From WESA:
Josh Shapiro was sworn in as governor on Tuesday before a crowd that included both Republican and Democratic lawmakers. Notably absent was the man he defeated for the job: State Sen. Doug Mastriano.
Mastriano, who lost the 2022 election for governor by about 800,000 votes, took a personal day.
Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman announced Mastriano’s absence on the Senate floor. Mastriano was the only Senator who did not show up Tuesday.
While there's no legal expectation for a 790,000 vote loser to attend the inauguration of the candidate who won (by 790,000 votes), WESA quotes a GOP strategist who said:
“The difference here is that he is still a sitting member of the legislature. We haven’t had a situation like this,” Chen said. “And without further information, the seeming gist is that he may have missed votes because he didn’t want to be in Harrisburg the day that Josh Shapiro’s inaugurated. And that would just come off a little bit petty.”
So while there's nothing binding that says that Doug had to have been in Harrisburg that day (a patriot and someone who respects the process would've showed) Doug missed votes because he was a sore loser?
Aw, Doug. How petty.
OTOH, perhaps it was a good thing (for Doug's fragile ego, at least) for him to skip Gov. Shapiro's inauguration speech.
Had be been there he would have heard Gov Shapiro speeching this:
Governor Wolf has led our Commonwealth and our residents through some of the most challenging times in our history — and he has done so with integrity, acumen, and an unwavering commitment to service.
Governor Wolf expanded health care to nearly 1 million Pennsylvanians, invested record amounts in our public schools, and modernized state government.
Thanks to his leadership we now find ourselves in the strongest financial shape in the history of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, allowing us to make critical investments for tomorrow.
And this:
Because ultimately, in a functioning democracy, it’s your voices that should be heard in the halls of government.
The voices of people like Danielle, who has bravely told us her own story about her decision to have an abortion to save her life and who I’m honored to have on this stage with me today.
The voice of the grandma in Lawrence County who I met over 15 months ago in the first week of our campaign. She came up to me, grabbed me by my lapels, pulled me close, and in that stern voice that only comes from a grandma, looked me in the eye and said do not let us go back to what it was like before Roe.
And thanks to so many of you, we won’t.
And then finally this:
This work is more important now than ever, because over the last several years, we have been reminded of the fragility of our democracy. How we have to keep working at it, keep fighting to protect it.
Here in Pennsylvania, we didn’t allow the extremists who peddle lies drown out the truth. We showed that our system works and that our elections are free and fair, safe and secure.
Yea, I'm sure Snowflake Doug would not have been comfortable to hear any of
that. Those had to sting.
But that wasn't the shadiest of the shade Shapiro threw. No, no, no.
This is:
From God’s Country to Gettysburg, I heard you when you said you want good schools for our kids, safe communities, and an economy that gives people a shot and lifts them up.
You also sent a clear message — Democrats, Republicans and Independents – when you came together to resoundingly reject extremism.
Together, hope defeated fear.
Um, Gov Shapiro had to know that über-Christian Doug Mastriano's legislative district includes (now wait for it) Gettysburg, right?
Yea,
