NORRISTOWN, Pa (CBS) — The race to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Senate is heating up. Over the weekend, the Democratic frontrunner had a stroke. Meanwhile, the top Republicans made their final push ahead of Tuesday’s primary.
This is the race to fill the seat left behind by Republican Pat Toomey, who decided not to run for reelection.
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John Fetterman, the Democratic frontrunner, says his recent stroke won’t slow down his campaign plans. Meanwhile, his Republican opponents are making their case that they are the best ones to beat him.
“It was on Friday. I just wasn’t feeling very well,” Fetterman said.
Over the weekend, Pennsylvania’s Lieutenant governor and the Democratic frontrunner in the state’s Senate race announced he went to the hospital after suffering a stroke. Fetterman made the announcement on Sunday alongside his wife Gisele Barreto Fetterman at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital after canceling several events. Fetterman later tweeted the stroke was caused by a blood clot from his heart being in an atrial fibrillation rhythm for too long.
On Friday, I wasn’t feeling well, so I went to the hospital to get checked out.
I didn’t want to go – I didn’t think I had to – but @giselefetterman insisted, and as usual, she was right.
The good news is I’m feeling much better + I’m well on my way to a full recovery. pic.twitter.com/WQ5X6QgQen
— John Fetterman (@JohnFetterman) May 15, 2022
He says he’s feeling much better now. He’s on his way to making a full recovery, and he still plans on winning Tuesday’s primary and flipping Pennsylvania’s Senate seat in November.
Fetterman wants criminal justice reform, legalization of marijuana and raising the minimum wage, among other things.
Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta is a state representative who represents Pennsylvania’s 18th District and is from Philadelphia. He is the youngest and 1st openly LGBTQ+ person of color elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. He wants to address generational poverty.
Congressman Connor Lamb is a former Marine who represents Pennsylvania’s 17th District. He wants to raise the minimum wage, strengthen unions and expand Medicare.
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Alex Kahlil is a member of the Jenkintown Borough Council and a small business owner fighting to help other businesses impacted by the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Fetterman’s Republican opponents are making their final campaign pushes.
Dr. Mehmet Oz spoke to a small group on Saturday in Delaware County. Oz spoke to supporters at Normandy Farms in Blue Bell Monday night. The multi-millionaire doctor was also endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
Oz was in Norristown on Monday hosting a town hall event. That event is for the media only and is not open to the public.
Dave McCormick made his campaign swing through Pennsylvania, starting in Chester County. Kathy Barnette held a joint GOP rally in Bucks County with gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano.
Barnette has been surging in recent polls, but she still may have to overcome some controversial tweets that recently resurfaced.
“She blocked reporters from her event on Saturday after she faced tough questions about past statements, including homophobic remarks, inflammatory statements about Muslims. But her supporters are shrugging all that off. And Dr. Mehmet Oz and David McCormick, her top rivals, are saying, ‘Wait a minute, we are the Trump favorites. We represent the Trump coalition,’” CBS News Chief Election correspondent Robert Costa said.
Hours before an event in Scranton, Barnette’s camp addressed photos she was in Washington, D.C. when the Capitol was attacked. Her campaign told CBS that Barnette had no involvement with the violence.
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CBS3’s Ross DiMattei and Kerri Corrado contributed to this report.
Source : https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2022/05/16/pennsylvania-primary-race-senate-fetterman-oz-barnette-kenyatta/