“It’s very clear what Doug Mastriano will attempt to do if he’s elected governor. And at the end of the day, that cannot happen. It is on all of us.”
PENNSYLVANIA — The general election has begun, and Democrats are already on the ground mobilizing to elect Josh Shapiro as Pennsylvania’s next Governor, and calling out Republicans’ extreme nominee Doug Mastriano for his dangerous agenda. As reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer, “progressive groups, labor unions, and liberal elected officials have framed the midterm election in existential terms,” and “Pennsylvania Democrats say they’re plotting expansive campaigns to drive general election turnout.”
Jason Henry, executive director of the Pennsylvania Democratic party, pledged “one of the largest grassroots operations in the country.”
“We recognize that we can’t just rest on our laurels,” he said. “We’re going to make our case to every voter in every corner of the commonwealth — not just what we’re going to do, but we’re also going to point out what the other side will do.”
While Republicans are still reeling after nominating the most dangerous gubernatorial candidate in Pennsylvania history, “QAnon-Loving Election Denier” Doug Mastriano, Democrats launched the “Protect our Rights Tour” to communicate to Pennsylvanians the stakes of the Governor’s race — and how crucial it is to elect Josh Shapiro to protect fundamental rights.
In case you missed it, check out how “Democrats are sounding the alarm” about Doug Mastriano’s plans to take away Pennsylvanians’ rights — including outlawing abortion with no exceptions and throwing doctors in jail for performing abortions, forcing all Pennsylvania voters to re-register, and slashing wages for PA workers:
By Anna Orso, 05/24/22
Democrats are sounding the alarm. In the days since State Sen. Doug Mastriano decisively clinched the Republican nomination for governor, progressive groups, labor unions, and liberal elected officials have framed the midterm election in existential terms.
One of the state’s largest unions told members Mastriano would end “union rights as we know them.”
State party officials launched a bus tour called “Protect Our Rights” that’s focused on threats to abortion access.
And on Monday, Attorney General Josh Shapiro, the Democratic nominee, wrote in a fund-raising email that Mastriano is “the most extreme candidate running for governor in the country,” and asked for donations to help “turn out every voter we can.”
Pennsylvania Democrats say they’re plotting expansive campaigns to drive general election turnout — and hoping Mastriano’s candidacy will be a motivating force.
While midterms are typically more low-profile than presidential elections, some unions and progressive organizations say they’re sketching out grassroots operations in Pennsylvania that rival the months leading up to November 2020 in size and scope. Some have already started canvassing general election voters.
[…]
But Democrats in Pennsylvania say they think the state could buck that conventional wisdom as voters consider a Republican nominee who wants to ban abortion, was subpoenaed by the committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, and has associated with people who promote the QAnon conspiracy theory.
“Particularly with the governor’s race, where there is such an extremist running, you will see Democratic base voters trying to turn out against that,” said Gabe Morgan, vice president and state director of 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union. “I also think you will see a lot of folks who are not interested in more crazy.”
And Democrats say they’re already thinking through post-election scenarios involving Mastriano, who has made baseless claims about the validity of mail ballots cast in 2020 and led efforts in Pennsylvania to overturn former President Donald Trump’s defeat.
Jason Henry, executive director of the Pennsylvania Democratic party, pledged “one of the largest grassroots operations in the country.”
“We recognize that we can’t just rest on our laurels,” he said. “We’re going to make our case to every voter in every corner of the commonwealth — not just what we’re going to do, but we’re also going to point out what the other side will do.”
There have been some signs of grassroots energy on the left since Mastriano’s nomination. In the 24 hours after the primary election — which was uncontested on the Democratic side — Shapiro’s campaign added to its significant war chest, raising $200,000 online, which they said was more than triple its previous best day.
Still, Mastriano is formidable. He handily won the crowded primary race and showed he has broader support in the GOP than even many Republicans anticipated. Voters also will likely be inundated with ads in the race for Pennsylvania’s open Senate seat, which could tip control of chamber.
[…]
Maurice Mitchell, national director for the labor-aligned Working Families Party — which ran one of Philadelphia’s most visible voter engagement campaigns in 2020 — said the races in Pennsylvania are a top priority and the group will be investing “significant resources.”
“We’ll be raising and spending millions of dollars and putting that into the field and mobilizing thousands of volunteers,” he said, adding that its team is working up “every type of voter content you could imagine.”
[…]
“It’s very clear what Doug Mastriano will attempt to do if he’s elected governor,” Hopkins said. “And at the end of the day, that cannot happen. It is on all of us.”
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