The rhetoric in Pennsylvania’s Senate race has been brutal these last few days. About a week after Republican Mehmet Oz’s campaign said “if [Democratic Lt. Gov.] John Fetterman had ever eaten a vegetable in his life, then maybe he wouldn’t have had a major stroke,” Oz told KDKA radio on Tuesday he has “tremendous empathy” for his opponent.
When asked if his campaign’s rhetoric was appropriate, Oz distanced himself from his own campaign staff.
“The campaign’s been saying lots of things, both of them. My position is, I can only speak to what I’m saying, is that: John Fetterman should be allowed to recover fully,” Oz said, also calling on Fetterman to debate.
A few hours later, Oz’s campaign said in an email it would be willing to “pay for any additional medical personnel [Fetterman] might need to have on standby” if he agrees to next week’s KDKA-TV debate.
Fetterman’s campaign responded by saying he won’t be debating the first week of September (he still hasn’t confirmed he’ll participate in any debate) and admonishing Oz.
“My recovery may be a joke to Dr. Oz and his team, but it’s real for me,” Fetterman said in a statement.
Elsewhere on the campaign trail:
Georgia Senate: A Democratic group is launching a new TV ad that highlights Republican Herschel Walker’s threats against his ex-wife, NBC News’ Henry Gomez reports.
Iowa Senate: Retired Admiral Mike Franken is up with his first ad of the general election, highlighting his military service and using disagreements with Presidents George W. Bush and Obama to argue he “speaks truth to power.”
Ohio Senate: Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman wrote an op-ed outlining his support for Republican Senate nominee J.D. Vance, saying “the choice is clear.”
New Hampshire Senate: An online University of New Hampshire survey found retired Brigadier Gen. Don Bolduc leading the GOP Senate primary with 43% to state Sen. Chuck Morse’s 22%.
Nevada Senate: Republican Adam Laxalt, the state’s former attorney general, encouraged a county official to audit the 2020 election results after he launched his 2022 Senate campaign, the Nevada Independent reports.
Arizona Governor: Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs is out with a new ad featuring Santa Cruz County Sheriff David Hathaway (who serves in a border country) defending Hobbs’ record on the border.
Florida Governor: Democratic Rep. Charlie Crist plans to resign from Congress Wednesday as the governor’s race ramps up, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Ohio Governor: Former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley is running a new ad the evokes the story of the 10-year-old girl who crossed state lines to get an abortion after she was raped.
Pennsylvania Governor: Former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, a Republican, is backing Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s gubernatorial campaign.
South Carolina Governor: Republican Gov. Henry McMaster is up with a new ad criticizing his Democratic opponent, former Rep. Joe Cunningham, for supporting legalizing marijuana and calling him a “frat boy.”
Iowa-01: Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks is making her first ad buy of her general election campaign, a $433,000 TV buy per AdImpact.
Iowa-03: Former Vice President Mike Pence’s non-profit is running cable and digital ads in the 3rd District, where Republican state Sen. Zach Nunn is running against Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne.
