The Pennsylvania Republican Party declined to endorse a candidate in its meeting, essentially surrendering the election to two out-of-state carpetbaggers to fight it out and drowning out the only native candidate who won the Party’s straw poll, Politico reports.
With sitting Republican Senator Pat Toomey retiring after this term, candidates in both Parties are in open primaries with no incumbent for the nominations. Real estate developer and Berks County native Jeff Bartos won the straw poll at the state convention, beating out New Jersey’s celebrity candidate Mehmet Oz and Connecticut hedge fund CEO David McCormick.
Oz and McCormick, however, have pledged their vast fortunes to buy those seats, which may force out Bartos, who has little name recognition and a fraction of the money for advertising.