DV Journal

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman returned to the campaign trail in Erie on Friday, three months after suffering a serious stroke that he acknowledged could have ended his life and has left him with lingering health problems.

Fetterman, Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor, only addressed the enthusiastic crowd of supporters at the Bayside Convention Center for 11 minutes. He did not shy away from discussing his health issues.

“My life could have ended. It’s the truth. But I’m so grateful to be here tonight,” Fetterman told the crowd, his speech halting at times.

He also had plenty to say about his GOP opponent, Dr. Mehmet Oz. “There are a lot of differences between me and Dr. Oz. Who would have ever thought I’d be the normal one?”

Before that event, Fetterman granted his first post-recovery interview to KDKA TV in Pittsburgh, saying that he was “grateful” to have survived.

“That was a very grave situation at the time,” he told John Delano. “If it had happened at 1:00 in the morning, or if it would have happened in Elk County, I probably wouldn’t be here with you right now.”

Fetterman said his doctors okayed his return to the campaign trail.

“I have zero, no physical limits,” said the candidate. But he did admit he was having difficulties with “auditory processing,” which Delano called a hearing issue. And he also has some lingering problems with speech when he will “mush two words together,” Fetterman said in the interview. He plans to go to all 67 counties before the election.

Oz, who according to his campaign “has traveled over 3,000 miles, made over 140 campaign stops, and visited over 30 counties” since winning the primary, has spent three months mocking what they call Fetterman’s “basement campaign.”

“Despite news that John Fetterman is attending closed-door fundraisers, it has been 91 days since John Fetterman’s last public campaign event,” the Oz campaign emailed Thursday.

Oz has called on Fetterman to agree to five debates before the Nov. 8 election.

“Dr. Mehmet Oz has committed to participate in five moderated debates across Pennsylvania. Fetterman has agreed to zero debates, and he has hidden from reporters and voters for 90-plus days because he doesn’t want to answer for his radical views. The people of Pennsylvania deserve to hear from their candidates, and it’s time that Fetterman answers the tough questions,” said Rachel Tripp, senior communications advisor.

Fetterman’s campaign did not respond when asked whether he plans to debate Oz.

A recent Fox News poll showed Fetterman with an 11-point lead over Oz, 47-36 percent.

However, Republican consultant Charlie Gerow says he believes Oz can still win if he tailors his message to what voters are talking about and stops the daily social media jibs that “make people laugh inside campaign headquarters.”

Oz should “talk about gas prices and grocery prices,” said Gerow. “And the fact that you can’t get things you’re looking for at the store from baby formula to feminine products to food. I mean, that’s what people are concerned about when they wake up in the morning. Not with how many days John Fetterman has been off the campaign trail.”

“I want to make it clear, I think (Oz) can win,” said Gerow. “But he’s got to hone his message and be focused like a laser beam on what voters are talking about and thinking about.”

The Republican National Committee welcomed Fetterman back to the campaign trail with a barrage of criticism. It cited Fetterman’s policies, including supporting Democrats’ $1.9 trillion ‘stimulus’ that fueled inflation.

“Now, in the middle of a recession, Fetterman supports the ‘Bidenflation Scam,’ a bill which will shrink the economy, kill thousands of jobs, impose crushing taxes on families and businesses, and worsen – not reduce – inflation,” the RNC claimed.

Additionally, Fetterman signed a pledge to ban fracking. He said, “I don’t support fracking at all and I never have,” calling it a “stain” on Pennsylvania.”

The RNC also slammed Fetterman for depending on his parents for support well into adulthood.

“While claiming to understand the plights of everyday Pennsylvanians, Fetterman was living off of his parents’ money well into his 40s after attending Harvard University and buying a condo from his sister for $1.”

The group also panned his record as the chair of the state Board of Pardons where he  appointed Celeste Trusty, who has advocated for disarming the police and abolishing “mandatory life without parole as a sentence for first- and second-degree murder.” Pennsylvania sheriffs have voiced concern about his soft-on-crime record and the Pennsylvania FOP chose to endorse Oz over Fetterman, the RNC said.

“If John Fetterman truly understood the plight of Pennsylvania workers and families, he’d be adamantly opposed to his party weaponizing the IRS. Does Fetterman support deploying 87,000 additional IRS agents for the purpose of auditing everyday Americans? Pennsylvanians definitely do not,” said RNC spokesperson Sean Shute.

