Bartos says grassroots campaign favors him over ‘two political tourists’

WILKES-BARRE — Jeff Bartos said his grassroots campaign has taken him to all 67 counties in Pennsylvania, allowing him to meet voters and hear their concerns, which he said gives him a big advantage over the two “political tourists” he faces in the race for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate.

“You can’t fight for Main Street Pennsylvania if you can’t find it,” Bartos said. “We don’t lose any sleep over our-out-of-state Republicans who have their own wealth. We’ve raised a lot of money on our own.”

Bartos, 49 of Merion Station, said he firmly believes his message will win the day in the state’s May primary election.

In July 2021, Bartos did a bus tour, visiting all 67 counties in 13 days. He said by getting face-to-face with voters was key in him winning several straw polls, finishing ahead of Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dave McCormick.

“I’m the only lifelong Pennsylvania in this race,” Bartos said. “That shows I have an authentic commitment to the state and its people.”

Bartos’ only other entry into the political arena was in 2018 when he ran for lieutenant governor on the GOP ticket with Scott Wagner for governor. They lost to Gov. Tom Wolf and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman.

“The day after the election in 2018, I went back to work with my wife, Sheryl, in our real estate development business,” Bartos said. “And I remember feeling overwhelmingly grateful to have been able to meet so many fellow Pennsylvanians throughout the state, corner-to-corner.”

Bartos said that experience served him well as he embarked on his senatorial campaign on March 8, 2021.

Bartos said he knows Luzerne County and Northeastern Pennsylvania well, having lived for a short time in Clarks Summit. In 1998-99, he clerked for Judge A. Richard Caputo in the U.S. Middle District Court.

“I love Luzerne County and I realize the economy there needs a lift,” Bartos said. “I intend to see that the energy resources available are utilized, especially the natural gas supply that needs to be unleashed so all of Pennsylvania can flourish.”

Bartos said he will do all he can to see that the proposed $6 billion Nacero gas processing plant is completed.

“There is no excuse why the northeastern region should not be growing economically,” he said. “If we do our jobs right, Pennsylvania can become the fastest growing state in the nation.”

About the Bartos campaign

According to the campaign website, Bartos’ proven conservative credentials and long history in the state make him stand out in a “crowd of carpetbaggers with no history of standing up for the conservative positions they now claim to espouse.”

Bartos said he is the only candidate with a real-world understanding of Pennsylvania’s communities to offer a cohesive plan for the state.

“While other candidates move here, treating our seat like an at-large district, I know Pennsylvania is unique and I am prepared to lead,” Bartos said.

PA 30 Day Fund

At the beginning of the pandemic, Bartos said when politicians locked down businesses, kicked kids out of the classroom, and closed churches and synagogues, he founded the PA 30 Day Fund.

With the 30 Day Fund, Bartos raised and distributed over $3.1 million across all 67 counties, involving 22 industries and saving over 1,000 small businesses.

Through this work, Bartos said he saw the destructive power of a government that did not care about the consequences of its actions.

Bartos said his opponents have not lived in Pennsylvania in decades.