John Fetterman (R), Mehmet Oz (R), and six other candidates are running in Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate election on November 8, 2022. Incumbent Senator Pat Toomey (R) is not seeking re-election.
CBS News‘ Sarah Ewall-Wice wrote, “The Senate race in Pennsylvania is a crucial battleground for both parties fighting over who will control the Senate after the November elections. Democrats see it as a possible pickup, with GOP Senator Pat Toomey retiring.” The Cook Political Report‘s Amy Gutman wrote, “Republicans will have the favorable political environment on their side.”
In Pennsylvania’s 2018 senate race, incumbent Bob Casey Jr. (D) defeated Lou Barletta (R) 55.7% to 42.6%. In 2016, Toomey won re-election against Katie McGinty (D) 48.8% to 47.3%. Top candidates in the two most recent presidential elections in Pennsylvania were separated by less than 2 percentage points. Pennsylvania is one of two states in 2022, along with Wisconsin, where Republicans are defending a seat in a state that Joe Biden (D) won in 2020.
Fetterman serves as Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor. In 2018, he was elected 57.8% to 40.7% on a joint ticket with incumbent Governor Tom Wolf (D). This race marks Oz’s first run for political office. Oz is a retired surgeon and hosted The Dr. Oz Show from 2009 to 2022.
Minor party, independent, and write-in candidates include Ronald Johnson (Constitution Party), Richard Weiss (G), Daniel Wassmer (Keystone Party of Pennsylvania), Erik Gerhardt (L), Quincy Magee (Independent), and Everett Stern (Independent).
The outcome of this race will affect the partisan balance of the U.S. Senate. Thirty-five of 100 seats were up for election, including one special election. Democrats have an effective majority, with the chamber split 50-50 and Vice President Kamala Harris (D) having the tie-breaking vote. Fourteen seats held by Democrats and 21 seats held by Republicans are up for election in 2022. Republicans are defending two Senate seats in states Joe Biden (D) won in the 2020 presidential election: Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Democrats are not defending any Senate seats in states Donald Trump (R) won in 2020.
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