Will Bunch, a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, has accused the Shapiro campaign of playing a “dangerous game,” arguing that Mastriano’s support for conspiracy theories makes him a uniquely toxic candidate.
Shapiro’s team is making no apologies. “Both public and private polling indicates that Doug Mastriano is poised to become the Republican nominee on May 17,” said Will Simons, a campaign spokesman. “Our campaign is prepared to start the general election now and make sure Pennsylvanians know his real record.”
Meddling in an opposing primary can backfire, said Mike Murphy, a longtime Republican strategist who opposes Trump, calling Shapiro’s move “irresponsible.”
Sam Katz, a three-time former Republican candidate for mayor of Philadelphia, ran ads attacking one of the candidates in that race’s 1999 Democratic primary, hoping it would bolster his preferred opponent, John Street.
Street would go on to become the second Black mayor in the city’s history, though he won the general election against Katz that year by fewer than 8,000 votes.
In an interview, Katz defended the ads bolstering Street as his least bad option, since the two other top Democrats in that contest were likely to beat him more easily.
The Mastriano ad is “very shrewd” and “essential,” said Katz, a Shapiro ally. During campaigns, he said, “you won’t get a defining moment but maybe once — and now is that moment.”
Kirsten Noyes contributed research.
— Leah & Blake