OP-ED: What I learned on the campaign trail
Like many of you, I was tired of finding three, four, even five political mailers a day stuffed in my mailbox. Most Republican voters in the 46th Senatorial District could probably wallpaper their homes with them. When voters would rightfully express their dismay, I told them: check the disclaimers, most of them were not from me!
After a hard-fought, and unnecessarily expensive, race for the Republican nomination, I stood at Bella Sera in Canonsburg on election night and made one thing clear: my opponent wasn’t Al Buchtan, it was Pace-O-Matic.
Pace-O-Matic, an Atlanta-based skill games company, dumped millions of dollars into races targeting three Republican incumbents who could vote to tax and regulate their machines. These machines have proliferated throughout Pennsylvania, especially in low-income neighborhoods. So, the skill games lobby bankrolled challengers they believed would do their bidding. They failed, and Republican voters across Pennsylvania sent a clear and loud message: our Senate seats are not for sale.
After months of knocking on tens of thousands of doors and making over 10,000 phone calls, I took a few days with my family to reflect on what I had learned.
One lesson stands out: people are not as divided as the political class would have us believe. Much of the polarization and division we see is manufactured and amplified by a small, but loud, chorus on social media. People of all walks of life share common values and concerns: a more affordable future, respect for work and culture, access to quality health care, strong schools, and real economic opportunity.
From Waynesburg to Canonsburg to Independence Township, I knocked on countless doors where one spouse was a registered Republican and the other a registered Democrat. Those families prove that people can co-exist, disagree, and still deeply love each other. I believe that’s one reason voters rejected the smear campaign against me for marrying a Democrat, a man who is my best friend and biggest fan.
I was also reminded of the goodness of our neighbors. When my family was being dragged through the mud, I heard from close friends and people I had never met who expressed their disgust with the vitriol and lies. They offered to help my campaign and, in many cases, pray for me, and with me, on their front porches.
I believe in the politics of addition, not subtraction. Our winning coalition included conservatives and moderates, former Democrats, and people from every socioeconomic and cultural background. I’m committed to expanding that coalition and reaching out to those who did not vote for me on Tuesday, May 19, but whom I hope will join a movement to maintain our Republican majority in the Senate, while also earning the confidence of Democratic, independent, and unaffiliated voters in my district.
A crucial step is rebuilding our local Washington County Republican Party. Due to a vacuum of leadership, the committee has been hollowed out and, in recent years, has even worked against solid Republican incumbents. We should return to the blueprint set by the many chairs who came before the current “acting” chair: grow the party, do not divide it.
In a recent radio interview, I was asked if I’m bitter about the contentious primary. My honest answer is no. I am grateful, and stronger, because of it. I was on the receiving end of some of the ugliest smears in recent political memory, but it’s water under the bridge. My message remains: I will not tolerate bullying – of myself, my colleagues, or my constituents.
I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to serve as your senator. Voters’ trust can never be taken for granted, and a public servant must keep showing up, listening, and meeting people where they are.
We all deserve a breather from the barrage of mailers and TV ads. In the months ahead, I intend to be back out on the campaign trail, meeting you where you are and continuing to earn your confidence. You shared with me your hopes, worries, struggles, and dreams. I carry those conversations with me every single day, and I will continue to fight with your voices in my heart.
Pennsylvania Sen. Camera Bartolotta represents the 46th District.