Why Things Might Be Looking Up for the GOP in Pennsylvania's Senate Race

Pennsylvania was a disaster for Republicans in 2022. The party's gubernatorial nominee got blown out, John Fetterman was elected to the United States Senate, competitive Congressional races tipped blue, and Democrats gained double-digit seats in the state legislature.  Indeed, things haven't gone well for the GOP in the Keystone State since the surprise cycle of 2016.  Could next year be different?  Most factors are unpredictable at this stage, it's a blue-tinted state, and quite a lot will depend on the national mood -- very much including what's happening at the very top of the ticket.  But one cause for cautious early optimism is what's been going on in the US Senate race thus far.  In the last cycle, a truly bruising primary resulted in a razor-thin victory for Trump-endorsed Dr. Oz, who emerged from that battle bloodied and bruised.