Despite suffering a stroke in May, the 53-year-old Fetterman secured the Democratic nomination with the support of all 67 counties. On the campaign road, his slogan was “Every County, Every Vote.”
Fetterman did not return to the campaign trail until August, and he still struggles with auditory processing. He has been used closed captioning to read interview questions. However, Fetterman’s physician reported in October that his rehabilitation is proceeding and that he is doing well overall. The physician declared that he has “no job restrictions and is able to do full-duty public service.”
Pennsylvania Senate candidates present their concluding arguments at 01:54
On the campaign trail, Fetterman’s health was a political target, with Oz and others urging him to divulge his medical records. During the sole Pennsylvania Senate debate on October 25, Fetterman used closed captioning to respond to questions, highlighting his difficulties. During the discussion, he stated that he was running for every Pennsylvanian who had been knocked down and forced to rise again.
Fetterman advocated on the campaign trail for pro-union legislation, an increase in the minimum wage, the abolition of the filibuster, the decriminalization of marijuana, the protection of abortion rights, and affordable health care. He argued that Oz is out of touch with Pennsylvanians since he is a celebrity physician from New Jersey.
He also portrayed Oz as an abortion extremist. During their sole discussion, Oz stated that the federal government should not be involved in abortion decisions, instead leaving it up to “women, physicians, and local political leaders.”
Fetterman was also one of the few Democrats who did not attempt to separate themselves from President Biden on the campaign road. The two appeared together on Labor Day just outside of Pittsburgh, then again in late October in Philadelphia for a benefit.
Fetterman is originally from York, Pennsylvania, but he went to Braddock, an ancient steel town near Pittsburgh, to begin a GED program. Eventually, he ran for mayor, a position he held from January 2006 until his 2018 election as lieutenant governor.
Oz, born to Turkish immigrants, was raised in Wilmington, Delaware. If elected, he would be the first Muslim senator in the country. The 62-year-old physician rose to prominence through his appearances with Oprah Winfrey and “The Dr. Oz Show.” (Oprah favored Fetterman over Oz last week.)
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Oz, a lifelong resident of New Jersey, changed his voter registration in late 2020 to Pennsylvania.
In November 2021, he declared his candidacy for the Pennsylvania Senate. Former President Trump endorsed him roughly one month prior to the May primary. He defeated former hedge fund CEO David McCormick in the primary by fewer than 1,000 votes. Oz has contributed over $25 million of his personal funds to the campaign.
In the campaign’s final weeks, Oz concentrated on crime and accused Fetterman of seeking to release one-third of prisoners. As part of his duties as lieutenant governor, he has also attacked Fetterman for several of his votes as chair of the state board of parsons. Additionally, Oz utilized his speech to discuss rising costs and energy independence.