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Hart Steps Aside, Endorses Barletta for Governor

Melissa Hart has suspended her campaign and endorsed Lou Barletta for the Republican nomination for governor.

She is the second GOP candidate for the governor’s mansion to step aside in as many days, as Jake Corman suspended his campaign Thursday.

“We need someone to come out of the primary who is a proven leader, a uniter,” said Hart during a Friday morning press conference. “We need someone who can lead as a person, who has a vision and values that people can support. I’m suspending my campaign today and supporting Lou Barletta and on Tuesday, I will be casting my vote [for him].”

Barletta told the assembled audience to stay tuned whether there will be more candidates who bow out and lend their support to him. “We are so fortunate to have so many good candidates,” he said. “People that I’ve traveled around Pennsylvania are realizing that we need to come together. The people of Pennsylvania are more important than our desires. I’m proud to have Melissa and senator Corman come on as well.”

“If I’m going to endorse anyone, it is someone who has four daughters,” Hart said. “I’m doing it now because its important for Republicans who are leaders to see that we need to have someone who will carry the torch for us and be successful.

“If you really paid attention, there is not a lot of light between [all of] us and our policies,” Barletta said when asked about GOP front-runner Doug Mastriano. “What separates me from Mastriano, not being disrespectful, is that I’m making my case to the people why I can win. I have a history of beating Democrats. I’ve governed in an executive position. I say I can get support in a barroom and a boardroom.”

He concluded by stating that he would support Doug Mastriano if he were the Republican nominee. “I do not want Josh Shapiro to be our next governor.”

Barletta currently trails Mastriano by 10-12 points in the latest polls released by the Trafalgar Group and Fox News. He is three points behind in the PoliticsPA moving average of 11 polls since February.

 

14 Responses

  1. Trump endorsing Mastriano over Barletta is karma. Lou never put his neck out for so many local and state candidates over the years. It was always about Lou. He wouldn’t even endorse Dan Muser the first time that guy ran, even though Barletta got huge donations from Muser. What’s it feel like Sweet Lou? Ya Sour?

  2. F Hart. Too little too late.

    She had no chance from the beginning and was part of the problem that will lead to Shapiro winning.

    Dung will never win the General, but he will walk through the primary of selfish opportunist idiots like McSwain, White, Gerow, Hart, and Corman.

    Get party leadership to LEAD an organization, rather than having backwater hick morons decide the direction of our state when they continue to pick candidates like Wagner, Barnette, Mastriano and Daniels.

  3. Her candidacy was based on a need for personal money. She is unemployed and drifting toward the poor house…no job…no money ..no prospects. She isnt the first person to run just to get a payday but she is the most obvious…when she ran out of campaign cash she packed it in and maybe sold out. Her campaign still needs to be investigated.

  4. Was “Melissa” Hart a transgender candidate? Because that looks like a man.

  5. This should really make the Republican Party at all levels take notice. They need to decide if they are going to continue to let people who have ZERO qualifications to serve in elective office be their candidates. And this goes clear to the lowest levels like school boards. Their embrace of the Tea Party nonsense over a decade ago bred this. Now, the anti government idiots are empowered right up to the lead idiot himself TRUMP. And Mastriano is even worse than Trump. God help us if he gets elected Governor.

  6. Stunning. The national fundamentals and “kitchen table” issues favor the GOP more that it has a long, long time, but PA will be the exception to the rule. Due to an absence of leadership, and a base that can’t quit the red hats, they come with Mastriano/Daniels/Barnette. They’re going to get absolutely annihilated in the suburbs. What a lost opportunity.

  7. The best Republican Poll is Trafalgar. They have Mastraino up on a poll conducted from May 6 to 8 by 10 points. If every single Corman voter and every singe Hart voter voted for Lou that is 5 1/2 points. It’s actually the worst possible thing to do right now because you offend the supporters of McSwain and White who will vote in the Fall and you won’t get to 10 points to catch up to Mastraino. Plus you offend Mastraino supporters telling them they don’t know what they are doing. It’s best to not do this stuff and it’s best to not bother with Teddy Daniels. Let the voters vote.

  8. Lt Gov candidates need to drop out and coalesce behind someone to stop Ted Daniels too. That guy seems a scary and volatile dude. Two prior PFAs from women women , police career ended under circumstances worth investigation, recently had wife against him in court trying to get PFA #3 though that one didn’t stick, posting slurs on social media about trannys this week (apparently this guy only wants to represent straight people in PA) and now saying that he needs to be killed to be stopped and he has bayoneted fixed. Paranoid? Or just someone who goes straight to violent metaphors? Does anyone worry about serious anger management issues?

      1. The two prior PFAs and lost cop job were all prior to ever running for office and prior to rolling stone. Those can’t be spun as political conspiracies.

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