In a disjointed Facebook address, Scott Wagner, the Republican challenging Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D), warned the governor to put on a “catcher’s mask” because he is going to “stop all over” Wolf’s face with “golf spikes.”
Wagner was primarily taking issue with Wolf’s negative ads, wielding stacks of paychecks as he criticized Wolf’s treatment of small businesses.
“I wanna puke when I see those ads,” he said.
Wagner went on to critique a specific commercial, adding: “I thought you were actually smarter, you’re actually not very smart.”
Toward the end of the speech, he built up to the graphic crescendo.
“Well, Gov. Wolf, let me tell you what, between now and Nov. 6, you better put a catcher’s mask on your face, because I’m going to stomp all over your face with golf spikes,” Wagner said. “Because I’m going to win this for the state of Pennsylvania. And we’re throwing you out of office. Because I’m sick and tired of your negative ads. Gov. Wolf, I am bound and determined, I am going to vote you out of office.”
Andrew Romeo, Wagner’s communications director, told Penn Live that the comments were not to be “taken literally.”
“He wanted them to be a metaphor for how he will approach the final stretch of the campaign,” Romeo said. “Tom Wolf has spent the entire race hiding behind false and negative attack ads like a coward instead of debating in front of the people of Pennsylvania and Scott will spend the last month of the race making it clear to voters why they should not give him a second term.”
Wolf’s campaign spokesperson, Beth Melena said that Wagner’s “latest rant” made him “unhinged and unfit for office.”
“Threats of violence have no place in society, especially from someone running for public office,” she continued. “This is part of an unfortunate pattern with Scott Wagner.”
Real Clear Politics currently shows Wolf up just over 16 points in the gubernatorial race.
