Kathy Barnette neck-and-neck with Trump-endorsed Dr. Oz in Pennsylvania GOP Senate primary, poll shows


Kathy Barnette has surged in the Pennsylvania Republican Senate primary, shooting past former hedge fund CEO David McCormick and drawing almost even with the Trump-endorsed Dr. Mehmet Oz, a recent Trafalgar Group poll shows.
The poll shows Oz in first place with 24.5 percent of the vote, Barnette in second with 23.2 percent, and McCormick in third with 21.6 percent.
Barnette — a Black army veteran, author, and political commentator — previously ran for the House of Representatives in 2020. Politico suggests that Barnette "is likely benefiting from a smashmouth primary that features Oz and McCormick going nuclear on each other on TV." Steve Bannon, previously an adviser to former President Donald Trump, has described Barnette's political alignment as "ultra-MAGA."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
During a primary debate held at Grove City College on Wednesday, Barnette came out swinging. First, she took aim at Dr. Oz's pro-choice past, announcing that she was the product of a rape that took place when her mother was 11 and that she "was not just a lump of cells."
She then accused both Oz and McCormick of being "globalists" with ties to the World Economic Forum, which she said aims to impose a Chinese-style social credit system on the United States.
The Trafalgar Group surveyed 1,080 likely GOP primary voters between May 6 and May 6 with an error margin of 2.99 percent.
Pennsylvania's primaries will be held on Tuesday, May 17, after which the GOP nominee will likely face Lt. Gov. John Fetterman in the general election.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
Crossword: June 23, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
How far would Russia go for Iran?
Today's Big Question US air strikes represent an 'embarrassment, provocation and opportunity' all rolled into one for Vladimir Putin
-
Anshu Ahuja's golden coconut and butter bean curry recipe
The Week Recommends Plump, creamy beans in a sweet, spicy sauce
-
Trump's LA deployment in limbo after court rulings
Speed Read Judge Breyer ruled that Trump's National Guard deployment to Los Angeles was an 'illegal' overreach. But a federal appellate court halted the ruling.
-
Marines, National Guard in LA can detain Americans
speed read The troops have been authorized to detain anyone who interferes with immigration raids
-
Trump vows 'very big force' against parade protesters
Speed Read The parade, which will shut down much of the capital, will celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary and Trump's 79th birthday
-
Smithsonian asserts its autonomy from Trump
speed read The DC institution defied Trump's firing of National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet
-
Trump sends Marines to LA, backs Newsom arrest
speed read California Gov. Gavin Newsom is filing lawsuits in response to Trump's escalation of the federal response to ICE protests
-
Trump foists National Guard on unwilling California
speed read Protests erupted over ICE immigration raids in LA county
-
Supreme Court lowers bar in discrimination cases
speed read The court ruled in favor of a white woman who claimed she lost two deserved promotions to gay employees
-
Trump-Musk relationship implodes in taunts, threats
speed read Musk said Trump's multitrillion bill would cause a recession and accused the president of involvement with Jeffrey Epstein