Ahead of the May 17 primary in Pennsylvania, Republican Kathy Barnette — a veteran, former adjunct professor of corporate finance, sought-after conference speaker, and conservative political commentator — is causing a “backstage panic” in the GOP thanks to her recent surging in the polls against better-known candidates Dr. Mehmet Oz and David McCormick:
GOP leadership is in a backstage panic over Kathy Barnette but unclear whether they’ll do anything substantial to stop her… McConnell’s SLF has no current plans to intervene and Thune says they’ll leave it to the voters. https://t.co/tGf7eGgtv7
— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) May 12, 2022
Here’s the latest poll via Fox News:
The Republican Senate primary in Pennsylvania is tight, per new Fox poll. https://t.co/Z8KnUrvEcx pic.twitter.com/y4ro7mPYWR
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) May 11, 2022
In other words, this is a statistical dead-heat:
A new Fox News poll shows Mehmet Oz, Dave McCormick, and Kathy Barnette virtually tied in the Pennsylvania Senate race https://t.co/4DhtRm8gl4
— abc27 News (@abc27News) May 11, 2022
And she very well could be up in the polls at this point:
No doubt Barnette is moving fast in PA R primary. My guess is we may well see a public poll with her in lead soon; if field date is now. #PrimarySurge
— Mike Murphy (@murphymike) May 11, 2022
One major reason for the surge is her powerful pro-life story that she recently shared on how her mom was raped at age 11 and chose life over abortion. Have a watch:
I’m the byproduct of rape. My mother was eleven when I was conceived.
In the world the Left desires, I would never have been born.
We need leaders with a steady hand to direct our nation through these difficult discussions.
Help me by sharing my story:https://t.co/JNGw8gNts0 pic.twitter.com/lqzufvxzQR
— Kathy Barnette (@Kathy4Truth) May 3, 2022
She’s also been laser-focused on the issues that are “crushing” the working class. THIS message resonates:
It’s not just cryptocurrency.
It’s not just the stock market tanking.
It’s not just inflation skyrocketing.
It’s not just the gas prices hitting record highs.
It’s not just the food shortages.
It’s the combination of it all that is CRUSHING the working class!
— Kathy Barnette (@Kathy4Truth) May 11, 2022
She was also an early supporter of Donald Trump:
Here is @Kathy4Truth supporting President Trump before the 2016 election on TV.
She’s been a vocal supporter of his for years in the media.
She’s certainly one of the original America First folks out there! pic.twitter.com/Q8zzPeOijl
— ⭐️Amy Tarkanian⭐️ (@MrsT106) May 11, 2022
And she’s earned praise from Steve Bannon for her post-election comments:
Bannon praised Barnette for having never stopped talking about decertifying the 2020 Biden election and for refusing to concede her own loss in a 2020 House race. (She lost by 20 points, but it was *actually* stolen by algorithms, 10,000 mules etc). https://t.co/tGf7eGgtv7
— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) May 12, 2022
But, there are concerns because she is a virtual unknown:
Mehmet Oz frets to Sean Hannity about surging rival Kathy Barnette: “She’s a mystery person” https://t.co/kqlyRxNmcd
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) May 12, 2022
And she has some past comments to answer for:
Oz: She’s expressed mixed feelings about George Washington… She’s petitioned to build a statue of President Obama pic.twitter.com/4tF79ecfV3
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 12, 2022
Richard Grenell has even called her “unfit for office”:
Unfit for office. https://t.co/KwQsUPODZm
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) May 12, 2022
More from Ric:
She’s called for banning a religion in America. https://t.co/jz16OV3gOa
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) May 12, 2022
And he predicted that she will lose the general election:
She. Will. Lose. The. General.
Don’t vote for radicals like this. https://t.co/dic4Zcp14s
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) May 11, 2022
But, her campaign has gone radio silent with even somewhat friendly outlets:
Red flag alert for Barnette:
"A series of questions asked both verbally and in a text exchange with her campaign manager about her background for a story that was supposed to be a profile went unanswered with the exception of one"https://t.co/NThKfTZswW
— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) May 11, 2022
There are also questions about her military record which her campaign is not answering:
Barnette Campaign Abruptly Ends Phone Call When Asked About Military Record @FreeBeacon https://t.co/UjwH8BkWJd
— Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) May 11, 2022
And:
She has posted photos of herself in uniform and has consistently said she served in the Reserves for 10 years. But she’s said at times she was in the Army Reserves, other times in the “Armed Forces Reserves.”
— Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) May 11, 2022
It is a bit odd:
KATHY BARNETTE says she served in the US Military. I'm not sure if I'm Buying that at all. The description of her "record" on the OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN WEBSITE is WEIRD AND VAGUE. What BRANCH of the military. Her JOB? Did ANYONE actually "vet" this woman? @PhillyInquirer pic.twitter.com/X8jlYWiYxJ
— Greg Kelly (@gregkellyusa) May 11, 2022
But, with that said, she is starting to get support from “prominent conservative groups” including the Glub for Growth:
HARRISBURG, Pa. (@AP) _ Several prominent conservative groups are getting involved in Pennsylvania's race for U.S. Senate and backing candidate Kathy Barnette as an alternative to Mehmet Oz, the celebrity heart surgeon endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
— Marc Levy (@timelywriter) May 11, 2022
The anti-tax Club for Growth endorsed Barnette on Wednesday and has begun airing TV ads on her behalf. That follows the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List's decision on Tuesday to back Barnette over Oz.
— Marc Levy (@timelywriter) May 11, 2022
It's unclear whether the help can carry Barnette to victory in Pennsylvania's May 17 primary.
But the growing focus on Barnette suggests anxiety among some conservative and pro-Trump circles that Oz doesn't sufficiently reflect their views.
Via @AP: https://t.co/xnUowolVhg
— Marc Levy (@timelywriter) May 11, 2022
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