Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania opened 92 percent of state government jobs to people without four-year degrees. Gov. Jim Pillen of Nebraska created a state office focused on broadband access.
Trying to win over swing voters without alienating the party’s base, Republican contenders talk far differently about the former president on rally stages than they do in televised debates.
G.O.P. candidates have been changing their positions, erasing sections about abortion from their websites and trying to focus on topics like inflation, crime and immigration.
Inflation and a rocky economy are bolstering Republicans in their races against incumbent Democrats, motivating “an electorate that simply wants change,” as one G.O.P. consultant says.