The Pennsylvania Republican primary left voters confused and political junkies intrigued. Between the original drama of Sean Parnell withdrawing from the race and former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of television’s Dr. Mehmet Oz, it’s certainly been a sight to behold.
Tonight, the infighting circus will come to an end, but the real battle is just beginning. Democrats will be pouring millions of dollars and volunteer hours into vulnerable Senate races nationwide, and Pennsylvania is one of the many ground-zeroes in November.
Pennsylvania Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman is a strong contender to win the seat, and it will require all hands on deck in order to assure he does not win.
While Fetterman would be closer in alignment to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) than Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.), as he’s even expressed his disdain for the moderate Democrat, his “average American” demeanor could translate well to swing voters.
Here’s the thing: The top Republicans in the race currently will need to swallow their pride and endorse the nominee in order to present a united front. This primary has been filled with generic attack ads between Oz and Dave McCormick, for starters, and the shocking momentum of Kathy Barnette resulted in the knives coming out for her due to her checkered past, including from Trump.
Despite this trading of jabs, their endorsements of the nominee will be crucial to help heal any divisions among voters. If there is a concern that a candidate does not have the potential to win the general, that should be an additional incentive to endorse them. When one considers the numerous failures of the Biden administration, and the lack of accountability by Congress because of the Democratic majority, this is now a numbers game.
It’s no secret that Congress is 50-50, with the majority going to Democrats because of Vice President Kamala Harris being the tie-breaking vote. Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema should be applauded for this courage to occasionally stand against their party’s radical agenda, but conservatives should not constantly be on the edge of their seat whenever a new ultra-liberal proposal comes down the pipeline. Republican Sens. Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski, and Susan Collins also sometimes side with Democrats, which means it’s important for the conservatives to develop a solid (but sane) safety net in Congress to block the Biden and the Democrats’ wish list.
Whether Americans like it or not, modern politics is a team sport. These candidates, especially the three main primary contenders, each brought unique qualities that made them compelling to voters, but they must leave their pride at the door after the primary is over. The goal should never be to get into the office for one’s personal gain, especially for conservatives who tout small government. Instead, it should be about shifting the dial to achieve a better future for Americans that instills the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Even though the cage match is tonight, the hugging and singing of “Kumbaya” better start tomorrow.
