Posted on 04/25/2022 9:53:24 PM PDT by Republican Wildcat
Ten days after a Trafalgar Poll showed Kathy Barnette running an unusually close third in the Republican primary for U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, talk and support have been mounting for the TV commentator whom few — if any — had given a chance against two multimillionaire front-runners.
Last week, Sen. Joni Ernst issued a surprise endorsement for Barnette — one of two women in the six-candidate primary for the seat of retiring GOP Sen. Pat Toomey and the only contender who is Black. Iowa Republican Ernst, vice-chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and a conservative stalwart, is considered a promising Republican office-holder.
Other major endorsements are expected to come Barnette's way before the primary May 17.
Trafalgar showed celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz, who recently secured Donald Trump's endorsement, leading among likely voters with 22.7%, followed by hedge fund executive David McCormick with 19.7%, and Barnette with 18.4%.
"And those two have each spent at least $18 million of their own money to become known, and I've spent $2 million — almost all of it from small donations," Barnette told Newsmax.
Trump's endorsement of Oz notwithstanding, McCormick, Barnette, and four other Republican hopefuls are all campaigning as strong supporters of the 45th president.
More than one Republican activist from the Keystone State who spoke to Newsmax believes that the increasingly negative media salvos McCormick and Oz have launched against one another have led primary voters to start considering a third candidate.
"They're two A-level candidates and they are beating the c**p out of each other," said one veteran GOP activist from Erie County who requested anonymity. "Both are conservatives, but flunk certain saliva tests. Barnette has attitude and evangelicals, plus a grassroots network that she has cobbled together through two years of hard work in the trenches."
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
That's the big, big problem. The RATs know they are going to get killed in this midterm and will stop at nothing to save, or gain seats wherever they can. Every dirty trick will be on the table and they have learned not to blush!
Except Santorum, IMO.
Sorry to disagree but I watched the candidates’ debate last night. She was the weakest of all of them. Barely articulate. Stumbling in her answers. At one point she accused Carla Sands of making a salacious remark. Sands pointed out that she lost her last attempt at political office by ten points against a weak Democrat. Look up the meaning of salacious. It suggests a sexually suggestive remark. She comes across as poorly educated and just plain dumb. She’d be running against a Harvard graduate in Fetterman. Not a chance.
I don’t like either of the frontrunners in this race and would like to see a different candidate. Barnett seems to be a legitimate conservative while the two frontrunners seem like RINOs in disguise. I’d like to know more about her positions on key issues but would be very open to supporting her.
I certainly will not vote for OZ… but given his celebrity and the foolish enforcement of Trump and the history of PA, I sadly expect him to likely win…. However I would’ve very happy to support what I have seen of Barnette.
I won’t hold my nose and pull the lever for another joke in the general election.
Spectre, Santorum, Toomey… lifetime of disappointment out of the PA GOP.. won’t support their crap anymore. Let the dem have the seat, at least they are honest about what they are.
“Why not support an actual Conservative candidate this time instead of some whitebread rich guy...?”
The surge was caused by MY donation to Barnette.
She’s basically a professional politician who hasn’t even won a single election yet. That’s almost too embarrassing to put on your resume.
I watched it too & I agree.
The real conservative last night was Carla Sands. She absolutely defended Trump’s contention that the election was stolen. She even referenced DeSousa’s upcoming film and urged everyone to watch it. She alone among the candidates reminded the Republican audience of who the candidate would be up against—Fetterman. She came across as a real fighter. She’s an eighth generation Pennsylvanian who went to school in western Pa.
I was backing Barnette until I saw her performance last night. She was the least prepared of all of them and only had a few talking points. Frankly, I don’t even remember what they were accept that she said was the real MAGA candidate and that Trump really didn’t start that movement. And she lost her previous attempt at elective office by 20 points. No way I’m voting for her in the primary.
Because the front runners are just the same old crap the GOPe has given us for decades. Play one way to get elected and then just go betray what they say once in office…
Neither of the front runners are worth the time of day.
I’d love to be surprised after the primary and have someone on the ballot I can vote for in November. Not a chance in hell I will vote for OZ or McCormick
Sadly I expect the low information female voters will likely put OZ on thr ballot this November…. I hope that neither of thr front runners gets it, but realistically I am dubious.
I know a red wave is coming this fall, but I’ll be honest, if I were to pick a race that could buck the trend, if OZ or McCormick are the nominee, I would not be surprised if Fetterman wins the seat.
This should be a slam dunk for a han sandwich as long as it has an R by its name, but I am being very honest here, the front runners for the GOP are so bad, and Fetterman is a true presence, that I would not be uprises of this seat goes D, because he absolutely by head and shoulders is a better candidate than OZ or McCormick, and will play much better across this state.
With that said, I am using this race as a bellweather… if the GOP does put up OZ orMcCOrmick and they win, then thr Democrat brand is complete toxin, and they will be beyond slaughtered up and down the ballot. If however Fetterman wins, Dems will still get trounced but it won’t be complete route.
We will see, I am hopeful the state GOP voters put up someone worthy of thr position, and I feel neither OZ not McCormick are
Santorum was definitely the exception rather than the rule. The one unfortunate part of his political career was his support of Arlen Specter in the 2004 GOP primary against Toomey. I suspect that effectively would need his career by destroying his credibility among social conservatives who had been a big part of his base.
I donated to Kathy Barnette but have changed my mind about her. She endorsed Doug Mastriano who voted for Act 77, which gave us Mail-In Voting.I met all the candidates at the Allentown Tea Party meetings, except for Dr. Oz.
Sorry … effectively ENDED his career.
Carla Sands was very impressive when she spoke at the Allentown Tea Party about Trump appointing her to be his ambassador to Denmark. She has a lot of experience and she supports Trump’s policies. We met her and liked her ideas and confidence.
Ms. Barnette IS THE REAL DEAL. I have followed her daily for years until I shut down FB Nov 2020. Prayers up Kathy.
I'm in PA and was going to vote for McCormick, but am strongly considering switching to her.
We still have a few weeks, and I'll try to use my vote for which ever one has the best chance of beating oz.
I love Trump but this time, he screwed the pooch.
The surge was caused by MY donation to Barnette.
MINE !
If that were true, how did Toomey get elected?
The elections are stolen in both philly and pburgh, but during the mid-terms, it is harder for the demonRATs to cheat and more eyeballs will be on them.
There are not going to be unguarded ballot dump boxes, most of the college undergrads will be gone from the schools so Pitt, CMU etal will be basically empty and the yute vote won't be as strong.
Even residents of philly and pburgh buy gas and pay for food, and running as a demonRAT in today's environment isn't going to be easy.
Take a look at the 2010 election map for that Pennsylvania senate race. Toomey won 60 out of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, including every one surrounding Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) and most of those around Philadelphia.
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