Burger shops in the United States and around the world have embraced the buns from Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe in Pennsylvania. But some restaurants in northern California are dropping the use of the buns because of the company’s support for the Republican candidate for Pennsylvania governor, state Sen. Doug Mastriano.
Mastriano, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, recently won the Keystone State’s Republican gubernatorial primary.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that, until now, the buns have been “the reigning champ” with burger chefs:
It catapulted to fame with the rise of Shake Shack, which uses its bread exclusively at its locations around the world. Locally, use of the Martin’s potato bun, at operations like Wesburger, Kowbird and Smish Smash, has signified chefs’ seriousness about their sandwiches.
“They make a great product — that’s the part that sucks,” said Wes Rowe, owner of Mission District restaurant Wesburger ‘n’ More. He compared it to going to a family reunion and finding out that someone you love is espousing hateful beliefs. “On one hand it’s family, but on the other hand, I can’t be OK with this.”
Campaign finance reports show that several members of the Martin family, including executive chairman of the board Jim Martin, wife Donna Martin and social media manager Julie Martin, donated generous amounts of money to Mastriano’s campaign in 2021 and 2022. Jim Martin, whose parents founded the bakery, donated $110,000 last year; according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the average donation amount to Mastriano is $206.
The Chronicle disparaged Mastriano in its reporting, calling him a conspiracy theorist and claiming that his role in organizing transportation for people to attend Trump’s White House rally tied him to the January 6 Capitol riot. The House committee investigating the riot has subpoenaed Mastriano and other Trump supporters.
The outlet also called out Mastriano’s campaign promises — which include supporting laws to protect the unborn and, in the Chronicle’s words, “attack[ing] diversity initiatives in schools” — radical.
The Chronicle called Mastriano a “Christian nationalist” and attacked his Mennonite faith, saying the church’s stance on LGBT issues has been described as “transphobic and homophobic.”
“Since Martin’s is not a public company with no shareholders to hold them to account, they will have to deal with the consequences of such a horrific political affiliation,” Zach Fernandez, a former Philadelphian and owner of the Bay Area’s Lil’ Eagle Burger, said in the Chronicle article, adding that he could not “in good conscience” use Martin’s products.
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