What to know about the Pa. Senate debate
- The debate between Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman and Republican celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz lasted roughly an hour.
- The candidates sparred over abortion, fracking and immigration. Here are the key takeaways.
- Both campaigns agreed to a closed captioning accommodation to allow Fetterman, who is recovering from a stroke, to read questions and answers spoken and transcribed instantly.
- The close contest could decide control of the Senate.
Key takeaways from an hour with Oz and Fetterman
Fetterman’s performance reinforced questions about his recovery from a May stroke, while Oz gave an answer on abortion that the Democrat immediately seized on for future attacks — and the Republican hammered Fetterman on crime.
For what we learned after an hour — which involved a lot of shouting and rapid-fire answers — in Harrisburg, click here.
Fetterman campaign attacks Oz for saying 'local political leaders' should be involved in abortion decisions
Fetterman's campaign took aim at a remark Oz made earlier in the night related to abortion. Asked whether he would support a nationwide abortion ban, Oz said he thought abortion policies should be left up to “women, doctors, local political leaders."
“Our campaign will be putting money behind making sure as many women as possible hear Dr. Oz’s radical belief that ‘local political leaders’ should have as much say over a woman’s abortion decisions as women themselves and their doctors," said Joe Calvello, Fetterman's campaign spokesman. “After months of trying to hide his extreme abortion position, Oz let it slip on the debate stage on Tuesday. Oz belongs nowhere near the U.S. Senate, and suburban voters across Pennsylvania will see just how out-of-touch Oz is on this issue.”
Fetterman campaign says it raised $500,000 after debate
GOP Sen. Toomey questions Fetterman's health, says Oz is 'only' person fit to replace him
Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., tweeted that Oz is the only person onstage Tuesday fit to serve as a senator, questioning Fetterman's health and debate performance.
"Anyone watching today could tell there was only one person on that stage who can represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate: @Dr.Oz." Toomey wrote. "It's sad to see John Fetterman struggling so much. He should take more time to allow himself to fully recover."
Fetterman and Oz are running to fill Toomey's seat in the Senate. Toomey endorsed Oz after the primary and has appeared alongside him at campaign events.
In May, before primary, former President Donald Trump implored Pennsylvanians at a rally to back Oz over GOP rival Dave McCormick, labeling McCormick "more Toomey than he is MAGA."
Toomey defended the 2020 vote in Pennsylvania and voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial.
Does Oz want to cut Social Security, as Fetterman claims?
"Dr. Oz and the Republicans believe in cutting Medicare and Social Security. I believe that they have to support and expand Social Security, and if somebody sends me the send me to Washington, D.C., I would support and stand — and support Social Security," Fetterman said.
Asked what Fetterman was basing that on, a campaign aide cited Oz's remarks April 5 praising National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Rick Scott, who has proposed a plan to sunset federal legislation after five years.
In that interview, Oz praised Scott, a senator from Florida, and his "vision for what the party can do going forward," saying he has "a game plan" — but without endorsing the policy to sunset programs like Social Security.
Oz accused Fetterman during the debate of seeking to "fearmonger" with older voters. "We made a deal with the wonderful seniors of our nation. They worked their hearts out. They paid into a program. No one's going to touch it on my watch except to make sure that it's stronger than it is right now," Oz said. "John Fetterman, again, has been running ads and saying that I'm against those [programs] with no proof."
Fetterman and Oz offer closing thoughts
In his closing statement, Fetterman reiterated that his campaign "is all about fighting for anyone that ever got knocked down to get back up again," adding he is campaigning for "forgotten" communities all across the state.
Oz, meanwhile, framed his remarks around the American dream.
"I believe we’re the land of opportunity, the land of plenty," he said, saying he believes in balancing the budget, expanding energy production, securing the border and giving parents more control over schooling. "Most of all, I believe in you."
Both candidates were then asked whom they are rooting for in this weekend's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Fetterman said the Steelers. Oz the Eagles.
"Fly, Eagles, fly," Oz finished.
Oz, Fetterman disagree on canceling student debt
Both candidates were asked how they would address the cost of higher education, but neither provided a concrete plan.
Instead, Fetterman and Oz made clear their differing views about President Joe Biden's plan to cancel up to $20,000 in federal student debt. Oz said it wasn't fair to make a plumber who didn't go to college pick up the bill for a lawyer who didn't pay off their debt, while Fetterman said he supported the move and said Oz "loves free money when it's half a million tax break" for himself.
Fetterman, however, did say more resources needed to be devoted to public schools like Penn State and the University of Pittsburgh to make them more affordable for everyday families. And Oz said offering more classes online could help reduce the cost.
Oz and Fetterman argued even as they agreed on SCOTUS, filibuster
Both candidates said Tuesday night they opposed expanding the Supreme Court, an idea that has gained traction with some on the left in the wake of Republican appointees' dominating the high court.
"I don't believe in that," Fetterman said of adding seats to the bench. "It’s not about changing the rules. It’s about acknowledging where we’re at."
Oz agreed: "I would never touch the makeup of the Supreme Court."
But he immediately picked a fight over the filibuster, saying Fetterman's "radical positions have spilled over" to "removing the brakes on the Senate overreacting."
Fetterman interjected to say Oz was right. "That is true! That is true!" he said.
Fetterman pressed about jogger confrontation
After he was pressed about whether he would support Trump in 2024 despite the former president's legal troubles, Oz sought to turn the conversation to a years-old encounter in which Fetterman chased down a Black jogger with a shotgun while he was mayor of Braddock.
"Why haven’t you apologized to that unarmed innocent Black man?" Oz asked.
Fetterman said that he was merely defending his town as its chief law enforcement officer and that the community "all understood what happened."
The incident happened nine years ago after Fetterman said he heard what sounded like gunshots and saw a man running away from the sound. You can read more about it here.
Fetterman: Statue of Liberty doesn't call for bus tickets
Oz and Fetterman traded shots on immigration that roughly mirror the positions of their respective parties.
"We have a catastrophe at the border," Oz said, noting that his parents immigrated to the U.S. He accused Democrats, including Fetterman, of "creating a humanitarian crisis" by supporting less strict enforcement of immigration laws.
Fetterman got the last word — and took a swipe at Republican governors who have sent busloads of immigrants to Northern cities.
"I believe that a secure border can be compatible with compassion," Fetterman said. And, he added, "I don’t ever recall in the Statue of Liberty that they say, 'Take our tired huddled masses and put them on a bus.'"
