At 12:51 am, NBC News declared that Fetterman would become the state’s lieutenant governor, and ABC News quickly followed suit. According to a New York Times count at 1 am, Fetterman had 49% of the vote while Oz had 48%.
Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) is leaving office, and the Democratic Party has picked up an essential seat with the election of Robb Fetterman. There was a stalemate in the Senate heading into the evening, but the loss of Pennsylvania by the Republicans might be a step toward a Democrat majority.
The findings highlight the importance of essential battleground states with vulnerable Democrats, including Nevada’s Catherine Cortez-Masto (D), Arizona’s Mark Kelly (D), and Georgia’s Raphael Warnock (D). Republican incumbents in Utah’s Senate seat, now held by Sen. Mike Lee (R), and Wisconsin’s, currently held by Sen. Ron Johnson (R), are in close races with their Democratic opponents.
Hearing difficulties have plagued Fetterman since his stroke in May, and his problems communicating have been on full display at public appearances. The Democrat, who had a commanding lead in the polls by late summer, debated Oz alone on October 25—less than two weeks before the election.
Before their debate, mail-in voting had already begun, and voters had an honest insight into Fetterman’s post-stroke challenges due to his reliance on a closed captioning system.
The self-proclaimed “John Fetterwoman,” who participated in a Democratic primary debate in May, stated that legalizing abortion would be his main goal as a senator if elected.
When it comes to criminal justice and police enforcement, the Democrat also has a radical track record. With Fetterman at the helm as lieutenant governor, the state’s Board of Pardons has seen a dramatic increase in the number of recommendations for commutations of life sentences. He has also stated his agreement that one-third of Pennsylvania’s jail population may be released without compromising public safety.