The sudden rise of conservative commentator and author Kathy Barnett in the polls has Donald Trump apparently worried about his choice in Pennsylvania’s GOP Senate race, celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz.
Following the release of a Fox News poll that showed Barnett at a considerable distance from Oz, Trump issued a statement describing Barnett as too weak to face Democrats in the general election.
“Kathy Barnett will never win a general election against Radical Left Democrats,” Trump said in a news release from his Political Action Committee on Thursday.
In the same statement, Trump left the door open to backing him if he won, an attempt to cover up his bases in light of growing scrutiny about the dwindling power of his political support.
“There are many things in his past that have not been properly explained or investigated, but if he is able to do so, he will have a great future in the Republican Party – and I will be with him by all means,” he said. ,
Barnett, who wrote a Book about being black and conservative and who has never held public office, he has a long history According to Nation World News, anti-Muslim and anti-gay statements. She falsely accused former President Barack Obama of being a secret Muslim and has suggested To put restrictions on Islam. He is also involved in fraudulent conspiracies related to the 2020 election.
Fox Poll from Tuesday Barnett with 19% of the vote — within the margin of error of the poll — behind Oz at 22% and former hedge fund CEO Dave McCormick on 20%. In this 18% of the voters were still undecided.
National Republicans are choosing to stay off the field for now. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is neutral on the primary. On Thursday, he downplayed concerns about Barnett’s viability as a general election candidate and projected confidence about winning the open seat, no matter who comes out on top.
“We will win Pennsylvania,” Scott told HuffPost.
But Senate GOP convention vice president Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) defended Barnett as “extraordinary.”
“Just because you’re a political newcomer doesn’t mean we abandon you,” Ernst said In an interview with Nation World News.
Trump also announced a tele-rally for Oz on Thursday, when he is the former “Dr. Oz Show” host in the state — another sign that the former president believes Oz should be removed from Tuesday’s primary. Might need your last minute help first. Trump had trouble selling the crowd on Oz at a live rally last Friday, who smelled on stage.
Barnett’s rise in the home stretch of the race is surprising, given the millions that Oz and McCormick have spent introducing themselves to voters and trampling each other in TV commercials. they question each other conservative credentials, relations with china And Spotty Residency Link The state they want to represent in Congress.
Democrats have their own primary headaches as they move to become one of the cycle’s most competitive races. But they couldn’t help but gush about the situation in which Republicans find themselves on Thursday.
Bob Casey (D-Pa.) said, “We definitely have a challenge this year, but this is the primary — it’s so negative, so rancorous, so divisive that I think it hurt their nominee.” going to deliver.”
,
