John Fetterman and his Republican rival, Dr. Mehmet Oz, have members of their parties worried after an intense debate on Tuesday.
The control of the US Senate might depend on the outcome of the race. The two sides are investing a lot of money to get the upper hand in a battle that could have significance for the 2024 race for president.
Former President Donald Trump has endorsed the TV personality, and the current occupant of the White House Joe Biden has campaigned for the lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania.
Trump won the state in 2016, and Mr. Biden recaptured it four years later. The Senate race is a toss-up at this point, although many experts had it leaning Democratic until very recently.
John Fetterman has shaky debate performance against Mehmet Oz
In the Democratic primary, progressives went all in for Fetterman and called his top rival, Congressman Conor Lamb, the next Joe Manchin. It was a surprising line of attack, but it worked.
Lamb, a centrist, was painted as not a reliable future Democratic vote in the Senate. After Tuesday night, many of the same supporters express some doubts about Fetterman.
Team Fetterman did their best to lower expectations around the debate, and they were right. Observers thought it was a tactical move, but it seems aides were telling the truth.
The 53-year-old politician has a speech impediment as he recovers from a stroke that he had earlier this year. While his delivery was problematic for many viewers, his answers are what Democrats are most worried about.
He did not have a clear response for his flip-flop on fracking, an issue that is very important in The Keystone State. Fetterman could not really explain why he pulled a gun on an innocent and unarmed Black man.
Despite the bad night for his opponent, Oz should not rest on his laurels.
Mehmet Oz gives Democrats a lifeline on abortion
The former protégé of TV icon Oprah Winfrey had a solid showing. However, there are a few reasons to pause the early celebrations.
First, Oz gave the Democratic Party a viral moment with his answer on abortion. He said that “local officials” should have a say in a woman’s decision to abort.
Some commentators have called the moment a gaffe. Fetterman’s team is planning to use the clip in campaign ads. The response could also help Democrats nationalize the issue again.
Second, Oz did not appear natural, and some people even say that he did not come off as a nice person. Likeability is always an important issue in politics.
Thirdly, despite his shortcomings, many voters might empathize with Fetterman’s health struggles. This could be enough to get him across the finish line.
Moreover, he has raised over one million dollars after the debate, which means his supporters are energized. They might have seen Oz as a bully for going so hard after someone with health issues.
Mehmet Oz and John Fetterman try to put some distance between them and Trump and Biden
The two candidates are in a similar position. They cannot fully embrace the two main figures in their respective party. Oz says that he will back Trump if he is the Republican nominee for president in 2024.
However, he made sure to insist that this election is about more pressing issues. Fetterman says he will support Biden if he runs, but he refuses to say if he wants him to seek another term.
It is a delicate dance not to offend the supporters of each figure. This is especially the case for Oz because Trump has a habit of turning on Republicans who appear disloyal to his cause.
The positioning is one illustration of the importance of the state leading up to the next presidential race. In the average of polling, Fetterman has a 1.4 percentage point lead over Oz and a 59% chance of winning the seat.
However, new polling in the upcoming days will probably change the dynamic of this election battle.
