Doug Mastriano punched his ticket as the Republican primary for the governor race in May. He is a MAGA state Senator who worked in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Jackie Kulback says, “The higher the gas prices go, the more electable Mastriano is. Honestly, I feel this is Mastriano’s campaign to lose.”

After the gubernatorial primary, many felt as if the race was all but over for Doug Mastriano. Josh Shapiro, the Democratic nominee, emerged unscathed from the primary on the Democratic side. However, Mastriano barely made it out due to his extremely far-right views on certain issues as well as being a part of the crowd that passed the barricades on January 6th’s Capitol Riots.

On more social issues, Mastriano believes there is no exception to abortion bans and has said that the state legislature has the power to appoint presidential electors and if he wins the spot as Pennslyvania governor, he would ultimately have the power to decertify election machines.

Just as many expected Josh Shapiro to walk his way to the Governor position, the story for Democrats began to falter. Doug Mastriano currently sits just 4% behind Shapiro in a race that many expected to be done for. Not only have Republicans in Pennsylvania become more enthusiastic about being the “underdogs” but it has also served as a wake-up call for Democrats.

“I have the feeling that the race is too close, and that there is this very vocal group that Mastriano has behind him and that Shapiro has got a lot of work to do. As a Democrat, it’s frighteningly close.”

Pat Moulton, a retired Nurse who visited a Ben Shapiro meet and greet, said.

“Most people are in a little bubble, where they talk to one other and say, ‘Boy, there’s no way Doug Mastriano can beat Josh Shapiro.’ Well, you know what? Those people don’t get off the turnpike. It wakes some people as to: It’s a real campaign, and yes, there really are people who are for Doug Mastriano, and this is not going to be a walk in the park.”

Larry Ceisler added, a Pennsylvania public affairs consultant backing Shapiro.