PHILADELPHIA — The summer hearings on the Jan. 6 riot have reinforced the direct line between Pennsylvania and the attack that tried to subvert American democracy.
This fall’s election will test whether there are political consequences for the Pennsylvania Republicans who played significant roles on Jan. 6 — or if they’ll grow more empowered ahead of the next presidential race, when Donald Trump could again be on the ballot and Pennsylvania will again be a pivotal battleground in deciding who wins the presidency.
GOP state Sen. Doug Mastriano, who helped push “Stop the Steal” conspiracy theories and crossed police barricades at the Capitol on Jan. 6, is running for governor. If he wins, the secretary of state he appoints will oversee the 2024 election. He says he didn’t enter the Capitol that day, but has made clear his disdain for the lawful 2020 result.
