ASWAN, Egypt -- Egyptian presidential hopeful Ahmed Shafik, written off by many as a contender because of his service as Hosni Mubarak’s last prime minister, is enjoying renewed buzz around his candidacy, helped by favorable coverage on state TV, the results of a survey in a respected Cairo newspaper, and what appears to be growing disenchantment with his Islamist rivals.

The prospect of Shafik’s rise is unnerving to Egyptian revolutionaries, who see him as a holdover from the Mubarak era. But the possibility that Shafik could make it into the runoff reassures those dissatisfied by the presumed leaders, reform-minded Islamist Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh and former Arab League chief Amr Moussa.

Having survived an early disqualification - he was reinstated within 24 hours – as well as a high-profile corruption probe, Shafik is now working overtime to capitalize on what pundits describe as a surprise comeback. Polls open Wednesday in Egypt’s landmark election, and Shafik said his previously low-key campaign has switched strategies to “attack severely with no rest.” The survey by Cairo’s Al Masry Al Youm newspaper placed him No. 1 among the 13 candidates while early returns from overseas balloting released Friday put him in fourth

Unlike his opponents, who take pains to distance themselves from the former regime, Shafik unabashedly promises voters a return to the old order: a strong security state in which tourism flourished and the Islamists knew their place. At one point in an interview with McClatchy, Shafik sarcastically borrowed his detractors’ pejorative term “felool,” a reference to the remnants of Mubarak’s era, to describe himself and his rival Moussa.

The ruling military council hasn’t endorsed any of the approved contenders, but it’s evident from Shafik’s remarks and the conspicuous presence of sympathetic security forces at his campaign stops that he enjoys a cozy relationship with the generals he seeks to replace as ruler of Egypt. Perhaps that’s not a surprise, given that he is a retired general who once commanded the country’s air force.

“There was goodwill,” Shafik said of the way the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has handled governing since Mubarak resigned the presidency 15 months ago. “If the army had been looking to destroy the revolution, it could have done so…The actions of the council were moderate, and I give them the excuse that the situation was really, really difficult.”

Dressed in a Polo shirt and jeans, Shafik relaxed in his suite at an army-owned hotel before a rally late Thursday night in Aswan, a diverse southern city on the Nile that boasts fertile farmland and tourist attractions such as ancient temples and Nubian villages. Outside the hotel, Muslim Brotherhood supporters holding posters of the group’s candidate, Mohamed Morsi, massed to counteract the palpable excitement over Shafik’s attention to the long-neglected region.

Shafik credited his return to the headlines with public dissatisfaction over the performance of the Islamists, especially the powerful Brotherhood, which he says tried to “change everything” in doses that were too fast and too tough for ordinary Egyptians to swallow.

“They have money, they know how to reach the poor people, they pay a lot, and they do everything with no hesitation,” Shafik said. “Forget about religion or ethics – they just attack without caring about the expense.”