PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Days after securing the Democratic nomination for this year’s Pennsylvania governor’s race, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro is drawing a stark distinction with GOP primary winner Doug Mastriano.
Shapiro ran unopposed in the primary. State Sen. Mastriano, R-Franklin, easily defeated a fractured field of eight other GOP candidates.
“There couldn't be a more clear contrast between he and I and our visions for Pennsylvania,” Shapiro told KYW Newsradio’s Michelle Durham in a live interview on Thursday.
"I've been focused on dealing with rising costs, improving education, making our community safer, dealing with the mental health challenges people have, lowering taxes, raising wages. He's been focused on banning abortion, overturning elections, speaking about his role in the insurrection.”
Mastriano, who authored a bill that would ban abortion in the state at detection of a fetal heartbeat, has echoed former President Donald Trump’s discredited claims of widespread election fraud in 2020. He also organized a trip to D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021, but denies any participation in storming the Capitol.
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In the days leading up to the primary, GOP officials in Pa. attempted a last-ditch effort to prevent Mastriano from securing the nomination, fearing he would be easily defeated by Shapiro in the general election.
“My opponent, I think, will undo and undermine democracy,” Shapiro said Thursday. "I'll continue to defend it."
Listen below to the full KYW Newsradio interview with Shapiro, including his recovery from COVID-19 and what he sees as the issues voters have told him are most important.
KYW Newsradio also extended an invitation for Mastriano to join us for an interview, but his campaign declined.