As Pennsylvania looks to elect a new U.S. senator and governor, one unlikely theme keeps emerging: New Jersey.
Mehmet Oz, the former celebrity doctor who is the Republican nominee for Pennsylvania’s Senate seat, lived in a mansion in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, with his family for decades before his bid. He now claims an address in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, where his wife’s family hails from. Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, his Democratic opponent, has attempted to paint Oz as a wealthy outsider who carpetbagged his way from out of state to try to win an open seat. A TikTok from his campaign used a clip of Oz on a news program saying that he grew up “just south of Philadelphia.” The video then switches to a map that scrolls further and further south of the city until it lands on … New Jersey.
And now, Republican candidate for governor Doug Mastriano’s own ties to the Garden State are coming under scrutiny. The New Jersey Globe reports that Mastriano, a state senator in Pennsylvania, was registered to vote across the state line until as recently as July 2021. Mastriano, a Jersey native, voted from his family home in Hightstown from 1982 through 2010, though often via absentee ballot as he served in the military. A new story regarding his military service has now emerged as well:
Mastriano’s opponent, Attorney General Josh Shapiro, has yet to use his New Jersey roots against him, instead focusing on his far-right views, such as potentially overturning election results in Pennsylvania.
This post has been updated.
