Shapiro outraising Mastriano 8-to-1 in Pennsylvania gov race

Josh Shapiro, the Democratic candidate for governor in Pennsylvania, out-fundraised his Republican opponent, state Sen. Doug Mastriano, 8-to-1 over the summer, according to their latest campaign finance filings.

Shapiro raised about $25.4 million between June 7 and Sept. 19, while Mastriano raised almost $3.2 million during the same period, according to records filed on Tuesday.

The Pennsylvania attorney general also significantly out-spent his Republican opponent in the last few months, using about $27.9 million of his massive war chest compared to Mastriano’s less than $1 million in expenditures.

While Shapiro is left with nearly $11 million for the last six weeks of the election, Mastriano has about $2.6 million remaining. Spotlight PA reported that Shapiro’s $42.7 million in campaign spending so far is a state record for a governor’s race.

Shapiro is also outpacing Mastriano in the polls. A Muhlenberg College-Morning Call poll from the last week showed Shapiro leading Mastriano by 11 points, with 53 percent supporting the Democrat and 42 percent backing the Republican.

The state attorney general has expanded his lead in recent months, after earlier polling showed a tighter race. A USA Today Network-Suffolk University poll in June showed Shapiro with a 4-point lead over Mastriano, which was within the poll’s margin of error.

Mastriano, who was endorsed by former President Trump just days before the primary, beat out a crowded field for the Republican nomination in May. The hard-line Republican candidate has backed Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of election fraud and proposed banning abortion after six weeks.

Some GOP strategists have expressed concern that far-right candidates like Mastriano may hurt the party’s chances in November’s general election. And Democrats funneled millions into more controversial Republican candidates in an effort to set up an easier general election race.

Shapiro spent almost $1 million highlighting Mastriano’s views during the GOP primary, more than double what Mastriano himself spent on advertising.

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