Trump targets Barnette as the former longshot soars in the Pennsylvania GOP primary.

With conservative Senate candidate Kathy Barnette gaining in the latest polls in Pennsylvania’s GOP Senate race, threatening Trump-backed Mehmet Oz, the former president launched an attack on Barnette only five days before the Keystone State primary.

“Kathy Barnette will never be able to win the General Election against the Radical Left Democrats,” ex-President Donald Trump tweeted on Thursday. “She has many things in her background that have not been adequately explained or investigated, but if she is able to do so, she will have a tremendous future in the Republican Party—and I will be there to support her every step of the way.”

The former president, who was in Pennsylvania last Friday for a rally with Oz, also stated that “Dr. Oz is the only candidate who can easily defeat Pennsylvania’s Crazed, Lunatic Democrat. Anyone else’s vote in the Primary is a vote against Victory in the Fall!”

According to a poll, Barnette’s support among potential GOP primary voters in Pennsylvania has risen in recent weeks, putting her in a virtual tie with front-runners and Dave McCormick in the race to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey. The battle in Pennsylvania is one of a few around the country that will likely determine whether the GOP reclaims the Senate majority in November’s midterm elections.

Oz, a heart surgeon, author, and well-known celebrity physician who hosted TV’s renowned “Dr. Oz Show” until late last year is running for Senate. McCormick, a former hedge fund businessman, West Point graduate, Gulf War combat veteran, and Treasury Department official in former President George W. Bush’s administration, polled at 20%. Barnette, an experienced and conservative political journalist, had 19%. Nineteen percent supported other candidates, while 18 percent were uncertain.

Since the beginning of the year, the Oz and McCormick campaigns, as well as outside super PACs supporting the two candidates, have spent tens of millions of dollars running TV, digital, and radio advertising attacking one other on their conservative credentials and critical issues.

McCormick has labeled Oz a “RINO” [Republican in name only] and has highlighted statements Oz made in 2019 in which he expressed worry over an Alabama legislation that would have resulted in a near-complete ban on abortion. And McCormick has questioned Oz – who has dual Turkish citizenship – about his ties to the Turkish government. Oz has often chastised McCormick for the hedge fund giant he oversaw before stepping down to seek Senate.

The Club for Growth, a pro-business an anti-tax group that spends heavily in Republican primaries, just supported Barnette and said on Wednesday that it had spent $2 million to broadcast a statewide commercial in Pennsylvania highlighting the candidate’s history.

Barnette received the endorsement of Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List), a powerful anti-abortion outside group, earlier this week. According to Trump’s campaign, the former president intends to follow up last week’s event with a tele-rally before Tuesday’s primary, as well as to use robocalls to encourage GOP voters to back Oz.