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From press releases

The Fraternal Order of Police Pennsylvania State Lodge elected retired Lower Merion Police Department patrolman Joseph Regan, a lifelong Philadelphia resident, to serve as its president. The entire Regan leadership slate won the election and will serve two-year terms in office. The election concluded the Pennsylvania FOP 47th Biennial Conference at the Erie Convention Center.

“In a time when law enforcement is under intense pressure and scrutiny, it is my privilege to be elected to serve the FOP State Lodge as its new president,” said Regan. “These are unprecedented times for our profession, and my hope is that with the diverse experience my leadership team brings to the association, the brave men and women who serve our cities, towns, and boroughs across the commonwealth know they are and will be protected as they work tirelessly each day.”

Regan served as president of Lower Merion FOP Lodge 28 for four terms, the State FOP as Guard and Financial Secretary, as well as the chair of the Pennsylvania FOP Legislative Committee, and as executive director of the Pennsylvania Foundation. Joe served on the National FOP Labor Committee and as chair of the NFOP Recruitment and Retention Committee. He has served as State Lodge recording secretary since 2012. Joe is also president of the Montgomery County Police Memorial Committee.

Also at the meeting, the FOP also endorsed the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate Dr. Mehmet Oz.

“He is the candidate who will ensure police officers have the tools they need to protect the commonwealth, especially during these dangerous times,” said immediate Past President Les Neri, of Chester County Lodge 11.

“I am honored to be endorsed by the Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police,” Oz said. “We owe each and every officer who bravely serves our deepest thanks. Throughout my career as a cardiothoracic surgeon, I operated on brave police officers who were injured in the line of duty. And as Pennsylvania’s next U.S. Senator, I will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our law enforcement for safer streets and stronger bonds in communities across Pennsylvania. We simply cannot afford more of the same with John Fetterman’s disastrous and dangerous ideas to put one-third of Pennsylvania inmates back on our streets, decriminalize all drugs, strip our police of critically needed resources, and prioritize criminals over safer communities.”

In addition to Regan and Neri,  the following also were chosen to serve the FOP State Lodge: John McNesby of Philadelphia, Michael G. Lutz Lodge 5, elected to serve as first vice president; Charles Bailey of Montgomery County, Pioneer Lodge 37, PSP Delaware/Montgomery/Philadelphia, elected to serve as second vice president; Vincent J. DiCenzo Jr. of Allegheny County, Allegheny County Lodge 91, elected to serve as recording secretary; Jason Brinker of York County, Capital City Lodge 12-Harrisburg, elected to serve as financial secretary; Joseph Brown of Berks County, Berks County Lodge 71, re-elected to serve as treasurer;  Kenneth Kensill of Erie County, Erie City Lodge 7, re-elected to serve as sergeant at arms; William J. Buttenbusch IV of Montgomery County, Montgomery County Lodge 14, re-elected to serve as trustee.

In addition, Christopher Eiserman of Delaware County, Delaware County Lodge 27, elected to serve as trustee; Eugene Hatcher of Lehigh County, Le-Hampton Lodge 35-Lehigh/Northampton, re-elected to serve as trustee; Justin Butler of Lackawanna County, E.B. Jermyn Lodge 2-Scranton/Dunmore, elected to serve as trustee; Robert Swartzwelder of Allegheny County, Fort Pitt Lodge 1-Pittsburgh, elected to serve as trustee; Jonathan Wyant of Lycoming County, Conservation Police Officers Lodge 114, elected to serve as trustee  William Wiegman of Bucks County, Bucks County Lodge 53, elected to serve as chaplain; Tony Alsleben of Lehigh County, Queen City Lodge 10-Allentown, elected to serve as parliamentarian; John Fiorill of Lancaster County, Red Rose Lodge 16, elected to serve as national trustee.

The Fraternal Order of Police was founded in Pittsburgh in 1915 by two city patrol officers, beginning the tradition of police officers representing police officers. Today the Pennsylvania Lodge has 40,000 active and retired members and is engaged in a broad range of activities.  Charitable activities include Easter Seals and the Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics.

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Veteran Republican state Sen. Bob Mensch has spent the past four years watching Lt. Gov. John Fetterman preside over the legislature’s upper chamber, and he can summarize his take in one word.

