Pennsylvania Senate midterm 2022: John Fetterman wins election
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Nov. 9, 2022, 2:25 AM EST By Allan Smith and Henry J. Gomez
NEWTOWN, Pa. — John Fetterman, the state lieutenant governor,has won Pennsylvania's high-voltage race for an open Senate seat, defeating celebrity TV doctor Mehmet Oz, bringing an end to one of the nastiest and most expensive campaigns of the year as both parties treated it as a potential tipping point for control of the chamber.
Fetterman will succeed Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican who opted against seeking re-election. Just after 2 a.m. E.T., Fetterman led by more than 2 percentage points with about 93% of expected votes being reported.
"It's official. I will be the next U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania," Fetterman tweeted. "We bet on the people of Pennsylvania — and you didn't let us down. And I won't let you down. Thank you."
Speaking for roughly seven minutes at his election night event in Pittsburgh, Fetterman said: "This race is for the future of every community all across Pennsylvania. For every small town or person that ever felt left behind."
At his party in Bucks County, Oz spoke briefly just before midnight, expressing confidence that he would emerge victorious.
"When all the ballots are counted, we believe we will win this race," he said. "We've been closing the gap all night, and we have a lot more ballots to go."
"I have told you many many times that I believe in you," Oz added. "Traveled all over the Commonwealth to make that message clear. Tonight, you have told me that you believe in me. Bless you for that."
Fetterman, known for his bald head, tattoos, hulking frame and casual wardrobe (hoodies over suits), had emerged in recent years as a progressive icon — though he and his advisers preferred the word "populist." As a former mayor of the small Pittsburgh-area borough of Braddock and later as lieutenant governor, he championed marriage equality, legal marijuana and second chances for criminals, including those serving the state's mandatory sentence for second-degree murder. Part of his campaign platform, which he pressed in the closing days of the race, was to vote to eliminate the Senate filibuster or 60-vote threshold for most legislation.
Pennsylvania Democratic Senatorial candidate John Fetterman waves as he arrives onstage at a watch party during the midterm elections at Stage AE in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Tuesday.Angela Weiss / AFP - Getty Images
But just days before he won the May primary, Fetterman suffered a stroke, limiting his ability to campaign for months. Meanwhile, Oz's Republican allies spent tens of millions of dollars in an attempt to brand Fetterman as soft on crime.
The barrage helped Oz climb back into a race that Fetterman had led all summer — by double digits, according to at least two polls. Fetterman, whose speech and auditory processing were affected by his stroke, agreed to only one debate, on Oct. 25. His struggles were apparent, stoking alarm the next day among Democrats who worried the performance would scare away voters.
But Fetterman was able to overcome both obstacles.
Oz entered the race with a much higher national profile from his days hosting a syndicated daytime talk show that Oprah Winfrey (who late in the race endorsed Fetterman) helped launch. But the celebrity persona he cultivated, the medical advice he dispensed and the products he featured on the program all would haunt him as a first-time candidate for office. Critics blasted him for promoting dubious therapies. An early column on the dangers of fracking at times tripped him up in a state where drilling for natural gas is seen as an economic lifeline. And Republicans weren't always sure they could trust the man who danced with then-first lady Michelle Obama on his show.
After tacking hard to the right in a primary he won narrowly — and only after a state-mandated recount — Oz made efforts to pivot back to the center. He said he would not have objected to Pennsylvania's 2020 election results and danced around attempts to pin him down on abortion. At the debate, Oz refused to offer a "yes" or "no" answer when asked if he supported a federal 15-week ban on abortion, instead talking more broadly about his desire to allow such decisions to be made by the woman, her doctor and "local political leaders." Democrats seized on the response as a sign that Oz believes that the government should be involved in personal health choices.
Mehmet Oz takes part in a forum for Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidates in Camp Hill, Pa., on April 2.Matt Rourke / AP file
Oz was also dogged by skepticism over his ties to Pennsylvania — after attending the University of Pennsylvania in the 1980s, Oz only moved back to the state in alignment with his Senate bid. No moment best captured his struggles with authenticity then a video from the primary that resurfaced over the summer that featured Oz in a Redner's Market shopping for food in hopes of demonstrating the impact of rising prices.
"My wife wants some vegetables for crudite," Oz said, picking out broccoli, asparagus, carrots, guacamole and salsa for the platter of raw vegetables and dips. "Guys, that's $20 for crudite, and that doesn't include the tequila. I mean, that's outrageous. And we've got Joe Biden to thank for this."
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Not only did the reference to crudite fall flat with listeners who were unfamiliar with the term, but Oz's pronunciation of the name of grocery chain as "Wegners" also quickly trended on Twitter.
Oz attributed the flub to exhaustion.
An NBC News exit poll found Pennsylvanias were more concerned with Oz's limited history in the state than they were about Fetterman's health.
