Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro will be the next governor of Pennsylvania after defeating far-right Republican Doug Mastriano, who had received the support of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Shapiro’s campaign has focused on protecting democracy, while Mastriano has been one of the leading deniers of the 2020 presidential election results, conspiracies of which prompted the assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Mastriano has also called for a total ban on abortion and has spoken out against restrictions by COVID-19.
Most polls gave Shapiro a comfortable lead over his opponent, but the Republican candidate’s support for expanded gun rights and strict anti-abortion laws, alienated voters.
Shapiro has also emerged as one of the leading national Democratic front-runners for the Democratic Party’s upcoming open presidential primary.
