In an internal memo obtained by PoliticsPA, the Dave White campaign believes that the Republican race for the nomination for governor has been whittled to three candidates from nine and that it is White’s race to lose.
Campaign manager Bob Salera sent the memo to supporters informing them that the campaign believes the race comes down to just White, Doug Mastriano and Lou Barletta. He noted that the “anti-endorsement” of Bill McSwain by former president Donald Trump effectively will derail the campaign of the former U.S. Attorney.
“Recent polling, both internal and public, showed a 4-way race that included former U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain, with a quarter to a third of the electorate undecided. But President Trump’s anti-endorsement of McSwain is likely fatal to his campaign.”
He also cited Trump’s 82 percent favorable rating among Pennsylvania Republicans and the impact that the former president’s support of U.S. Senate candidate Mehmet Oz has already had on that race. Prior to the endorsement announcement, a Fox News poll showed Dave McCormick with a nine-point advantage over Oz. The release of a Trafalgar Group poll last Friday showed a 12-point turnaround, giving the celebrity doctor a three-point advantage.
Salera wrote that “similar movement away from McSwain moves him from a competitive candidate to single-digit support.”
White, who raised $1.79 million in the first quarter of 2022, had just over $171,000 cash on hand entering the spring. In comparison, McSwain ($1.7 million), Mastriano ($1.1 million) and Barletta ($356,000) had more than double that of the Delaware County businessman.
Salera told supporters in the memo that White had raised $2.25 million since the pre-primary report and he was prepared to put the funds to good use.
“Dave White is the only candidate with the resources necessary to run a legitimate television ad
campaign over the last four weeks. As Pennsylvania is one of the most expensive states in the country to run statewide TV, it will take a minimum of $2 million in TV spending to drive an effective message.”
He concluded by reminding supporters that “unless Mastriano or Barletta find some heretofore unseen ability to raise a large amount of money very quickly, they will remain unable to buy the TV ads necessary to broadcast their message to voters not already in their camp. This race is Dave White’s to lose.”
Earlier today, the Barletta campaign announced what was described as a seven-figure ad buy investment that will run through May 17.
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15 Responses
Pennsylvania needs neither a career politician (Shapiro) or a political bomb thrower (Mastriano).
The steamfitter from Ridley, Dave White, is the right man for the job. His record shows he can grow a company, and more importantly, that he knows how to grow businesses, and thus grow the state’s economy.
Didn’t Dave White make his fortune by government contracts handed out when he was a political party boss? He’s literally rich because he was a party guy. And now he’s running ads saying he’s against corrupt politicians? Are his campaign consultants idiots? Josh is going to kill him with those ads.
Afraid not. Dave made his money by working his tail off. There was never a single instance where he took work as a political action. I’m fact, he walked away from many very valuable contracts. He is a man of integrity, who has more ability to affect positive change than any person in this race simply by being a decent human being over being a political witch-hunter. While McSwain was living on the backs of taxpayers, Dave was funding those taxes and employing people. Barletta couldn’t manage to win a race WITH President Trump’s endorsement. Mastriani? Other than having a talent for speaking and respectably serving our country… exactly what experience does he have that would make him capable of running the 5th largest economy in the USA? (Spoiler alert: none).
The memo was right. This IS Dave White’s race to lose.
A man full of integrity? He took millions of dollars in Government handouts from you and me, while he was sitting on millions to put into his own Gubernatorial race? The selfishness is off the charts. Hey Warren (Dave), spread your propaganda elsewhere.
Snow, wind and rain. That sounds like the bogus Dem forecast for the future of PA if GOP are in govt. Truth is that GOP brings more good govt to PA without racism and demagoguery that Dems espouse.
Republicans voters need to look to the fall. White is doing a good job defining himself and connecting to voters. He can win in the fall, neither Barletta or Mastriano, like Trump in 2020, can win in the general election.
Trump has always been a LOSER. 6 bankruptcies prove it. Putin put Trump in the WH for a single term. Even a fat orange pig can steal a “win” sometime.
Trump has always been a WINNER. Hundreds of successful businesses prove it. Putin put Biden in the WH for a single term. Even a fat orange pig can steal a “win” sometime
White is 11 points down in Trafalgar which is a solid Republican poll. Lou and Mastriano are way ahead. McSwain got a public rebuke from Trump which was very embarrassing to his campaign. Suddenly some R supporters are arguing that the public belittling of McSwain by Trump shows that R’s who still believe in the Constitution will rally around McSwain. The problem with that theory is that large amounts of R’s hold two separate beliefs—(1) Believe in Constitution and (2) Think Trump got shafted in 2020. Bottom line: Gov race for R’s is a Trumper race between Lou and Mastriano.
Trump is a big spoiled elitist crybaby and his rebuke of McSwain and endorsement of the carpetbagger / citizen of both New Jersey and Turkey is going to turn voters against him. McSwain should wear the rebuke as a badge of honor and rebrand his campaign with the theme “Jump on board the McSwain train and take back our Republican Party”.
White is 11 points down in Trafalgar which is a solid Republican poll. Lou and Mastriano are way ahead. McSwain got a public rebuke from Trump which was very embarrassing to his campaign. Suddenly some R supporters are arguing that the public belittling of McSwain by Trump shows that R’s who still believe in the Constitution will rally around McSwain. The problem with that theory is that large amounts of R’s hold two separate beliefs—(1) Believe in Constitution and (2) Think Trump got shafted in 2020. Bottom line: Gov race for R’s is a Trumper race between Lou and Mastriano.
The R’s believe in the original constitution that didn’t let women or Black people vote
What a strange article to cherry pick. Every campaign thinks it’s their race.
Of course, the GOP frontrunner is White. All the GOP candidates are white, right? Who else could lead this party? So how does an Orange Mango Moron do it?
In a race this divided, the “anti endorsement” by the orange imbecile puppet of Putin is actually a plus. McSwain doesn’t need to get to 51%, he needs to get to about 23%. And if there are some sane Republicans who still believe in truth and support the US Constitution, then McSwain should get at least 23%. Take your party back from the crazy MAGA loser lunatics that are ruining everything. Trump destroys everything he has ever touched. His f’ing around with established trade agreements is why the supply chain is messed up so bad now.