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Retired colonel announces bid for Shuster’s seat

Mastriano would like to reform Veterans Affairs

Mastriano

Col. Douglas Mastriano announced his election bid for Rep. Bill Shuster’s seat Tuesday, promising to continue fighting for Americans as he did in the military.

“Like so many other Pennsylvani­ans, I am sick and tired of clueless career politicians enriching themselves in Harrisburg and Washington, D.C., and act on behalf of their lobbyist friends while government oppression threatens our freedom and rights,” Mastriano, a Republican, wrote in an email.

“For far too long, the money of lobbyists carried more weight than the rest of us. I am not in the pocket of special interests or lobbyists,” he added. “I will fight for you in Washington just as I fought for you in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s time to take the government back and restore the greatness of America.”

Mastriano is joining Republican candidates Max Merrill, Dave Reed, Travis Schooley, Art Halvorson and John H. Eichelberger Jr. in the race for the Republican nomination. Susan Boser and Adam Sedlock are seeking the Democratic nomination.

If elected into office, Mastriano said he would like to reform the Veterans Affairs system to enable veterans to access quality health care and focus on border security and immigration.

The Republican candidate has served in the U.S. Army for more than 30 years, starting his military career with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in West Germany in 1986. From 1990-91, Mastriano was deployed to Iraq for Operation Desert Storm where his regiment led the attack against Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi Republican Guards.

He also worked in various tactical, operational and strategic positions in Washington, D.C., the 3rd Infantry Division and U.S. Army Europe before serving as the director of the Joint Intelligence Center of NATO.

Mastriano has a postdoctoral degree in history from University of New Brunswick and four master’s degrees in strategic studies, military operational art and science, airpower theory and strategic intelligence.

He is a historian and currently resides in Franklin county with his wife and son.

Mirror Staff Writer Shen Wu Tan is at 946-7457.

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