Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Republican challenger Stacy Garrity faced off on Wednesday night in their first and only debate of the campaign.

The hour-long debate at the abc27 studio in Harrisburg, moderated by Dennis Owens and Lisa Sylvester, had no live audience. It aired on Nexstar stations across the state and WPXI in Pittsburgh.

It was the first Pennsylvania gubernatorial debate since 2018. In 2022, Shapiro and Republican Doug Mastriano could not agree on terms.

The candidates clashed over the state budget, with Garrity accusing Shapiro of raiding the rainy-day fund. They also differed on taxing skill games, federal cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, education funding and the death penalty.

Polls show Shapiro with a wide lead. A Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday put him at 59 per cent to Garrity’s 34 per cent. The election is on November 3.

Fundraising shows a wide gap: Shapiro raised $13.3 million this summer for a total of $51.7 million, while Garrity raised $1.8 million for a total of $2.9 million. The voter registration deadline is October 19, and the mail ballot request deadline is October 27.