State Sen. Doug Mastriano wasted no time during a local campaign stop Tuesday morning going all in on his opponent, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, in November’s election.

“He’s a loser and a failure,” Mastriano, a Republican, told a crowd of around 100 people inside Weissport’s UnCommon Grounds coffee shop. “Businesses like the one we’re in today were unconstitutionally shut down and Shapiro sued to keep them shut down another year.”

Mastriano’s stop in Weissport was part of a bus tour he’s taking across the state with his wife Rebbie. He had other events Tuesday in Northampton and Lehigh counties.

“Things are so bad in our government right now,” Mastriano said. “We the people have let unworthy men and women rise to the top, and now we’ve seen the results. Donald Trump showed us how to get it done and we need to get back to that.”

Last week. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis campaigned in western Pennsylvania with Mastriano. Speaking Tuesday, Mastriano said he hopes to turn Pennsylvania into the “Florida of the north” if elected.

“We’ll actually be able to do it a little bit better because we have energy here,” Mastriano said. “We’re going to drill, dig and roll back regulations, but do it safely.”

While many critics of Mastriano have labeled the candidate extreme, his wife Rebbie said those notions are misguided.

“The left is extreme, not us,” she said. “We just want America to be America again. This is why we are doing what we’re doing and have sacrificed for the last few years. We have to fight against the bureaucrats.”

Mastriano did not speak with the media during or after Tuesday’s event. Press was asked to stay in a small area toward the back of the room or risk being removed from the event.

“If Doug wants to talk to you, he’ll come to you,” a member of his security team said. “It’s his decision, not ours.”

The senator’s close ties to Trump were appealing for those who came to see him in Weissport.

“He’s not afraid to speak his mind and he won’t stand for any of the bullcrap,” Arlene Yates of Jim Thorpe said. “We need someone like Trump who will get things going in the right direction again. I think the political lifers are scared of him and that’s why they try to slander him.”

The Pennsylvania State Education Association recently criticized Mastriano for a plan that it said would cut public school funding by more than $12 billion annually - resulting in the loss of nearly 119,000 jobs and more than doubling teacher-to-student ratios in classrooms statewide.

“Cutting funding by more than $12 billion would absolutely devastate Pennsylvania’s public schools,” said PSEA President Rich Askey. “Doug Mastriano’s plan is completely irresponsible, a violation of the state constitution, and an insult to the 1.7 million students who learn in our public schools.”

Mastriano countered Tuesday, saying the accusations were baseless and claiming groups like PSEA are “in the hip pocket of Shapiro.”

“I just voted for a budget that increases education funding by $850 million and this group is out there saying I’m going to cut education funding,” he said. “Are you kidding me? Do they even know what they are talking about.”

Speaking on potential policy, Mastriano said he would end any critical race theory education on day one of his term. He also vowed to end Pennsylvania’s acceptance of illegal immigrants under sanctuary status.

‘If you or I want a direct flight to El Paso, Texas, we couldn’t get it, but you see those ghost flights coming direct from there,” Mastriano said. “We’ll meet them at the airport and escort them down to Joe Biden’s house in Delaware.”

Lee Becker, chairman of the Carbon County Republican Committee, urged locals Tuesday to vote while stressing the importance of November for his party.

“We all know how bad we need a Republican in office right now in Harrisburg,” Becker said.