“Unimpressed.”

During a recent DVJournal podcast, the Delaware Valley Republican, who is retiring from office, offered his take on the races for governor and U.S. Senate, as well as the contest to fill his District 24 seat. And he concedes the Trump brand of GOP politics espoused by fellow state Sen. Doug Mastriano isn’t a good fit for the region.

“Some of the policies that have been espoused by the [Mastriano] campaign don’t line up as well in the southeast as in the rest of the state,” Mensch said of the GOP nominee for governor.

Mensch said candidates for statewide office need Democrat and independent voters as well as Republicans to win. Former Gov. Ed Rendell “used to say this all the time, (to win the governorship) you need to win seven counties. And five of those counties are right here in the southeast.”

“To be successful. I think Doug has to do a lot more campaigning, and I think he’s got to adapt his style to what the voters expect. It’s not always just what the candidate expects. I think he’s got to improve on his fundraising.”

The latest financial statements show that the Franklin County senator is far behind his Democratic opponent, Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

“With that said, some polls have Mastriano and Shapiro relatively close. And some have them 10 points apart. Polling has become less of an exact science through the evolution of communications,” said Mensch.

Mensch, who has represented parts of Montgomery, Bucks, and Berks counties since 2009, said that while his constituents have mixed views of Mastriano,  “there is a large presence here in my district supporting Mastriano.”

“There is quite a heartbeat here for Doug, and I like a lot of what Doug is talking about. I really do,” Mensch said.

Unlike some other Pennsylvania Republicans, Mensch is not jumping ship to back Shapiro.

“I can’t be favorable toward Josh Shapiro, not only because of party affiliation, but I disagreed so much with the policy initiatives of Gov. Tom Wolf. I believe that Shapiro will just be an extension of those policies. And I think it’s really wrong for the freedoms of our people in this state.”

And while Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz may be trailing in the polls, Mensch still finds him impressive.

“He is a very smart man, a very accomplished doctor in his field. He has a great many significant achievements,” Mensch said.  “But he’s got to get out his political platform, his political message,” said Mensch. “He’s campaigning against a man who has one or two policy issues.”

Mensch is definitely not impressed with Fetterman

“All he wants to do is legalize marijuana,” said Mensch. “You would expect that someone who’s running to be my U.S. senator would have more than one initiative.”

And Mensch mocked Fetterman for campaigning on his performance as mayor of Braddock, Pa. “Drive through Braddock. No one sees any improvement,” Mensch said.

“One ad says he has changed the job of the lieutenant governor,” said Mensch. “If that means he doesn’t know what he’s doing after four years, and he’s still incompetent at being the president of the Senate, then yes, he’s changed the job. He just doesn’t know what he’s doing. I’m relatively unimpressed with (Fetterman).”

As for who he would like to see serve his constituents in the Senate after he retires, Mensch said that would be state Rep. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Harleysville).

“She’s an incredible person,” said Mensch. “She really is. She’s so talented, so smart.”

Pennycuick “will be an incredible representative for the people in the 24th District in the Pennsylvania Senate…I don’t see a reason why she can’t get elected, and the mood in the district, as well as the polling in the district, would suggest that she’s an odds-on favorite for the seat.”

Democrat Jill Dennin, a community volunteer from Gilbertsville, is also running in the 24th.

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Polls show Americans of both parties are concerned about President Joe Biden’s ability, at age 79, to handle the responsibilities of the presidency. But will those concerns translate into less support for Democratic candidates in the Delaware Valley this November?

Concerns among voters about the president’s age and health are not new. In a national POLITICO/Morning Consult poll last November, when Biden’s approval ratings were higher than they are now, only 40 percent of voters believed he was in good health, with 46 percent calling him “mentally unfit.”

“President Biden is not awake currently; that’s obvious to anyone with eyes,” said Albert Eisenberg, principal at the political strategy firm BlueStateRed. “And when I talk to Democrats, they say, ‘This guy’s not the guy.’ Obviously, Republicans and independents think that.”

Republicans will likely use that attack against Democrats is make sure voters believe the issue isn’t just Biden and his age and deficits, but rather to paint the whole Democratic party as being responsible for the situation.

