Chip Minemyer: Crowded campaign field hits home stretch

Apr. 30—Carla Sands was named ambassador to Denmark by Donald Trump when he was president, but she didn't get his endorsement to become a senate contender in Pennsylvania — her home state.

Instead, the ex-president's support went to Dr. Mehmet Oz, whom Sands criticized for not sharing "our values" in areas such as Second Amendment rights, abortion and border security.

During a campaign stop last week in Sidman, she also called Oz and fellow GOP frontrunner David McCormick "weak Republicans" — even as they pour millions into the Senate battle with the primary looming May 17.

So can Sands or any other candidate who doesn't get Trump's blessing break through what Cambria County Republican Chairwoman Jackie Kulback calls "so much noise" to capture voters' attention in a ridiculously-crowded GOP field?

Or, as Kulback fears, will voters just tune out?

A Republican debate on Monday featured the five leading candidates for the Senate nomination — TV host Oz, hedge-fund manager McCormick, Vintage Capital Group CEO Sands, political commentator Kathy Barnette and real estate developer Jeff Bartos.

Candidates George Brochette and Sean Gale did not participate.

They are all jostling for primary votes in the hopes of facing whoever emerges from the Democratic side — Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb or state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta.

In the primary race for governor, Democrat Josh Shapiro is uncontested and watching a fierce showdown featuring a large field of contenders — led by former congressman Lou Barletta, state Sen. Doug Mastriano, businessman Dave White, former federal prosecutor Bill McSwain and Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman.

Corman at one point announced that he was stepping aside, then said Trump convinced him to stay in the chase. and now, former Trump consultant Kellyanne Conway is stumping for Corman.

What a wild election cycle this has been.

Rob Gleason of Johnstown, past Pennsylvania GOP chairman, is backing McSwain — lately the target of criticism from Trump, who appointed McSwaim to a federal prosecutor position.

Gleason said he and McSwaim remain confident that they can win the primary.

"There are still a lot of undecideds," Gleason said, adding that his guy has been "picking up in the polls" even after Trump called him a "coward" for not undoing Pennsylvania's 2020 election.

Kulback said she expects Trump to endorse a governor candidate on Friday, when he joins Oz for a campaign rally in Greensburg.

Her organization had not chosen candidates to endorse, but could do so in the next week, she said. The Cambria GOP will host a "Get Out The Vote" event on Sunday.

Or the county group might not formally endorse anyone.

"We might say which candidates we highly recommend, but let people make up their own minds," Kulback said.

In the Senate race, Gleason said of Oz — with his national media background — "they fear him the most."

Kulback said local Republicans came to Cambria GOP headquarters in greater numbers, seeking Oz yard signs and other items, after Trump gave the candidate his endorsement two weeks ago.

"Trump really will influence a lot of the voters," she said.

"There are a lot of people who put a lot of stock in what Trump says."

Kulback is not a big fan of GOP gubernatorial frontrunner Mastriano — Gleason said the state senator is polling at about 20% — due to Mastriano's ties to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

She called governor candidate White "well-grounded, with strong business experience and the support of trade unions," while on the Senate side, she pointed to 2018 lieutenant governor contender Bartos as "safe" and "reliable."

Kulback also called Oz "one of the nicest people you would ever meet."

She added: "He's running a really great campaign. I can see why Trump picked Oz. He's good at communicating and has a lot of good ideas."

Most of the candidates have visited the region, including Sands stopping in Sidman last week — where no local party leaders or GOP elected officials greeted her — and McSwain stumping in Ebensburg on Friday.

As always, the Johnstown region is prime election real estate.

"We've been trying to meet all of the candidates," Kulback said, "and we've had quite a few through here."

Still, the races for the GOP nominations are wide open with just over two weeks to go, leaving voters ...

Sorting through tons of candidates who have taken similar stances on key issues.

Weighing the value of Trump's endorsements.

And, ultimately, trying to decide who might have the best chance to win in November.

But are people even paying attention?

"There's so much confusion," Kulback said. "There are too many candidates. The voters have no idea who all of these people really are. They see Oz and McCormick going after each other.

"But there's so much noise. I feel like a lot of people are now tuning everything out — and that's dangerous."

Well, we have 17 days to figure things out.

Then we can start all over again.

Chip Minemyer is the editor and general manager of The Tribune-Democrat and TribDem.com, GM of The Times-News of Cumberland, Md., and CNHI regional editor for Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia and North Carolina. He can be reached at 814-532-5091. Follow him on Twitter @MinemyerChip.