High-Profile Republicans Split on Pennsylvania Senate Primary

The race to fill the seat of retiring Sen. Pat Toomey was already tight. Kathy Barnette’s late surge has made it even tighter.

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In the week leading up to Tuesday’s Pennsylvania primary, GOP candidate for U.S. Senate Kathy Barnette was flying high. So were her endorsers. 

“It’s a one-woman race and I have just—I appreciate Kathy so much, and I’ve been with her for months now,” Republican Sen. Joni Ernst said last week of Barnette, who experienced an unexpected polling surge last week in the Republican primary battle for retiring GOP Sen. Pat Toomey’s seat. Before last week, Barnette had spent the entirety of the race with single-digit support from voters.

But last week’s polling-induced adrenaline rush didn’t last long. In a matter of days, reporters quickly uncovered photos of her marching alongside the right-wing Proud Boys group on the morning of January 6, 2021 (though no evidence suggests she breached the Capitol), and a series of anti-Muslim and tweets she wrote several years ago. “We must stop interacting with them as if they r rational human beings. There is nothing rational about Islam,” she tweeted in 2015. “Obama is a Muslim. Doing Muslim like THINGS!” she wrote in 2016. 

Days after the reports surfaced, Ernst didn’t seem as bullish on Barnette’s chances as she did last week. “We’ll see how it plays tomorrow, won’t we?” Ernst, the vice chair of the Republican Senate conference, told The Dispatch Monday evening when asked about the reports. 

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  1. Avatar photo
    Ben Connelly

    “ In a matter of days, reporters quickly uncovered photos of her marching alongside the right-wing Proud Boys group on the morning of January 6, 2021 (though no evidence suggests she breached the Capitol), and a series of anti-Muslim and tweets she wrote several years ago. “We must stop interacting with them as if they r rational human beings. There is nothing rational about Islam,” she tweeted in 2015. “Obama is a Muslim. Doing Muslim like THINGS!” she wrote in 2016. ”

    Yikes. Kathy Barnette is trying to out-Trump Trump. Hard to figure out which is the least worst option in PA.

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  2. Avatar photo
    Jason Gibson

    Audrey your writing has always been good

    But I find it getting better all the time well done

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  3. Avatar photo
    Frank Lee

    I would better support Barnette after those uncovered clips. I think Trump got this one wrong.

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  4. Avatar photo
    Narwhal

    “In 2020, Barnette didn’t concede her loss in a Pennsylvania U.S. House race and insisted that the election was rife with voter fraud.”

    “Before last week, Barnette had spent the entirety of the race with single-digit support from voters.

    But last week’s polling-induced adrenaline rush didn’t last long. In a matter of days, reporters quickly uncovered photos of her marching alongside the right-wing Proud Boys group on the morning of January 6, 2021 (though no evidence suggests she breached the Capitol)”

    Not great Bob.

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  5. Avatar photo
    Chris L

    The Pennsylvania primaries are indeed worrisome. I was really hoping for Lamb to make some headway, but his milquetoast competence just isn't gaining traction and he's failing the beer test against Fetterman who, at best, I think will be out of his depth as Senator. On the right, Barnette and McCormick are failing my litmus test of, "Did Joe Biden win the last presidential election?" leaving only ... Dr. Oz? He's a nice enough guy generally, but why can't we get away from television personalities masquerading as legislators?

    And don't even get me started on what's going on in the gubernatorial race. I'm gonna go yell at a cloud now.

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    1. Natty Bumpo

      Basically agree. I dropped my party affiliation in late 2020 before the Capitol riot because I could not affiliate with the state party in its attacks on the 2020 election. If I could vote in the primary, I would vote for Jeff Bartos, who was the only serious candidate but got zero traction. I could probably have held my nose and voted for Lamb but do not think I can vote for Fetterman and his progressive policies. Voting for him, even as a protest against Barnette/Oz/McCormick would be construed as support for things that I don't support. So, I may just write in Bartos or Charlie Dent in November.

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    2. Avatar photo
      John D. Wright

      I feel for you. I very much want the Democrat welfare state policies opposed and stopped from growing. I also want abortion to be illegal mostly. On the flip side, I don't see how I could support some of the outright insanity coming out of the Republican party. We need a real conservative party in the Reagan tradition. All we have are two parties appealing to the grievances of various groups and promising them handouts or market protections. It's enough to make you vomit.

