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Kathy Barnette
Kathy Barnette by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Barnette in 2024
Personal details
Born
Kathy Jean Barnette

(1971-09-06) September 6, 1971 (age 53)
Alabama, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse Carl
Children 2
Education
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Rank Specialist
Unit United States Army Reserve
National Guard

Kathy Jean Barnette (born September 6, 1971) is an American politician and a person who shares her views on political topics. She is a member of the Republican Party. She has run for important political jobs in the United States. For example, she ran for the United States House of Representatives in Pennsylvania in 2020. She also tried to become a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania in 2022, but she did not win her party's nomination.

Kathy Barnette's Early Life

Kathy Barnette was born in Alabama on September 6, 1971. Her mother raised her on a pig farm in the southern part of the state. The house where she grew up was once lived in by her great-great-great grandmother, who was born into slavery.

She earned a degree in finance from Troy State University. Later, she received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Fontbonne University. Barnette also served for seven years in the United States Army Reserve and the United States National Guard.

Kathy Barnette's Professional Work

Before entering politics, Kathy Barnette worked as a financial analyst for companies. She started sharing her political ideas by making videos on Facebook. These videos helped her become a guest on the TV show Fox & Friends.

She also became a regular voice on conservative radio shows in Philadelphia. You might have seen her on other news channels like One America News Network and Newsmax too.

Kathy Barnette's Political Journey

Barnette began her political career by running for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in 2020. She ran in Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. She was the only Republican candidate in her party's first election.

Kathy Barnette headshot (cropped)
Barnette in 2019

She lost the main election to the person already holding the job, Madeleine Dean. At first, Barnette did not accept the results. Later, she said she accepted them, but she continued to express doubts about her own election and the wider 2020 presidential election.

On Election Day, Barnette filed a lawsuit against election officials in Montgomery County. She claimed they broke state laws about counting ballots early. Her lawyers later dropped the lawsuit.

For a time, Barnette had a close connection with Mike Lindell, the CEO of My Pillow. Lindell described her as "an amazing person" and "so tenacious."

In early April 2021, Barnette announced she would run for the U.S. Senate. She wanted to fill the seat of retiring Senator Pat Toomey. She received support from people like Michael Flynn and Sebastian Gorka. By June 2021, she had raised about $600,000 for her campaign. She gained more attention from news outlets in May 2022.

On May 15, 2022, pictures showed that Barnette had been at the "Stop the Steal" rally. This rally happened before the events at the U.S. Capitol in 2021.

Barnette finished third in the 2022 primary election for the Senate. She was behind Mehmet Oz and David McCormick. She said that comments from Fox News host Sean Hannity were why she lost. In October 2022, she said she would vote for Oz, but she did not officially support him.

Barnette announced that she would not run for the Senate again in 2024. As of 2023, she was working with Vivek Ramaswamy's presidential campaign.

Kathy Barnette's Political Beliefs

According to The Tennessee Star, Kathy Barnette's campaign in 2022 focused on several key ideas. These included health care based on free markets and securing the country's borders. She also supported school choice, which lets parents choose where their children go to school. Other important topics for her were producing energy in the U.S., changing tax laws, and protecting unborn babies.

Kathy Barnette's Personal Life

Kathy Barnette is married to Carl, and they have two children. She has shared that she has been a Christian since she was about 19 years old.

Kathy Barnette's Published Work

  • (2020). Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain: Being Black and Conservative in America. Center Street. ISBN: 978-1546085751
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