Fetterman leads heated Pennsylvania race against Oz, voters' biggest concern is economy

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Dr. Oz on Democrat opponent John Fetterman: 'He is the most radical left candidate'

Dr. Mehmet Oz, GOP nominee for Senate in Pennsylvania, reacts on 'Hannity' to unflattering news involving his Democrat opponent's history as Lieutenant Governor for the seat in the Keystone State.

Democrats are leading in the Pennsylvania midterm Senate race, while the economy is the most pressing issue for registered voters in the state, a new poll shows.

A Franklin & Marshall College poll suggests Lt. Gov. John Fetterman is leading the heated Senate race against Trump-backed GOP candidate Mehmet Oz, 43%-30%. 

An Emerson College poll Thursday revealed Fetterman having only a 4-point lead over Oz.

The race is closer when individuals who are leaning toward a particular candidate are included in the data, 45% to 36%.

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Pennsylvania Senate candidate Mehmet Oz is endorsed by former President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

According to the survey, 52% of voters believe Fetterman better understands the concerns of Pennsylvanians than Oz, who received 28% support. Fetterman also led in the poll among voters who believe he is the candidate who best understands their views on social issues, 46% to 32%.

The issue of most importance to registered voters in Pennsylvania is the economy, which included unemployment and gas prices. 

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) was up to 8.5% in July. The economy entered into a technical recession following the reports of a decline in gross domestic product (GDP) for a second consecutive quarter this year.

A striking 89% of registered voters in Pennsylvania believe abortion should be legal under certain or any circumstances. Nearly 60% of registered voters oppose altering the constitution to say that there is no right to abortion in Pennsylvania.

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In August 2021, only 25% of Pennsylvania voters believed that abortion should be legal under any circumstances, a number that increased to 37% this year.

Lt. Gov. John Fetterman is the Democratic Senate candidate in Pennsylvania. (Michelle Gustafson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The results come after the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization decision in June, where the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution does not grant an individual the right to an abortion.

Only 34% of registered voters in the state believe that President Biden is doing a "good" or "excellent" job as president. His ratings are lower than former President Donald Trump's were in Pennsylvania at the same time in his presidency.

Among the registered voters, 44% preferred Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro, while 33% would rather see Republican Doug Mastriano win the race in November.

Abortion has been a rising midterm issue since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Only 27% of voters believe Pennsylvania is heading in the right direction, with three in four saying the country is on the wrong track.

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The survey was conducted by the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin & Marshall from Aug. 15-21, with a margin of error of plus or minus 5.3 percentage points.