Celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz holds on to a slight lead in the Pennsylvania Republican U.S. Senate primary that is virtually tied between Oz, Kathy Barnette, and Dave McCormick.
A recent poll conducted by InsiderAdvantage and FOX 29 Philadelphia found that 22.5 percent of likely GOP primary voters support Oz, with Barnette and McCormick right behind at 20.9 and 18.5 percent, respectively. In addition, all three candidates polled within the survey’s margin of error, bringing the race to a statistical tie.
At the bottom of the pack is Jeff Bartos, who polled at 4.9 percent, and Carla Sands, who received 4.7 percent support.
However, 25.9 percent of voters have not decided what candidate to support.
InsiderAdvantage chairman Matt Towery said the poll’s results mean that the top three candidates have an equal chance of winning Pennsylvania’s GOP Senate primary.
Towery said:
Mehmet Oz leads, with Kathy Barnette moving into second place following the most recent debate. Dave McCormick is in a very close third, with all three candidates being close to or within the poll’s margin of error. It remains to be seen if Barnette’s move into second place will have continued momentum. And McCormick has shown an ability to move votes with the sheer volume of his paid advertising. At this point, I would not write any of the three top candidates off.
Towery said that Oz, who received former President Donald Trump’s endorsement, stands to benefit from the “Trump Bump,” which pushed Ohio Republican Senate nominee J.D. Vance over the top in his election.
However, since Trump’s endorsement, Oz’s campaign has faced scrutiny over his ties to Turkey, where he holds citizenship. For example, two high-level officials from the Trump administration have concerns about the potential national security implications if Oz is elected to the U.S. Senate.
Trump’s former Secretary of State and CIA Director Mike Pompeo said Oz’s decision to vote in Turkey’s most recent presidential election instead of voting in America’s election raises “judgments about his priorities.”
Trump’s former national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, feels similarly about Oz’s Turkish ties, noting that it would be “problematic” if Oz were elected to the Senate and received security clearances.
On the other hand, with abortion rights at the forefront of national politics, Barnette has seen an increase in popularity after releasing a powerful video where she condemned abortion by discussing her life as a child conceived in rape when her mother was 11-years-old. Barnette’s popularity has also consistently increased after the candidates’ first debate, which was held on April 25.
“At this point it is fair to say that Oz leads the race, Barnette enjoys a shift in momentum, and that McCormick has the resources and a level of support to stage a comeback,” Towery added.
InsiderAdvantage and FOX 29 Philadelphia polled 750 likely Republican primary voters.
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