- Trump in recent weeks was dismayed at his connection to the faltering Parnell campaign, per Politico.
- Trump had endorsed Parnell in September and reportedly blamed Don Jr. for this connection to the candidate.
- Parnell on Monday suspended his Senate campaign after losing custody of his children amid abuse allegations.
Former President Donald Trump had in recent weeks expressed dismay at the state of Sean Parnell's Senate candidacy in Pennsylvania and blamed his son, Don Jr., for tethering him to the faltering campaign, according to a Politico report.
Parnell, an Army veteran and former congressional candidate who was highly touted by Trump's son and endorsed by the former president in September, suspended his campaign on Monday after losing a child custody battle.
A judge in Butler County, Pennsylvania, awarded Parnell's estranged wife, Laurie Snell, primary custody and sole legal custody of their three children, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Earlier this month, Snell testified under oath that Parnell choked her until she fought back to escape his wrath, while also stating that he hit their children and repeatedly hurled obscenities at her, per The Inquirer.
With the ensuing turmoil surrounding Parnell, the Republican candidate chose to end his once-promising campaign.
"There is nothing more important to me than my children, and while I plan to ask the court to reconsider, I can't continue with a Senate campaign," he said in a statement on Monday. "My focus right now is 100% on my children, and I want them to know I do not have any other priorities and will never stop fighting for them."
Before Parnell's exit, Trump was reportedly "fixated" on the situation, expressing disappointment with being connected to the campaign, and was in disbelief over the developments in Parnell's very public custody battle, according to a source who spoke with Politico. Donald Jr. had been a catalyst for his father's endorsement of Parnell, and the deterioration of the Pennsylvania Republican's campaign frustrated the former president, per Politico.
However, despite the damning allegations from Snell earlier this month, Trump did not withdraw his support of Parnell.
Trump's team had even continued to move forward with a January 2022 fundraiser for Parnell at the former president's Mar-a-Lago club in South Florida, according to Politico.
But now the GOP must get a handle on the still-fluid Senate race in Pennsylvania, as they seek to rally behind a potential successor to retiring two-term Sen. Pat Toomey.
With Parnell in the rearview mirror, the remaining Republican candidates include Jeff Bartos, a real estate developer, and Carla Sands, who served as the US ambassador to Denmark under Trump. David McCormick, a combat veteran who runs the prominent hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, has also been mentioned as a potential candidate. Former Rep. Ryan Costello, a moderate Republican from the vote-rich Philadelphia suburbs who served in Congress from 2015 to 2019, might also jump into the race, according a source who spoke with Politico.
And Dr. Mehmet Oz, the cardiothoracic surgeon and longtime television personality, has made some behind-the-scenes moves to potentially enter the race.
Democrats see Pennsylvania — a state narrowly carried by President Joe Biden in 2020 — as one of their best pickup opportunities in their quest to retain control of the Senate next year.
Democratic candidates in the race include Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, and US Rep. Conor Lamb.