Former Pennsylvania Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kathy Barnette called on her base to support the party’s nominee, Mehmet Oz, in his campaign to defeat Democrat candidate John Fetterman.
“First, I hear you on the principles but let’s cut to the chase in politics here,” talk radio host David Webb said. “Are you working and encouraging your base, your substantial base, which could be the difference between a Republican loss in Pennsylvania and a Republican win?”
Barnette said she is “absolutely” encouraging her base to support the Republican nominee.
“Absolutely. And this is not new. This is something I’ve been doing for some time now,” Barnette told Webb. “I have made it very clear, on a number of outlets that I am walking into the ballot box on November 8th and I am voting Republican all the way down, and I encourage those who support me to do the exact same, so that’s not a newsflash.”
Barnette received a last-minute boost in the polls when she revealed after the unprecedented Roe v. Wade draft leak that she was born to a mother who was raped. However, controversy surrounding her military career clouded her campaign, forcing her to release her DD-214.
Barnette’s call to action is significant because she previously refused to support the GOP nominee if it was not her.
“I don’t think we have room to just vote for any old warm body with an R next to their name. I think we can do better than that,” Barnette told Breitbart News editor-in-chief Alex Marlow just one day before the primary.
Pennsylvania U.S. Senate candidate Kathy Barnette attends a Republican leadership forum at Newtown Athletic Club on May 11, 2022, in Newtown, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Even as Barnette trailed Oz and McCormick on election night, she did not give a concession speech.
Ultimately, Barnette finished third in the Republican primary against Oz and David McCormick, receiving roughly 90,000 fewer votes than Oz.
Still, Barnette emphasized that the GOP should be ahead of Fetterman by more than “a couple of percentage points.”
“We should be running away with this. And the reason why we’re not running away with it is, as I’ve already delineated, is because I believe we need to be very clear that when we get in office, we’re actually going to work for the people. And I believe our voters are smart people,” Barrette added.
Jordan Dixon-Hamilton is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at jdixonhamilton@breitbart.com or follow him on Twitter.
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