Last Updated on April 6, 2023
Pennsylvania State Senator Doug Mastriano currently leads the GOP field for the Keystone State’s Senate primary in 2024. Mastriano — who previously ran for governor in 2022 — will be aiming to unseat Democrat incumbent Bob Casey, who has served in the U.S. Senate since 2007.
In one of the first polls gauging the upcoming campaign, a Public Policy Polling survey has Mastriano receiving 39% of the vote among 616 likely Republican primary voters.
Former hedge fund CEO David McCormick was the poll’s runner-up with 22%, while Kathy Barnette received 11%. McCormick and Barnette both sought the GOP nomination for the state’s other Senate seat in 2022 and currently find themselves in their respective finishing positions from that race in the Public Policy Polling survey.
McCormick narrowly lost to Dr. Mehmet Oz, ultimately coming up short by just 1,000 votes or so. Barnette enjoyed a late surge among America First conservatives to finish third.
In a head-to-head matchup, Mastriano led McCormick 42% to 28% with 29% unsure.
Additionally, the poll found Mastriano with a 47% favorability rating among GOP primary voters. 22% held a favorable view of McCormick, though a majority of voters (65%) remain unsure. Barnette had similar results with 17% of respondents indicating a favorable opinion while 67% remain unsure.
Mastriano has not yet committed to running for the Senate seat in 2024, though he did tell Politico that he is mulling the prospect in an interview last month. Incumbent Senator Bob Casey has not formally announced his re-election bid either. The longtime Senator previously announced that he was undergoing cancer treatment earlier this year, prompting prayers and well wishes from both his colleagues and opponents.
