Two weeks remain before important by-elections in the United States, and the nation’s focus centers on Pennsylvania as the political spotlight returns to a pivotal Senate race. This contest could redefine control of the chamber, which the Democrats hold only thanks to Vice President Kamala Harris’s tie-breaking vote, with voting scheduled as the midterm day approaches.
Pennsylvania is again at the heart of the political conversation. Donald Trump is directing new attention there, treating the campaign as a test run for a possible presidential bid in 2024 and echoing the strategy that proved effective in 2020. The state, often called the cornerstone, finds itself once more as a focal point of intense political gravity, potentially triggering another shakeup in American politics.
Senate race
The political tremors have shifted in recent months. Just before John Fetterman, the Democratic nominee for Senate and the state’s lieutenant governor, took a substantial lead of more than ten points, Mehmet Oz, a cardiologist and media figure, was a strong contender in the Republican camp prior to entering politics and seeking the seat again, following President Trump’s endorsement and support.
Fetterman presents a distinctive, informal image: tall but compact, with tattoos, a goatee, gym shorts, and a hoodie. A former mayor of Braddock, a small town near Pittsburgh, he stands as a progressive candidate who appeals to workers affected by deindustrialization. His appeal includes calling for economic revival in a state where President Biden carried the vote by a narrow margin in 2020, with Trump’s influence still felt in urban centers and some rural areas alike.
Yet Fetterman’s health challenges—paralysis and speech impairment observed in the months leading to the primaries—became a central talking point. Oz and Republican allies seized on any sign of difficulty, questioning whether the Democrat could physically and cognitively handle the workload of office. Oz, meanwhile, has framed the race around inflation, crime, and immigration, accusing Fetterman of holding extreme stances that threaten ordinary Pennsylvanians.
The contest thus evolved into a broader fight over the balance of power in the Senate. It belongs to a larger lineup across Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Ohio—states that could determine which party controls the Upper House after the election.
On Tuesday night, a televised, face-to-face debate between Fetterman and Oz crystallized the tensions: sharp exchanges, pointed attacks, and a rapid-fire cadence that tested both candidates. To accommodate Fetterman’s reading needs, organizers arranged barriers and captioning aids so transcripts could be read in real time, while the campaign discussed the advisability of continuing debates as early voting began in Pennsylvania on September 19.
Throughout, Fetterman maintained that he was on the path to full recovery and ready to serve once discussion began, a claim backed by his doctors who have monitored his speech difficulties and word-finding issues. The debates highlighted how voters weigh a candidate’s health against policy promises, with stalemates providing little clarity on the Democratic stance on the state’s economic and industrial concerns. Critics noted that Fetterman’s performance seemed uneven, drawing comparisons to a television host who has spent years in front of cameras, even as the candidate faced scrutiny over his medical transparency and public statements about Pennsylvania’s economic policy.
Observers wondered how voters would respond. The debate also framed two distinct policy visions. Fetterman backed raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $15 per hour, while Oz argued that market forces should drive wage increases without government mandates. The campaign also examined abortion rights in light of the Supreme Court’s decision; Oz asserted that Democrats champion a radically broad approach, while Fetterman’s stance evolved through the primary, with his camp signaling a willingness to engage on policy details and practical governance—support for a nuanced approach that includes the realities of local political leadership.
Trump’s Strategy
Pre-debate polls placed Fetterman within the margin of error, only two points ahead of Oz, signaling a tight race that keeps Democrats alert. The former president has been actively engaging allies, supporters, and legal advisers in person and over the phone, outlining plans that could mobilize efforts to contest results should the vote be close or challenged in the post-election period. If Oz fails to win decisively or if the count remains tight on or after November 8, discussions about legal challenges and process integrity have been raised as possible contingencies.
Rolling Stone has described the strategy of potential post-election challenges as a tactic that echoes the 2020 campaign in Pennsylvania, particularly in Democratic urban centers like Philadelphia. A source cited by the magazine noted that Trump views such a scenario as problematic for a potential 2024 presidential bid, highlighting the political stakes of Pennsylvania as a test case for the broader national contest.