The race next year for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Pat Toomey is beginning to take shape, with Republican Sean Parnell now said to be “99 percent sure” he will run, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Parnell, who lost by just two percentage points in a congressional run last year against incumbent Connor Lamb, would join a slate of four announced candidates for the GOP nomination (along with Jeff Bartos, Sean Gale, Kathy Barnette, and Everett Stern).
Democrats who have declared so far include John Fetterman, Malcolm Kenyatta, Val Arkoosh, Kevin Baumlin, Brandaun Dean, Alexandia Khalil, John McGuigan, and Sharif Street.
Both parties also have a lengthy list of potential candidates who have publicly expressed interest in running.
Toomey is one of five Republican senators who, at this point, are not seeking reelection next year. Twelve GOP senators are running for another term. No Democrat senators have announced that they will not seek reelection. There are 12 Senate seats currently held by Democrats that will be contested next year.
