Dave White and Doug Mastriano flocked to CPAC to prove their loyalty to the MAGA base — joining Donald Trump and other far-right extremists in Florida as they praised Putin, defended the Big Lie, and peddled conspiracy theories.
PENNSYLVANIA — Over the weekend, Pennsylvania GOP gubernatorial candidates Dave White, Doug Mastriano, and Charlie Gerow traveled to the Conservative Political Action Conference to join the ranks of MAGA stars boasting their far-right bonafides. CPAC’s weekend in Florida was “a unique opportunity for candidates to burnish their MAGA credentials and establish their credibility in front of America’s largest gathering of conservatives” — and GOP candidates for Governor including “career politician” and “self-described supporter of Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda” Dave White, CPAC Vice Chairman Charlie Gerow, and GOP primary frontrunner Doug Mastriano flocked to Florida to take full advantage of the opportunity.
Donald Trump headlined the conference with a speech full of outlandish statements and repeatedly debunked lies about the 2020 presidential election, while also teasing his plans for a presidential run in 2024. But Trump’s defense of his prior praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin — in which Trump complimented him as “smart” and a “genius” — stole the show.
White, Gerow, and Mastriano also spent the weekend alongside MAGA extremists like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Mike Pompeo, Matt Gaetz, Rick Scott, Madison Cawthorn, and Sean Spicer, to name a few.
The CPAC ties to Pennsylvania’s “Trump primary” don’t stop with White, Gerow, and Mastriano — disgraced Rep. and former Trump admin official Ronny Jackson — a prominent endorser of Lou Barletta — also took the stage as a speaker.
“In their latest bid to win the ‘Trump primary,’ Dave White and Doug Mastriano flocked to Florida to pander to the MAGA base — and after Trump defended his praise of Putin and doubled down on the dangerous rhetoric that led to the insurrection that injured 140 police officers on Jan. 6, Pennsylvanians are left wondering if White and Mastriano agree with all that was said on stage,” said Pennsylvania Democratic Party spokesperson Marisa Nahem. “While dangerous conspiracy theories, disinformation, and praise for Putin took center stage, noticeably absent from the weekend was a focus on the issues that matter most to Pennsylvania families — the only thing White and Mastriano succeeded in accomplishing with their weekend trip is once again showing Pennsylvanians that they’re too extreme for our Commonwealth.”
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