2022 Pennsylvania Senate Voters Guide
Jonathan Fetterman (D) vs Mehmet Oz (R)
The Candidates
Legal. Says “safeguarding access to abortion” is a “no-brainer.” “People should have control over their own bodies and their own lives. Period.” Get rid of the filibuster to “finally codify Roe into law.”
Ban. “I believe life starts at conception.” Will support “pro-life legislation that saves innocent lives.” However, in 2019 said he personally opposed abortion but was concerned with bans because as a medical student he “saw women who had coat-hanger events” and “were harmed for life.”
Mostly yes. Says “climate is critical.” Wants green and renewable energy and a carbon cap. Is refusing donations from fossil fuel industries. Opposes a fracking ban that would eliminate union jobs. In 2016 proposed a fracking moratorium until environmental regs tightened.
Mostly no. Supports American energy independence by producing coal, oil, gas, and renewable energy. Says the belief that “carbon is bad” is “a lie.” Supports fracking and natural gas production to lower both high energy prices, and carbon emissions.
Increase. Supports Biden’s $3.5 trillion spending package. Supports Governor Wolf’s Restore PA Project to invest $4.5 billion in high-impact infrastructure projects.
Decrease. Says Biden’s spending is “reckless” and “has led to inflation.” Says “the Joe Biden and John Fetterman agenda of massive spending” has caused “one of the greatest labor shortages in American history.”
Says Republicans’ use of critical race theory is “divisive dog whistling” and that all of American history should be taught in schools, including “the good, the bad, the horrific.”
Says “We should not be teaching students that America is inherently racist.” But also says systemic racism in medicine has created “disparities in the health outcomes” and wants change.
Yes. Calls the claim that the election “was rigged for Biden” a lie. No evidence of widespread voter fraud in PA.
No. Absentee ballots and lack of voter ID led to cheating in the 2020 election. “We have got to understand the different ways where cheating occurs.” No specific comment found on Biden.
Mostly tighten. Supports a proposal to reduce pollution and prepare for floods and other severe weather conditions. Supports a transition from fossil fuels, but not immediately banning fracking.
Loosen. “Will fight back against heavy-handed regulations” to produce coal and natural gas. Supports fracking. Distanced himself from health concerns about fracking expressed previously in a 2014 column that he co-wrote.
More. Says “making guns safer doesn’t restrict access to guns.” Supports filibuster reform to pass “common sense gun laws.” Supports universal background checks.
Less. Opposes “red flag-laws and liberal gun grabs.” “I will never back down from the fight to protect our Second Amendment Rights,” which, he says, is “about protecting ourselves.”
Yes. Supports lowering prescription drug prices. Says healthcare is a “fundamental human right.” Supports PA’s Medicaid expansion. As Lt. Governor, asked the public to wear a COVID mask as “just courtesy.”
Mostly no. Would “dismantle policies” leading to costly prescription drugs, and boost access to ”private sector plans expanded by Trump.” Proposed universal care through competing private plans funded by a “20% payroll tax.” Opposes COVID business and school shutdowns.
Says “Immigration is what makes America, America.” Supports ending pandemic-era border restrictions, but only with a “detailed plan in place.” Calls for fixing “our broken immigration system as a whole.” Wants DACA permanent.
Says “will fight to end illegal immigration” and supports a physical or a virtual wall. In 2019, celebrated meeting a group of DACA Dreamers, and in 2018, said “I get all the politics, but we don’t want to penalize the dreamers for that.”
Easier. Says unions “invented the weekend…invented worker safety… invented worker dignity.” Supported strikes by Kellogg’s unionized workers. Joined Kutztown University dining workers’ rally to form a union.
No position found.
Expand. Hung the LGBTQ rights flag from the balcony of his office. “It’s perfectly legal to discriminate against the LGBTQIA+ community in PA. This must change.” Officiated the first same-sex marriage in Allegheny County in 2013 when it was still banned in Pennsylvania.
Unclear. Says “biological men shouldn’t play women’s sports,” and “80 to 85 percent of kids who say they are transgender…if they’re not influenced, go back to their biological gender.” In 2010 posted, “I’m wearing purple to support LGBT youth. Stop the bullying.”
Legal. Hung pro-legalization green leaf flag from the balcony of his office as lieutenant governor. “Legalizing is inevitable and the right side of history.”
Mixed. Supports medical marijuana but opposes recreational use because “we already have a problem with getting young people to work.” “If you build a psychological addiction,” we’ll have “even fewer people engaged in life.”
Yes. “You can’t live on anything less than $15 an hour.” Says supporting a $15 per hour federal minimum wage is “a hill I would die on.”
No position found.
“Discretion and de-escalation measures are pro-community, pro-police.” Commenting on an incident of police brutality, said, “This officer needs to be held accountable.” Supports “using civilian review boards” for better accountability.
Is pro-law enforcement; supports providing the police with “tools and resources” to keep “our communities safe” and will give them a powerful voice in Washington.
Yes. Supports action to “reduce and eliminate student loan debt.” Says investment and support for affordable education are crucial.
No. Opposes student loan forgiveness. It “doesn’t just make the debt disappear. Hardworking Americans will have to foot the bill because some far-left activists thought this idea would distract voters from their… agenda.”
More. Criticized senators who supported raising the corporate tax rate from 21% to only 25%, when it had been 31% before the 2017 tax cuts. Says “we need a wealth tax,” and believes millionaires should pay at least 30% of their income in taxes.
No position found.
No. Calls for removal of “restrictions that marginalize voters.” Calls universal voter ID “insidious and unnecessary.” Would vote for a bill guaranteeing “everyone has the right to vote.”
Yes. Would “pass a voter ID law” to ensure “safe and secure elections.”
We have space to include only candidates polling 15%, but check out others including Erik Chase Gerhardt (L), Ronald Johnson (C), and Quincy Magee (I).
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