Republican Trump, Democrat face off in Pennsylvania Senate race
This file photo combination shows Democratic Senate candidate Pennsylvania Lieutenant John Fetterman (left) and Republican Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz in a 2022 photo.
AP’s photo
Democratic Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman and his Republican rival Dr. Mehmet Oz shook the gates in their only debate Tuesday night, just two weeks before Election Day.
The state’s lieutenant governor, Fetterman, said in an opening statement that Oz “if he’s on TV, he’s lying,” calling it the “Oz rule.”
Oz fights back, calling Fetterman “extreme” and accusing him of being vulnerable to crime.
The Democrat, who is recovering from a stroke he suffered in May, appeared to struggle with his language throughout the debate. He admitted that his campaign was “all about fighting for someone who was knocked down in Pennsylvania and had to get back up again.”
The race to take the seat vacated by Republican Senator Pat Toomey’s departure is widely viewed as: One of the most important cycles of the intermediate cycle.
Democrats see the race in key states contested by the president. Joe Biden overthrow the former president donald trump In 2020, one of the best chances to flip Republican-held seats and cling to a very thin Senate majority. Republicans see Toomey’s seat as part of their plan to regain control of the Senate of Congress.
During an hour-long debate in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, candidates answered questions about abortion rights, raising the minimum wage, gun reform, and fracking in Keystone.
Fetterman reiterated his support for the framework established by Roe v. Wade. The framework is a long-standing abortion precedent that was overturned by the Supreme Court over the summer.
Oz said that decisions about abortion should be “women, doctors, [and] Local political leaders,” he said, adding that states should decide for themselves.
Fetterman said he had “always” supported Fracking and had trouble explaining the apparent contradiction when he noted that the moderator had previously said he “never” supported Fracking. .
They were also grilled for their records and past positions. We have provided quality information that will give Fetterman said his community “understood what happened.” 2013 incident As mayor of Braddock, he brandished a shotgun at black joggers.
Each candidate accused the other of lying and spared no punches when attacking the other’s private life. Fetterman repeatedly knocks Oz for owning numerous properties outside Pennsylvania, and Oz accuses Fetterman of not paying his taxes.
The controversy arose when Oz, a Trump-backed celebrity doctor, closed a polling deficit with Fetterman in the final weeks of the race.
The two candidates now appear to be in a virtual dead heat, according to recent poll averages compiled by . real clear politics When Five Thirty Eight.
Oz’s gains came when Fetterman recovered from a debilitating stroke in May, keeping him out of the campaign for three months.
Oz’s campaign, with tens of millions of dollars in support from Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s PAC, attacked Fetterman with an ad accusing him of being sweet on crime and too far for Pennsylvania. Two other GOP groups associated with that PAC were inundated early in . Another $6.2 million To ads running in Pennsylvania leading up to Election Day.
Fetterman’s campaign accused Oz, a wealthy TV star, of being a clueless carpetbagger from New Jersey who got rich from promotions. Sometimes Questionable Health Information to his audience.
Oz’s campaign has also launched attacks on Fetterman’s health, openly questioning whether he is physically fit for public office. Primary Care Physician wrote last week Although the candidate “has no work restrictions and can fulfill his duties as a civil servant,” he noted that he is experiencing lingering auditory processing problems.
In a recent interview, Fetterman used a closed captioning system to read live transcriptions of the questions asked of him. His campaign was closed Monday during the debate. He warned that using captions could lead to awkward pauses and transcription errors.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/25/oz-fetterman-debate-gop-trump-pick-democrat-face-off-in-pa-senate-race.html Republican Trump, Democrat face off in Pennsylvania Senate race