day.

The county cast 67% of the votes in the primary for Mastriano/Delrosso.

His secret weapon, his wife, shared how her husband was for women’s rights, despite his stance on abortion.

“You guys energize us by showing up and caring so much about your state and your nation,” Rebbie Mastriano said.

The Democrats want to say that conservatives don’t believe in women’s rights, but Rebbie Mastriano said it was not true before rattling off a few women’s rights:

“It’s a woman’s right to be born,” she said. “It’s a women’s right to have a say in her child’s education.” she said. “It’s a women’s right to have access to baby formula and affordable groceries to be able to feed her family.”

“It is a woman’s place to raise her child in a safe community, where the government enforces the law and prosecutes crime,” she said. “It’s a woman’s right to live in a nation with a secure border.”

“It’s a woman’s right to the First Amendment,” she said. “It’s a woman’s right to the Second Amendment as well. It’s a woman’s right to compete in sports that are not dominated by men.”

“We’re tired of women being canceled … and we’re tired of them taking our freedoms one-by-one, two-by-two. We’re watching things dissolve.”

But the people of Pennsylvania who are willing to stand and make their voice heard are going to make a difference and change things, she added.

After speaking, Rebbie Mastriano empowered those in the room to be the authority to go out and tell others what her husband stood for, to encourage them to register to vote by Oct. 20 and to go out and vote on election day or to mail in their vote.

Sharon Crandall, of Cherry Springs, said she came to show her support.

“I’d like to see him ensure the oil and gas industry remains healthy,” Crandall said, before adding that she’d also like to see, if elected, Mastriano keep the timber industries going and to find incentives for small businesses that cater to tourism in rural parts of the state.

As the candidate left, the crowd followed him to the bus, which also stopped in Mansfield in Tioga County and Beech Creek in Clinton County.