Jake Corman ends campaign for PA governor for the second time, endorses another candidate
With the Pennsylvania primary election less than a week away, Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Benner Township, is ending his campaign for Pennsylvania governor and endorsing another Republican.
Corman endorsed fellow Republican governor candidate Lou Barletta in a press release Thursday.
“Lou Barletta is a hardworking former mayor and congressman who supports the America First Agenda. He’s a tough, experienced and principled leader who can win in the fall. As Senate President Pro Tempore and a leader of our party, I believe it’s my duty to put the Republican party first. There’s a tremendous opportunity to do something that we’ve only done once in the last two decades — elect a Republican as governor of Pennsylvania. The only thing that will prevent this is if we nominate someone who cannot possibly win in the fall, and that’s a real possibility with nine candidates in this race,” Corman wrote.
Reports, including from the Philadelphia Inquirer, have said Pennsylvania Republican leaders are trying to stop Doug Mastriano from being the Republican candidate for governor in the November general election. To do so, they’re talking with Mastriano’s top rivals and urging all but one to drop out and endorse the candidate with the better polling numbers, according to the Inquirer.
“The time has come for me to show leadership and support someone who can win in November — and that’s my friend, Lou Barletta. For the greater good of our party, and for the people of Pennsylvania, I hope my fellow candidates will join me,” Corman wrote.
Corman previously filed paperwork in April to drop out of the race for Pennsylvania governor but mere hours later reversed course and announced he would remain in. At that time, he said he decided to continue his campaign after former President Donald Trump “encouraged me to keep fighting.”
The poll released by the Trafalgar Group earlier this week showed Mastriano leading the race with 27.6%; Corman received 5.3%.
In the release Thursday, he thanked his family, campaign team, donors and friends.
“Campaigning for governor has been a tremendous honor. It’s been a true joy getting to meet and talk with so many good people — good Pennsylvanians,” Corman wrote.
Corman announced his gubernatorial campaign in November. He said in December that he would not seek reelection to the 34th District, a seat he’s held for more than 20 years, to instead focus on his campaign for governor. Corman was named the Senate President Pro Tempore in 2020 and before that served as the majority leader from 2015 to 2020.
