Both of the flawed, well-funded candidates are primed to draw out this messy primary
PENNSYLVANIA — Roll Call published a piece highlighting self-funding Senate candidates around the country and featured both Carla Sands and Jeff Bartos among some of the deepest pockets. After Trump’s endorsement of controversial candidate Sean Parnell, both Sands and Bartos have been able to amass “millions” in support of their campaign. A Bartos supporting Super PAC is already putting that money towards a six-figure ad campaign hitting Parnell on his legal issues with his estranged wife.
“The next largest battleground self-funder so far has been Carla Sands, who is running for the GOP nomination in Pennsylvania. Sands served as ambassador to Denmark under President Donald Trump, and she loaned her campaign $3.1 million.
Sands’ wealth reportedly stems from her late husband’s company, Vintage Capital, which Sands took over after his death, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Sands has not yet filed her financial disclosure report, which was due Oct. 30. She has 30 days after the deadline to file her report before facing a $200 fine, according to Senate Ethics Committee guidelines.
The GOP Senate primary in Pennsylvania features two other self-funders: real estate developer Jeff Bartos, who loaned his campaign $1.2 million, and Everett Stern, who owns a private intelligence company and loaned his campaign $87,000. On the Democratic side, Val Arkoosh, who chairs the Montgomery Board of Commissioners, loaned her campaign $500,000 through Sept. 30.“
No matter who wins this nasty primary, it’s clear that these flawed, well-funded candidates are going to guarantee that it is a long and messy fight to the end.
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