Pennsylvania Senate candidates Fetterman and Oz square off in only debate

Pennsylvania Senate candidates John Fetterman — the state's Democratic lieutenant governor — and Republican Mehmet Oz — a doctor and former syndicated daytime talk show host — faced off on Tuesday night for their first and only debate.
Fetterman had a stroke in May, and used closed captioning technology to read the questions being asked. Hitting back at Oz and Republicans who have questioned his health, Fetterman said his doctor "believes that I'm fit to be serving." He also brought up "the elephant in the room. I've had a stroke — [Oz] has never let me forget that — and I might miss some words during this debate, mush two words together. It knocked me down, but I'm gonna keep coming back up, this campaign to me is about fighting for everyone in Pennsylvania that ever got knocked down, that needs to get back up, and fighting for all forgotten communities all across Pennsylvania that also got knocked down."
Oz — who called himself a political outsider and "candidate for change" — deflected criticism of his former television program, The Dr. Oz Show; he has been accused of promoting products that make dubious health claims, and was scolded for this in 2014 during a Senate hearing. Oz said he was proud of his show and that it "ruffled a lot of feathers."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Oz has taken a more measured stance on abortion than Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, who wants an outright ban on the procedure, and he said in Tuesday's debate he wants abortion decisions left to "women, doctors, local political leaders, letting the democracy that's always allowed our nation to thrive, to put the best ideas forward so states can decide for themselves." Fetterman said women should be able to make their own reproductive choices, and "if given the opportunity," he would codify Roe v. Wade.
A third person came into play during the debate: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Oz mentioned Sanders several times, trying to link the senator to Fetterman, who in turn brought up Sanders' appearance on The Dr. Oz Show three years ago. "He hugged him and said, 'I love this guy,'" Fetterman said. "Why don't you pretend that you live in Vermont instead of Pennsylvania and run against Bernie Sanders, since all you can do is talk about Bernie Sanders? My truth is that health care is a basic fundamental right and I believe in expanding that, and I support fighting for health care, the kind of health care that saved my life."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Hollywood's new affection for the British smile
Talking Point Natural teeth are bucking the trend of the classic Hollywood smile
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Sudoku medium: March 27, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Crossword: March 27, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Waltz takes blame for texts amid calls for Hegseth ouster
Speed Read Democrats are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz to step down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judge: Nazis treated better than Trump deportees
speed read U.S. District Judge James Boasberg reaffirmed his order barring President Donald Trump from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US officials share war plans with journalist in group chat
Speed Read Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal conversation about striking Yemen
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada's Mark Carney calls snap election
speed read Voters will go to the polls on April 28 to pick a new government
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Musk set to earn billions from Trump administration
Speed Read Musk's company SpaceX will receive billions in federal government contracts in the coming years
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reports: Musk to get briefed on top secret China war plan
Speed Read In a major expansion of Elon Musk's government role, he will be briefed on military plans for potential war with China
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump signs order to end Education Department
Speed Read The move will return education 'back to the states where it belongs,' the president says
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump pauses $175M for Penn over trans athlete
Speed Read The president is withholding federal funds from the University of Pennsylvania because it once allowed a transgender swimmer to compete
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published