May 15, 2022 - Politics & Policy

Barnette says she "can't provide a lot of context" on anti-Islam tweets

Julia Shapero

Pennsylvania U.S. Senate candidate Kathy Barnette speaks during a Republican leadership forum at Newtown Athletic Club on May 11 in Newtown, Pa. Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Republican candidate for Senate in Pennsylvania Kathy Barnette on Sunday said she "can't provide a lot of context" about anti-Muslim tweets she'd posted several years ago.

The big picture: Barnette has risen in polls as she vies for the GOP's nomination for an open Senate seat in Pennsylvania. Her history of anti-Muslim and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, along with her record of repeating conspiracy theories have caused concern among her fellow Republicans who worry she'd be an opposition researcher's dream.

Barnette told "Fox News Sunday" she "can't provide a lot of context" about the tweets because they are "not even full thoughts" and "not even full sentences."

"Although I can't provide a lot of context to that because it's a half thought and everything is not there for me to be able to speak to it, what I can say is that I love my country and I have always loved my country and I have always been willing not to blink in the face of difficult discussions," Barnette said.
Barnette placed blame on the Obama administration: "At that particular time, we had the Obama administration bringing in a lot of Syrian refugees."

Background: Barnette was asked about a tweet from 2014 which reads, "If you love freedom, Islam must NOT be allowed to thrive under ANY condition."

Another tweet from 2016 falsely said "Obama is a Muslim. Doing Muslim like THINGS."

Go deeper: What to know about Kathy Barnette

Add Axios on Google

Barnette says she "can't provide a lot of context" on anti-Islam tweets

What to read next