Koch network group works to engage voters early in key Senate race

OAKMONT, Pa. — When Americans for Prosperity CEO Emily Seidel approached Andrew McGhee as he swept his porch this month, Seidel told him AFP had endorsed Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick and asked McGhee whether he is following the Senate race.

McGhee’s response: “Only when I have to.” He added, when he was asked about his thoughts on the coming presidential election, that he’s “enormously disappointed with the top of both tickets for the major parties, and I don’t see what good will come of it if either of them gets elected.”

The interaction highlights some of the deep unrest in the electorate this year — and why AFP is already fanning out into neighborhoods to try to talk about it one on one with voters. The conservative advocacy group, which endorsed Nikki Haley in the GOP presidential primaries, has no plans to endorse in the presidential general election this fall. Instead, it will focus all of its efforts on Senate and House races. AFP Action, AFP’s advocacy arm, began door-knocking efforts in Pennsylvania on April 1, with the goal of knocking on more than 1 million doors ahead of the general election.

Some of those conversations are hitting true undecided voters, like McGhee. Despite his misgivings about the presidential contenders, he told Seidel he will vote because he always votes. He told NBC News that he’s not sure whom he’ll support in the Pennsylvania Senate race: “I’ve met [Democratic Sen.] Bob Casey a couple of times in the past and I like him, but I don’t mind McCormick, so I will make up my mind.”

In an interview, Seidel said: “The biggest challenge this cycle is that voters are really frustrated with the political environment, the dysfunction that they see coming out of Washington, D.C.