PA Governor's Race: Shapiro Maintains Large Lead In Polls

PENNSYLVANIA — Democrat Josh Shapiro continues to hold a significant lead in the polls over Republican Doug Mastriano in the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race.

The latest CBS News/YouGov Battleground Tracker has Shapiro, the state attorney general, leading Mastriano, a state senator from York County and portions of several others, by nine points --54 percent to 45 percent.

Shapiro led by 11 points in last month's battleground tracker, but his current lead remains substantial over Mastriano, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump and participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection.

A CNN poll released earlier this week had Shapiro up by a whopping 15 points, 56 percent to 41 percent.

Why such a large lead when the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race between Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz is a virtual toss-up? CNN's Chris Cillizza offered a few theories.

"Mastriano continues to refuse to engage with the mainstream media," Cillizza wrote on the network's website. "And he is getting absolutely crushed on TV, too. Since Labor Day, Democrats
have spent more than four times as much on ads in the race as Republicans, according to figures tabulated by CNN’s David Wright."

The election occurs Nov. 8.