The Pennsylvania Senate race continues to grow more intense, now with Democratic candidate and former Commonwealth lieutenant governor John Fetterman agreeing to debate Republican heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz on Oct. 25 in Harrisburg, Pa., hosted by Nexstar Television.
These two candidates are battling for retiring Senator Pat Toomey’s seat, and this race could determine which party controls the chamber of Congress, as Democrats are attempting to defend their slim majority. As a result, the Oz team has recognized the importance of debates, even accepting seven throughout September and October, with Fetterman declining each opportunity until finally accepting the offer for late October.
“Today, after being hit with massive criticism from state and national editorials and commentators for ducking, John Fetterman finally agreed to one debate…that was originally scheduled for Oct. 5th,” Oz’s Campaign Manager Casey Contres wrote in a statement. “It’s a debate that Fetterman insisted be delayed until only two weeks remain in the campaign, to keep voters in the dark as long as possible.”
Until now, Fetterman has faced constant criticism from the heart surgeon regarding his indecision to debate, citing health reasons, as he suffered a stroke just days before the May primary election. However, the Oz team even offered to pay for Fetterman’s medical personnel at a debate, but their compromise was denied. The Republican candidate then began questioning the lieutenant governor’s fitness for office, saying that his conditions and recovery will prevent him from fully serving the people of the Commonwealth.
However, in an interview with The New York Times, Fetterman said, “I’m running a perfectly normal campaign. I keep getting better and better, and I’m living a perfectly normal life.”
Although the rival candidates have decided on a date for the debate, the terms are subject to heated disputes. Fetterman requested closed captioning during the event in addition to two practice sessions in the Harrisburg studio. In response, the Oz team has asked that the practice runs do not include actual debate questions, that the audience is aware of the closed captioning that will cause interruptions and that the debate is prolonged from 60 minutes to 90 minutes to account for delays. The Democratic candidate agreed to all the terms except the time extension, asserting that Oz had previously agreed to an hour.
“Oz agreed to a 60 minute Nexstar debate. Then, we agreed to a 60 minute Nexstar debate. Now, suddenly, 60 minutes isn’t good enough, and he’s demanding 90,” Fetterman campaign senior adviser Rebecca Katz responded. “Let’s be real: If we agreed to 10 debates, Oz would be demanding 20. He’s going to keep trying to move the goalposts because this is his only play.”
Fetterman has done limited campaigning since suffering the stroke, only accepting a few media interviews. On the other hand, Oz has been traveling across the state with various politicians to spread his plans and messages. The Oct. 25 debate is likely to further inflame the competitive nature of this race, and the strength of each debater can possibly predict the outcome of the election.
