In one of the most politically competitive states in the U.S., the Democratic contender for governor is waging a notably drama-free campaign:
Shapiro is managing something of a two-pronged campaign, one built for a conventional election year and another aimed at the tense political environment in the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and the overturning of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision guaranteeing abortion rights.
Campaigning in the state where Biden was born, Shaprio may benefit from a recovery in Biden's approval. Mastriano has gotten institutional fundraising help, including events headlined by state party leaders, Donald Trump Jr. and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, but Republican strategists have whispered that the fundraisers aren't well-attended and Mastriano went on Facebook this week to complain about a lack of support from “national-level Republican organizations.
Instead, they have accepted Shapiro’s middle-of-the-road stance on energy and attacked Mastriano’s support for right-to-work policies as anathema even to rank-and-file members who vote Republican.