“You see swing district and swing-state Democrats outperforming Biden,” Eisenberg said about the current political landscape. “(Biden’s) going to bring these candidates down, but Republicans need to close that gap.”

Jeff Jubelirer, vice president at Bellevue Communications, says he believes those who have doubts about the president’s condition likely already disapprove of the president, meaning they are already motivated to vote for Republicans.

However, Jubelirer added that anything can make a difference in tight races.

“If it’s going to be a 1 to 2 percent race… this issue could be a 1 percent difference,” he said.

In the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race, Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz is projecting the question of the ability to govern onto his opponent, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman. It comes in the wake of a stroke that felled Fetterman and has kept him off the campaign trail since just before the May 17 primary.

During a recent DVJournal podcast, National Republican Senatorial Committee chair Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said questions about Fetterman’s health are fair game. “I think voters have a right to know if you’re healthy or not. When people run, they should be very clear about [their] health.”

Oz is running a “basement Fetterman” campaign on social media, questioning if Fetterman has the stamina needed to represent Pennsylvania. Eisenberg said the strategy is a strong one.

“That is a really effective way to connect him to Biden,” he said. “Just putting their face next to Biden isn’t going to work.” By also creating questions about Fetterman’s ability to govern, Oz is making the strategy stronger than just questioning Biden, who, of course, isn’t his opponent.

“I think the strategy is, ‘Will he be there for you, Pennsylvania if he’s not well?’” Jubelirer said. But he added it’s important for Republican candidates to be cautious. “You don’t want to pile on his well-being.”

Eisenberg agreed. He said Oz and other Republicans can’t be perceived as “ganging up” on things Biden and other Democratic candidates cannot control.

At the same time, the silence from Delaware Valley Democrats in defending Biden and his capabilities is hard to miss. DVJournal reached out to the region’s entire Democratic congressional delegation asking if his recent COVID-19 diagnosis created any concerns about his ability to govern. All declined to respond.

In a new CNN poll, 75 percent of Democrats said they wanted someone other than Biden to be their party’s nominee in 2024. The numbers were similar in a recent NYTimes/Siena College poll. Asked why they wanted their party to make a change, about one-third of Democrats cited Biden’s age and mental acuity. It has been a repeated topic of news coverage from liberal news outlets like the Times and CNN, and many Democrats have publicly acknowledged their concerns about Biden’s age.

Meanwhile, a group of 54 House Republicans, led by former White House physician Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), sent a letter to the White House calling on Biden to take a cognitive abilities test.

The White House dismissed the letter as a stunt.

While the president’s age and sometimes embarrassing gaffes aren’t good for Democrats, Jubelirer said voters’ decisions would most likely come down to one simple sentiment.

“Most voters are like, ‘I’m pissed off. Who’s in charge?’” he said. “You’re going to get blamed.

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Although Dr. Mehmet Oz won the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate candidacy in May, the current senator, Pat Toomey, just endorsed him this week.

Toomey, a thoughtful politician, and quintessential Pennsylvania Republican moderate, is retiring at the end of this term.

“Dr. Oz is a strong Republican candidate whose platform includes fixing our economic woes, restoring America’s energy independence, and stopping illegal immigration,” Toomey said Wednesday. “I support his candidacy and look forward to being helpful to him in the upcoming election.”

Naturally, the Oz campaign embraced the sitting senator’s support.

“Dr. Oz welcomes and appreciates Sen. Toomey’s support,” said Brittany Yanick, a campaign spokeswoman.

But whether the endorsement makes a difference remains to be seen.

“I don’t think it’s that impactful,” said Jeff Jubelirer, a vice president with Bellevue Communications Group. “Toomey, as a lame duck senator as well as one of the few Republicans who voted to impeach Trump, is not as well-liked by the GOP electorate in Pennsylvania as he once was. It would have been a surprise if he didn’t endorse Oz and it may be a bigger deal if he decides not to endorse Mastriano.”

Toomey had no comment on Wednesday regarding state Sen. Doug Mastriano, the Republican running for governor.

“We are seeing a further consolidation of the Republican Party after a bruising primary in the Pennsylvania Senate race,” said Charlie O’Neill, a Republican consultant.  “I anticipate many more Republicans – and some Democrats – will continue to support Dr. Oz through endorsements and campaign contributions.”

Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, Oz’s Democratic opponent, was endorsed by Democratic Sen. Bob Casey Jr. on May 17 after he won his primary.

“Tonight, I’m proud to endorse my friend, Lt. Governor John Fetterman, to represent Pennsylvania alongside me in the U.S. Senate. Among a talented, experienced field of candidates, Pennsylvania Democrats chose John to help defend and expand the Senate majority,” Casey wrote on Twitter.

Republicans are hoping Toomey’s endorsement gives Oz a much-needed boost. The celebrity doctor has fallen behind Fetterman in fundraising and is also lagging in the polls.

The Inquirer reports  Fetterman raised $8.3 million in the 44 days from the primary to June 30, a record for U.S. Senate candidates. And he did it while suffering the effects of a stroke suffered days before the primary.

Despite that, Fetterman took in $8.3 million in the 44 days from the primary to June 30—more than the state’s incumbent senators have ever raised in an entire three-month reporting period. It was more than triple what he raised in a similar time frame leading up to the primary.

Oz has already spent more than $14 million of his own money. His campaign says he has been traveling around the state engaging in retail politics.

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After two months off the campaign trail recovering from a stroke, U.S. Senate candidate Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) is expected to make his first public appearance on Thursday, speaking to potential donors at Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania in Lower Merion.

But some local Jewish activists say Fetterman is the wrong candidate to support, and they point to his recent endorsement by an anti-Israel progressive group.

The fact that Fetterman is making an appearance is news in itself, a sign he is recovering from the effects of a stroke he suffered in May. According to an AP report on Friday, Fetterman “sometimes struggles to speak smoothly,” a claim the campaign has not denied.

But how Fetterman speaks may not be as important as what Fetterman says about issues related to Israel and antisemitism. Fetterman is an outspoken member of the progressive wing of a Democratic Party struggling with antisemitism within its ranks.

For example, Fetterman has been endorsed by Peace Action, a far-left group that supports the Boycott Divestment Sanction movement that targets Israel. Fetterman said he was “grateful” for its endorsement. Some Jewish voters say he shouldn’t be.

“The well-being of a strong, secure and vibrant Jewish state of Israel with an undivided Jerusalem as its capital should be a priority for every American,” said Steve Feldman, executive director of the Zionist Organization of America Philadelphia, when asked to comment on Peace Action’s Fetterman endorsement. “Weakening Israel, dividing Jerusalem and supporting terrorists and the creation of a nation led by terrorists is dangerous for America and the world. The Palestinian Authority has paid terrorists who have murdered Americans. The Palestinian Authority should not be the beneficiary of American funding, whether directly or indirectly.”

Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Republican running for the Senate seat, said, “It’s no surprise that John Fetterman was endorsed by yet another radical far-Left, anti-Israel group. Whether it’s proudly advocating for the Iran deal or touting his endorsements by radical groups like Peace Action that would allow Israel’s enemies to get nuclear weapons, Fetterman aligns himself with groups whose goals directly oppose the United States and Israel.”

The Iran deal  is an agreement between western nations and the mullahs who govern the Islamist nation of Iran. It was advocated by the Obama administration, but had bipartisan opposition, including from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)

Peace Action has called for the United States to ‘stop protecting Israel’s nuclear weapons in the Middle East,’ and is a vocal defender of the Iran deal, the Oz campaign said.

Fetterman said he would vote for the Iran deal because “I believe strongly in President Obama and the way he handled foreign affairs as president,” though he admitted “everyone agrees it’s sort of an imperfect deal,”  The Washington Post reports.

Fetterman still wants the Biden administration to push for the Iran Deal, even as revelations of controversial American concessions began to emerge. Among them: Greenlighting a $10 billion Russian-Iranian nuclear contract and removing the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) from the U.S. terrorist list.

“I support President Biden getting back into the deal. I think President Trump made a mistake by removing us from the Iran nuclear deal,” Fetterman said at the Pittsburgh Foreign Policy Forum on March 9. “Longer and stronger in terms of what I believe. And Iran should not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. But at the end of the day, it must be done on a trust-but-verify basis.”

The Fetterman campaign did not respond to requests for comment. However, in an interview with Jewish Insider, Fetterman said he opposes BDS and supports Israel’s right to defend itself.

Jill Zipin, founder and chair of Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania, said Thursday’s event is not open to the press. