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Pennsylvania’s 2022 U.S. Senate Race: What We Know So Far


Alex Lloyd Gross Photo-Delaware Valley News.com File photo Sen Pat Toomey

by Colin Deppen of Spotlight PA

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One of Pennsylvania’s two U.S. Senate seats is up for grabs in 2022 as two-term Republican incumbent Pat Toomey prepares to step aside and the state braces for a particularly high-stakes election year.

The Senate opening has drawn plenty of interest from Democrats looking to shore up a narrow congressional majority, Republicans looking to limit key aspects of the Biden agenda, and observers believing the seat is likely to flip or too close to call. The race will be exceedingly expensive either way.

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Democrats

With less than a year to go until the primary (unless the date is changed because of redistricting issues), several higher-profile Democrats are officially in the running — others are rumored to be waiting in the wings.

Montgomery County Commissioner Valerie Arkoosh (website | Twitter) is in the former category and running to be the first woman senator from Pennsylvania. She brings a high-profile Emily’s List endorsement to the race and a significant amount of cash on hand.

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (website | Twitter) has also declared his second run for Toomey’s seat in six years, this time with burgeoning household-name status, way more money, and more scrutiny, too.

State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (website | Twitter) — the first openly gay Black man to be elected to the state legislature — brings rising-star momentum, progressive bona fides, and a string of viral moments to compete with Fetterman’s fundraising juggernaut.

State Sen. Sharif Street (website | Twitter) — the pro-gun reform, pro-retail politics Philadelphia lawmaker — formally announced his intent to run but has yet to file a financial report with the FEC. Pennsylvania hasn’t had a Black U.S. senator before.

U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb reportedly told donors to expect a Senate run but hasn’t taken additional steps. Lamb’s interest comes with his current job possibly set to be drawn out of existence.

The other declared Democratic candidates are:

Republicans

Kathy Barnette (website | Twitter) of Montgomery County is a Fox News fixture and former congressional candidate who embodies the pro-Trump aspirations some in the GOP have for Toomey’s successor.

Jeff Bartos (website | Twitter) is a Montgomery County-based real estate developer who lost the race for lieutenant governor to Fetterman in 2018 and comes to this very costly U.S. Senate race with the backing of a monied new PAC and more moderate footing.

Sean Gale (website | Facebook) is a Montgomery County-based attorney who’s running on a pro-Trump platform with unfettered disdain for the seat’s current occupant, Toomey, whom Gale calls a “RINO” and swamp rat.” (Toomey voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol siege.)

Sean Parnell (website | Twitter) is a Trump critic-turned-Trump favorite who earned the former president’s blessing in a failed bid for Conor Lamb’s 17th congressional district seat in 2020 and who’s trading barbs with Bartos this time over who’s farther to the right.

Carla Sands (Twitter) is Trump’s former ambassador to Denmark and a well-connected and well-financed investment CEO who’s from Cumberland County but spent much of her adult life in California.

The other declared Republican candidates are:

Other

Erik Chase Gerhardt, a Montgomery County master carpenter who’s seeking the Libertarian Party’s nomination | website

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