PHILADELPHIA — State Sen. Doug Mastriano, the Republican nominee for governor in Pennsylvania, frequently mocks the height of his Democratic opponent, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro.
Mastriano might be taller than the foe he derides as “little Josh.” But Shapiro’s campaign bank account is massive compared to the Republican’s meager resources.
The Republican, who has always trailed his rival in fundraising, on Tuesday reported donations of just under $3.2 million from early June to mid-September. He spent nearly $1 million of that and had about $2.5 million in the bank as of last week.
Shapiro took in more than $8 for every $1 raised by Mastriano, raising $25.4 million in the same period, according to his campaign. He spent nearly $28 million from early June to mid-September and had nearly $11 million in the bank as of last week.
Shapiro’s war chest has been used to assail Mastriano and his positions in expensive broadcast and television commercials. Mastriano, with far fewer resources, has been absent from television, an important campaign element in a statewide race in Pennsylvania.
Nearly a third of Mastriano’s fundraising came from one wealthy couple — Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein — billionaire conservative donors who live in suburban Chicago. Richard Uihlein gave Mastriano $900,000 on Aug. 24, the day his wife chipped in another $100,000.
Richard Uihlein, CEO of a packing supply company, helped fund a super PAC that attempted to defeat Mastriano in the Republican primary by supporting first former U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain and later former U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta. Mastriano easily bested them in the crowded primary.
Mastriano’s finance report, which runs to nearly 2,000 pages, is stuffed with small-dollar donors but shows he has not resonated with many deep-pocketed donors. There are 20 donations of $10,000 from individuals or political action committees, four for $20,000 and three for $50,000.
One of the $50,000 donations came from a political action committee for state Rep. Carrie Lewis DelRosso, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor. DelRosso, a freshman legislator for Allegheny County, is not seeking a second term in the state House.
Among Mastriano’s small-dollar donors was Andrew Torba, the Christian nationalist operator of the social media site Gab, which helped thrust the Republican nominee into controversy this year. He gave Mastriano $500 in late July.
Mastriano paid Gab $5,000 for consulting in April. Torba endorsed Mastriano and interviewed him before the May primary. In the interview, Mastriano praised Torba, saying: “Thank God for what you’ve done.”
Gab posts about Shapiro, who is Jewish, quickly were swarmed with antisemitic comments, prompting a backlash. Mastriano broke with Gab in late July after weeks of controversy, deleting his account on the site while blaming the uproar on “smears” from Democrats and media outlets reporting about it.
Mastriano has lamented the lack of Republican institutional support for his campaign, most notably the absence of activity from the Republican Governor’s Association. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, who co-chairs that group, said earlier this month that the RGA is “watching Pennsylvania very closely” to see if Mastriano could prove himself an adequate fundraiser.
Mastriano did receive $35,000 from Pennsylvania Opportunity PAC, a group organized by Andy Reilly, a Republican National Committee member from Delaware County.
