Special elections are about mobilizing your own voters. Period. There will be no effort to persuade swing voters here.
History tells us the GOP is better at this, and should win. In this case, however, the ongoing Trump campaign against nonexistent voter fraud works in favor of the Democrats. What’s the point of going to the polls to vote for Republicans if you genuinely believe the Democrats have installed software in voting systems that will flip just enough votes to win? And how do the GOP candidates run commercials asking people to check socialism and political correctness in the Biden administration when Trump doesn’t concede that there will be one?
This situation is temporary. It will disappear after the Electoral College votes are in. But every little bit helps in what figures to be two close contests.