Drama Unfolds in Pennsylvania’s GOP Primary

As of mid-Wednesday, the GOP primary battle for Pennsylvania’s vacant U.S. Senate seat remained too close either way.

The Tight Battle

With nearly 95 percent of ballots counted, television star Dr. Mehmet Oz and former Treasury executive David McCormick each received slightly more than 31 percent of the vote.

Conservative pundit Kathy Barnette received slightly less than 25% of the vote, leaving Oz and McCormick in a contest to face Democrat John Fetterman in the national election.

Polls in the days leading up to the primary contest indicated a two-way battle between Oz, who was supported by former President Donald Trump, and Barnette, who gained late in the campaign.

The election is to fill the position of Republican Senator Pat Toomey. He is leaving after two terms in the legislature. In November’s national election, Democrats seek to win the position.

Some races, on the other hand, were decided on Tuesday night. State Senator Doug Mastriano, for instance, defeated former U.S. Congressman Lou Barletta.

During the leadership contest, Mastriano will face incumbent Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Shapiro has so far stressed his moderate stance. He’s paid for advertising targeting Mastriano in his primary fight, hoping his connections to Trump would hurt him in November.

Governor Tom Wolf (D-PA) is unable to seek re-election for a third term.

In the meantime, Fetterman, the county executive of Pennsylvania, defeated US Representative Conor Lamb and State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta in the Democratic Senate primary.

Despite suffering a seizure over the week and subsequently having a procedure to obtain a pacemaker on voting day, Fetterman won.

In response, President Biden praised Fetterman’s victory, adding the nominee “comprehends that working and middle-class folks in Pennsylvania and across the nation have been thrown out for much too long.”

Any conservative Fetterman confronts in the fall election will be “too violent, too cowardly, and too extremist” to serve Pennsylvania, according to the statement.

How Long Will This Take?

According to the Pennsylvania State Department, the outcomes of several tight elections will not be available right away.

“We understand voters desire answers on Primary Election Night,” the statement remarked, “but the first priority must be to ensure every vote is accurately and safely counted.”

“More than 900,000 requests for mail-in and postal votes were sought ahead of the primaries.”

“Pennsylvania electoral law prohibits pre-canvassing of ballots prior to Election Day, with districts not allowed to begin processing mail votes until 7 a.m. on Election Day.”

“Informal results are expected in a few days,” the message stated.

“With the prospect of recounts and the requirement for official certification, final results in all events are unlikely to be known tonight.”

Prior to the Supreme Court’s likely reversal of Roe v. Wade, the news-press has emphasized Pennsylvania as a critical “abortion battlefield.”

Because Pennsylvania’s legislature is presently controlled by Republicans, the outcome of the gubernatorial election could have a significant impact on abortion legislation.

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