Asked if Oz lived in the state long enough to properly represent it, 56% of voters said in the exit poll that he had not, while 42% said he had. For Fetterman, 50% said he was healthy enough to represent the state while 47% said he was not.
Allan Smith reported from Newtown, Penn. and Henry J. Gomez from Columbus, Ohio.
Allan Smith
Allan Smith is a political reporter for NBC News.
Henry J. Gomez
Henry J. Gomez is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.
Lauren Egan contributed.
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Democracy beat the lying gop's lying asses, again!
This is fantastic isn't it jbb? I'm waiting for the usual suspects to claim fraud. I can't wait to hand them their asses also.
And, promises to self ban if the gop lost?
They won't honor their promises. They don't have any.
If they don't have any, how could they possibly honor them. That doesn't make sense?????
Clueless
Then say so. "Their promises" was the subject of the first sentence. That you followed with "don't have any" would refer back to the promises being the subject NOT the honor. Sentence structure and context are really, really important when communication is in written word only.
What the fuck ever dude
Get a grip. Get a life. Get a sense of humor. FUCK OFF.
Speaking for roughly seven minutes at his election night event in Pittsburgh, Fetterman said:
"Thank you".
He still won.
republicans/gop/gqp are losers.
Considering the abortion turnout gave Shapiro +15, Fetterman's +2 isn't all that impressive.
Oh... I get it... He's recovering from a stroke so that's funny? You'd better hope you never have to recover from one. Schoolyard bully.
Thank-you, Stevie
Oz's campaign references to Fetterman's health, reminded me of Obama's 2008 references to McCain's age. That was when many thought that a 71 year old presidential candidate was to old.
That's what it reminds you of? Really? Not Trump's numerous and continuing references to Biden being one year older than he is? Not his taunting of disabled Americans? Not the entire concept from the trumpies that it's now ok to tease and taunt anybody who isn't perfect in every way?
I’m sorry that my comment wasn’t more clear, yes, that is what it reminded me of.
What happens to Pennsylvania's interest when he has three minutes to speak? He'd better be playing his iPod on 8x.
I'm glad to have given you the opportunity to cheer somebody else into speaking for you, too.
That's all they have Steevie - it's deplorable and despicable and pathetic.
That's how bullies and cowards are. Real tough guys.
You said that already.
Did you forget?
No, when do you think that I said it before?
I speak for nobody but myself.
16 MrFrost 17 hours ago
Walker delivers speeches that only decades of concussions can deliver.
Well, that's rather dismal. 2% is a rather narrow window and he's going to claim to speak for every community?
There is a good chance that Fetterman won because he has appeared much physically improved over the last couple weeks. He looks steadier, his voice has been booming, and he appeared to have more focus.
The major "argument" against Fetterman was his supposed physical frailty, and in the end the voters didnt see him as being that frail.
It didnt help Oz that he was forced to keep sucking up to Trump either.
I'm so glad Jimmy Kimmel brought up the subject of trumpturd pushing that elderly fully dressed woman in the pool at Mar-A-Lardo because he said she'd look better wet and Oz and his wife pulled the woman out of the pool and helped her and yet he still kissed trumpturds fat ass. Fraud with no honor. No wonder he's a republican. No wonder Fetterman won.
Physically improved? In this day and age, I suppose that's as good a reason as any.
As far as Oz sucking up to Trump, I couldn't say. I'm so disgusted by American politics that I've more or less abandoned any effort to keep track of it.
Poor loser
In what way do you think I have lost?
A day or two before the election Oz allowed Trump to appear on stage with him at his last campaign rally. He was afraid of what would happen if he told Trump no.
If his physical condition was a good enough reason for many to say he should lose, then improved physical condition was a good enough reason for him to win.
You said "appeared". What do you base that on, number one. Number two, I think it was more his mental state than physical appearance that many were concerned about.
And that probably cost him dearly...
Which should mean what, to me? That is, given my indicated disgust with our politics, what relevance do you think your comment has to mine?
... by accident. Most PA counties ran 70/30, Oz/Fetterman. It was in the pro-choice counties/cities where Fetterman got spillover from Shapiro's turnout, (not unlike the map of Georgia with Warnock /Walker) but his margin was far less. At any rate, I hope he's better than Doomey.
I wonder how many did early voting for Fetterman before that gawd awful debate?
New phrase - An early voter is an uninformed voter.
And not unlike the governor race in NY State
You made it up. It was stupid then and it's stupid now.
Yes dear, that's the reason why Oz lost.
snicker
Denial, deflection, projection - it's all you got.
Seems all you have is following me around all the time. I have a new member in my fan club.
That isn't what was said, but good observation on your part.
I noticed something about Fetterman this morning...he always dresses so casual. I like that. Makes him more approachable