Barnette says she wouldn’t support Republican nominee if she loses Senate primary

GOP Pennsylvania Senate candidate Kathy Barnette said in an interview with Breitbart News she would not support the Republican nominee in the state’s race for the Senate if she does not win Tuesday’s primary. 

“I have no intentions of supporting globalists,” Barnette said on “Breitbart News Daily” on SiriusXM Monday.

Barnette is running against celebrity surgeon Mehmet Oz, who has the support of former President Trump, and former hedge fund manager Dave McCormick. Barnette was far behind in the polls weeks ago but has shot up in the race and is seen as a real contender to win — despite some barbs from the former president.

“I believe we have ran out of room on this runway for this spaceship. I believe we have very little rope left to just roll the dice and we’ll see how it all works out on the other end. I believe our country is in trouble,” Barnette said in the interview, explaining why she would not vote for one of her primary rivals if they win the race.

“I don’t believe we have much longer and I believe what I have done is I have made it possible where Pennsylvanians do not have to hold their nose and vote for the lesser of two evils this time. 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,” she added. 

Barnette has a much smaller budget for her campaign than her rivals, but has won support in the state through strong performances on the stump and debating the other candidates. Her personal story of how she was born after the rape of her mother has resonated with the anti-abortion community.

Barnette has been endorsed by the Club for Growth and Susan B. Anthony List, but has drawn ire from both Trump and more establishment Republicans, who believe she might lose a general election in the fall.

The battle for the Senate majority will run through Pennsylvania, where the contenders are racing to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Pat Toomey.  

“Kathy Barnette will never be able to win the General Election against the Radical Left Democrats,” Trump previously said. “A vote for anyone else in the Primary is a vote against Victory in the Fall!” 

Other Republicans argue that Barnette is not electable in the swing state due to her hard-line stances and controversial background. 

“My concern, whether it’s valid or not, is that I want to make sure that she’s been vetted so that we don’t nominate someone that the Democrats are going to dump a truckload of opposition research on right after the election,” Sam DeMarco, the chair of the Allegheny County GOP, said. “We know what politics is like today. You want to be comfortable that the person you nominate.”