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      1. Avatar photo
        Narwhal

        Like Reagan do you favor a bi-partisan compromise solution to avert a crisis from occurring with Social Security? If yes then where would you draw a red line?

        Statement on House of Representatives Approval of Social Security Legislation by President Reagan --March 10, 1983

        “I want to take this opportunity to express my admiration--and the gratitude of the American people--for the responsible, bipartisan spirit the House of Representatives has demonstrated in its prompt passage of the bipartisan plan to save the social security system. I am particularly glad to have had the chance this afternoon to personally thank six leaders who played special roles in making this possible: Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill, Minority Leader Bob Michel, Ways and Means Chairman Dan Rostenkowski, the senior minority member of the committee, Barber Conable, Chairman Jake Pickle of the Subcommittee on Social Security, and, of course, Representative Claude Pepper.

        In the months leading up to this critical vote--and again over the past 24 hours-- we've seen men and women of both parties and many shades of opinion set aside their differences and join together for the good of the country. The result has been a new lease on life for one of our most basic government programs, social security--a program that, directly or indirectly, affects the present and future well-being of every man woman, and child in America, and generations yet unborn.

        Over long months of study, debate, and deliberation--and in close cooperation with the executive branch--a fair, workable plan to save the system was hammered out by the National Commission on Social Security Reform. All of us had to make some compromises and settle for less than what any one faction might consider ideal. But we did it, and, as Speaker O'Neill promised, the House of Representatives has acted promptly and responsibly to pass the resulting bipartisan plan.

        That is an achievement we can all take heart from. And I hope and believe it reflects a bipartisan spirit of putting people before party that will guide us all in meeting other national challenges in the days ahead.

        Meanwhile, I look forward to prompt action in the Senate on the social security plan--and I look forward to a signing ceremony in the very near future.“

        https://www.ssa.gov/history/reaganstmts.html#house

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        1. Avatar photo
          John D. Wright

          I am in the limited government faction represented by Reagan but I am probably wanting it even more limited. Reagan would probably stop at the New Deal. I would not. I am for voluntary programs that are self funding but not forced ones.

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          1. Avatar photo
            Narwhal

            So, you break with the Reagan tradition on all social welfare programs? And you oppose what he and others did to reform and retain them in the 80s?

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    3. Avatar photo
      Narwhal

      I don’t live in PA and I don’t know much about Fetterman, I’ve never seen him speak and I’ve never researched his political career in depth. But, he was a mayor for around twelve years and has been Lt. Governor for around three years. He certainly has more political experience than me or most Americans. He is no political novice.

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    4. Avatar photo
      Logical

      "Fetterman who, at best, I think will be out of his depth as Senator"

      Is there a standard?

      Tubberville? Blackburn? Insurrectionists Lee and Hawley? Ron Johnson?

      Let me go a bit farther. Lil Rubio? Lyin Ted?

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      1. Phil P

        Fauxcahontas Warren, Comrade Bernie, I can play the whataboutism game too. I know as leader of the Lefty Outrage Mob your job is to rage against conservatives, GOP, etc., but we're discussing The Pennsylvania Senate rate. Try and keep focus for a change.

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        1. Gerald Cuesta

          Did any of those people support a con artist who ripped off students with a fake university, stiffed his contractors, lies about the election he lost so much he’s got ugly weak minds east to west either believing the lie or not caring because… he hates who the base hates even though he so desperately wanted to be loved by those the base hates until they belittled and mocked him for being the bottom shelf human he’s always been - oh and did they rile a mob to overturn the election he lost because in his ugly mind he never loses? Did they? It’s not whataboutism. It’s comparing a past due date apple to toxic sludge. Try harder.

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          1. Phil P

            It totally is "whataboutism." The article is about the Pennsylvania Senate race and Chris commented on Barnette, McCormick, Oz, and Fetterman. Instead of defending Fetterman, "Logical" went after senators from other states that have nothing to do the article. If you think Fetterman is good candidate, make your case for him. Instead of ranting about lousy human beings that have nothing to do with the article, you should log off and have a Snickers.

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