With two-term incumbent U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) not seeking reelection in 2022, his Senate seat will be hotly contested in the upcoming midterm election, a race that could help determine which party controls Congress.
The race has been tumultuous, with Republican Sean Parnell, at one time the GOP’s front-runner, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, backing out of the race amid a divorce, custody battle and allegations of domestic abuse, according to MSN News.
“In his first bid for public office, running for the 17th Congressional District seat against Allegheny County area incumbent Conor Lamb (D-Pittsburgh), now himself a Senate candidate, Parnell came close but lost 51% to 49%,” political analyst Jim Ellis told Keystone Today. “Based upon a close defeat in a winnable district, he decided to make a statewide Senate run.”
Meanwhile, two other GOP candidates also have both come up short in their most recent political races, according to Ellis.
“Former Lieutenant governor nominee Jeff Bartos and Army veteran, Trump campaign activist and former congressional candidate Kathy Barnette also lost their most recent political races,” Ellis said. “Therefore, the original three leading Republican candidates in either polling or fundraising hadn’t ever won a race and were falling well behind their Democratic counterparts.”
All of this could spell trouble for Republicans as they hope to wrest control of the Senate from Democrats and return Mitch McConnell, (R-KY) back to the Senate majority leader’s chair. Ellis noted that this will force the party to turn elsewhere for victory.
“Unless the GOP can rebound from their early woes with a stronger candidate, the race could easily slip away early and force them to double-down in other states just to keep constant with the Senate strength they currently possess,” Ellis said.
Democratic front-runner Lt. Gov. John Fetterman has amassed a nearly $10 million war chest since kicking off his campaign, raising more money than any current candidate, according to 90.5 WESA.
In a recent poll cited by Daily Kos, Fetterman received 52% support, with Lamb the closest competitor at 12%. Three other candidates all polled in single digits, according to the report.
Lamb has been able to raise some money, bringing in about $2.7 million since starting his campaign, according to 90.5 WESA.
