Meuser won’t seek governor’s office; says he will work to advance Trump’s agenda

U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser (R-9) said Tuesday night, July 8, that he will forgo a campaign for governor of Pennsylvania.

Speculation of a potential gubernatorial bid picked up over recent months, with President Donald Trump saying in May that he would back the congressman for Pennsylvania’s highest office.

Meuser told LebTown at the time that he had held conversations with Trump about the possibility and was actively deciding on the best course of action.

Read More: Congressman Dan Meuser meets with Chamber members & protesters in city

In a statement this week, Meuser said that the U.S. is on the move, and continuing progress is too important for him to leave the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Just last week, I helped lead the fight to pass President Trump’s tax cuts for families and small businesses, legislating and codifying border security, enacting U.S. energy dominance initiatives, strengthening our military, and bringing fiscal accountability to what was excessive spending,” said Meuser. “This was just the beginning.”

Meuser said his focus needs to remain on doing his job, serving his constituents, and executing plans to strengthen the country.

“President Trump proved that Republicans can be successful up and down the ballot in Pennsylvania, and I will work diligently to ensure we are again successful in 2026,” he said.

Meuser said he was confident the Republican Party of Pennsylvania would field an “outstanding” candidate to challenge Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is expected to run for a second term in the office but has yet to formally announce a reelection campaign.

In a statement, PA GOP chairman Greg Rothman said that the party was grateful Meuser will stay in Congress “fighting for the people of our great Commonwealth and promoting and passing the Trump-Vance agenda of peace, prosperity, and America First.”

Rothman hinted at another candidate but did not identify them.

“We are confident we have an outstanding candidate for Governor ready to put Pennsylvania First,” Rothman said in the statement.

Meuser represents Bradford, Columbia, Lebanon, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties. He was first elected in 2020 and reelected in 2024.