Fetterman leads heated Pennsylvania race against Oz, voters' biggest concern is economy
Biden received a 34% job approval rating in the Pennsylvania poll
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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%.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.