GOP voters pick a favorite to challenge Dem governor in early battleground straw poll

The 2024 statesmanlike predetermination is conscionable 5 months successful the rearview, but the state is already trudging toward the 2026 midterms — astatine slightest astatine the yearly Pennsylvania Leadership Conference.

In a straw canvass of 267 league participants from 8 states, including Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania authorities Treasurer Stacy Garrity was the wide favourite to triumph the Republican superior for its 2026 gubernatorial election. She received 41% of the vote, arsenic Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Penn., came successful a distant 2nd astatine 9%. 

While 2026 is inactive agelong down the road, and neither Pennsylvania person has formally announced a run, some Republicans embraced the accidental to tease their imaginable bids. 

"Appreciate the enactment from conservatives crossed Pennsylvania. No decisions made yet—but I’m listening and focused connected doing immoderate it takes to assistance Republicans triumph successful 2025 and beyond," Garrity said pursuing her straw canvass triumph astatine the enactment conference. 

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Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, right, received 41% of the straw canvass vote, arsenic Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Penn., came successful a distant 2nd astatine 9%.  (Getty Images)

Garrity made past successful 2024 by receiving the astir votes successful a Pennsylvania authorities predetermination – crushing Democrat Gov. Josh Shapiro's 2022 grounds by fractional a cardinal votes. Garrity campaigned for re-election alongside Sen. Dave McCormick, who unseated longtime Democrat Sen. Bob Casey.

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Shapiro wasn’t up for re-election successful 2024, though his sanction was floated arsenic a imaginable moving mate for Vice President Kamala Harris. But 2026 presents an accidental for Republicans to summation power of the state's highest office. Speeches astatine the enactment league beryllium that large Republican wins successful 2024 person invigorated the party's basal successful the traditionally competitory battleground state. 

"We arsenic a enactment are present arsenic winners. The Keystone State sent President Trump backmost to the White House, sent Bob Casey backmost to Scranton, elected a Republican Attorney General for the archetypal clip successful implicit a decade. And adjacent November, the Keystone State volition nonstop a Republican to the Governor's Mansion," Garrity said during her remarks. 

Garrity emerged arsenic the frontrunner successful a hypothetical matchup against Meuser, 2022 GOP nominee Doug Mastriano, and authorities Sens. Kristin Phillips-Hill and Scott Martin. If Garrity, a President Donald Trump ally, and Meuser determine to propulsion their names into the gubernatorial race, it could tee up a competitory primary. Both Pennsylvanian politicians person indicated announcements could travel arsenic aboriginal arsenic this summer. 

Pennsylvania Republican Senate campaigner Dave McCormick, right, is joined connected signifier by authorities GOP auditor wide Timothy DeFoor, left, and treasurer Stacy Garrity, center. (Dave McCormick campaign )

Garrity told the Pennsylvania Capital-Star connected Saturday a determination connected her gubernatorial bid is coming "probably successful the summer." Meuser, who besides spoke astatine the conference, confirmed to Fox News Digital that his ain determination volition travel by mid-summer oregon sooner. 

"I’ve been encouraged by the beardown enactment I’ve received from radical each crossed Pennsylvania urging maine to see a tally for governor. Right now, I’m doing my owed diligence, gathering with stakeholders, and earnestly evaluating however I tin champion service the Commonwealth.

"I expect to marque a determination by mid-summer, oregon sooner if appropriate. In the meantime, I’m staying focused connected advancing President Trump’s America-First Agenda successful Congress — increasing our economy, securing the border, and unleashing American vigor dominance," Meuser told Fox News Digital. 

Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., leaves the U.S. Capitol aft the past votes of the twelvemonth connected Dec. 14, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

As Garrity and Meuser proceed representing Pennsylvania arsenic they mull 2026 gubernatorial campaigns, the Republican Party of Pennsylvania told Fox News Digital they are "excited to have strong imaginable candidates" for governor. 

"There is nary question that Pennsylvanians are NOT amended disconnected with Josh Shapiro arsenic our Governor, and they volition beryllium acceptable to marque a alteration successful November 2026. Shapiro's scandal-ridden administration, combined with his caller usage of $5 cardinal of payer wealth to beforehand antisemitism, person acceptable the signifier for a GOP victory. Republicans are excited to have strong imaginable candidates to beryllium our adjacent Governor," the Republican Party of Pennsylvania said successful a statement. 

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Democratic cubernatorial campaigner Josh Shapiro addresses the media aft casting his ballot astatine the Rydal Elementary School West polling determination connected Nov. 8, 2022 successful Rydal, Pennsylvania. (Mark Makela/Getty Images)

The Republican Party of Pennsylvania's accusations subordinate to Shapiro's $5 cardinal donation to a Philadelphia Muslim assemblage center. Front Page Magazine reported that an imam astatine the Al-Aqsa Islamic Society erstwhile said, "Jews are the vilest people." Shapiro himself is Jewish. 

Speaking connected a Philadelphia signifier aft Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., was announced arsenic Harris' moving mate successful 2024, Shapiro assured the crowd, "I americium arrogant of my faith," pursuing accusations Shapiro was snubbed for the occupation due to the fact that of his enactment for Israel amid Democrat discontent implicit the warfare successful Gaza. 

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The Republican Governor's Association, Garrity and Shapiro did not instantly supply remark to Fox News Digital.