By Associated Press - Thursday, April 7, 2016

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A national Democratic Party committee is spending $1.5 million on TV ads in the final three weeks of Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate primary campaign in a bid to boost Katie McGinty over Joe Sestak.

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee officials confirmed the spending Thursday. It’ll push outside spending past $2.5 million in the primary to help McGinty.

Sestak has an icy relationship with party leaders, but is leading polls. The former Navy vice admiral and congressman is seeking a rematch against first term Republican Sen. Pat Toomey after losing to him in 2010.

The seat is seen as crucial to winning Senate control.

Party leaders, including President Barack Obama, are putting their clout on the line to help McGinty. She is Sestak’s chief rival in the three-way race for the Democratic nomination.

___

This story has been corrected to show the name of the committee is the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, not the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee.

Copyright © 2026 The Washington Times, LLC.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.