COVID-19 Concerns Disappear From Critical Pennsylvania Elections | State

This change will not affect all candidates equally. Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano won the primary, thanks in part to his rise to fame within the Republican Party and his strong opposition to pandemic-related restrictions.

Democratic candidate Josh Shapiro defended Gov. Tom Wolfe’s decision to close schools and make masks mandatory, but changed course as concerns about COVID-19 waned. On the campaign trail in August, he said After defending them as Attorney General, “people got it wrong” with several closures and orders in Pennsylvania.

of Associated Press He called the change “a politically painless way for Shapiro to confront Mastriano in the middle.”

Encouraging voters about COVID-19 is becoming harder as the pandemic fades into a political issue. The candidate’s website shows it.

“On day one, Doug Mastriano will put an end to Wolf’s mask mandate, vaccine mandate and his stringent corona restrictions,” he said. Campaign site state. “Mastriano will reject unconstitutional orders from the CDC and the Biden administration to expand access to effective covid treatments.”

He also sought to draw attention to his Freedom of Medicine Act, which is still in Congress, which prohibits state- and employer-mandated vaccination requirements and prevents “strict quarantine and vaccination policies.” did. press release Announced in August.

Otherwise, the pandemic is a trifle in Mastriano’s campaign.

The same is true for the Democratic election campaign. For Shapiro, the pandemic is nowhere on his policy page. When it is mentioned it is in the context of other issues.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed unique challenges in healthcare access for people across the Commonwealth, from seniors to young students. The urgent healthcare needs of Pennsylvanians,” Shapiro’s Campaign site A note in the healthcare section.

But most of the restrictions Mastriano criticized have faded, either through official withdrawals or a return to pre-pandemic social norms.

Pittsburgh and Philadelphia continue to enforce vaccine mandates for city workers, but like Center Square, previously reportedmost restrictions do not affect the daily lives of many Pennsylvanians.

Voters no longer stick to pandemic policies. Instead, they concentrated On the economy, inflation, crime, election issues, guns, and abortion. Nationwide, COVID-19 not even 1% No more when voters are asked about important issues.

The focus is now on the economy. If a candidate talks about her COVID-19 as the Nov. 8 election looms, it will be about the economy, or past mistakes.