Aspiring PA judges Prince and Battista remain in races, challenging establishment endorsements

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania — The messy PA GOP Chairman Election and Endorsement Meeting might be over; but the fight – between the establishment GOP and the grassroots, MAGA-inspired patriots isn’t. Not in two statewide judge races anyway! 

In an about-face, two candidates have announced they will still run – in spite of the party’s endorsement of its favored candidates. 

In the race for Commonwealth Court judge, candidate Joshua Prince, initially agreed to withdraw, if he failed to clinch the endorsement; but after reflection & pleas from multiple PAGOP State Committee members and friends, he announced he is re-entering the race.

“I believe the People, not political insiders, should decide who represents them,” wrote Prince, in a Feb. 19^th blog post linked to his social media announcement, in which he recounted his experience leading up to the Feb. 8^th PA GOP Winter Meeting. 

Prince has held that unfair – illegal – tactics have tainted the PA GOP chairman election and the endorsements, alleging lies, threats and bribery – by at least one state committee member, Jackie Kulback, who is both the Cambria County Republican Committee Chairwoman, as well as the Southwest PA GOP Caucus Chair. (Kulback was not present at the PA GOP Winter Meeting, but instead sent a proxy, to vote on her behalf.) Others have piled onto Prince’s allegations, by issuing social media statements, or reaching out to Harrisburg100, which was chronicled here.

“And, although over a dozen state committee members (and two other statewide candidates) confirmed my allegations, some even publicly, and many stated that they would be willing to testify at a hearing in advance of the endorsement vote, the (PA GOP) did nothing and has done nothing, even to this day,” Prince wrote.

Prince said his decision to remain in the race is about: “… reclaiming our Party for the people who believe in its true purpose and conservative principles. It is about reminding everyone that Republican values—honesty, fairness, and respect for the rule of law—are bigger than any backroom deal.”

At the Feb. 8^th, PA GOP Winter Meeting, Matthew Wolford received the PA GOP endorsement for Commonwealth County Judge. Harrisburg100 has reached out to the new PA GOP administration, under state Sen. Greg Rothman, for the roll call votes and the vote tally, but has not received a response. 

In the Superior Court race, Ann Marie Wheatcraft of Chester County won the endorsement for Superior Court Judge, by a 1-vote margin in the 3-candidate race. Paula A. Patrick of Philadelphia County has withdrawn, but challenging the endorsement result is Maria Battista.  Battista’s single-vote endorsement loss could have turned out differently if some state committee members did not leave prior to the endorsement part of the meeting. Harrisburg100 has learned of at least one committee member who departed the meeting early as a protest of the endorsements, believing this should be in the hands of the people, on Primary Election Day, as it was originally designed.

Harrisburg100 reached out to Maria Battista for comment; and has not heard back from her as of yet.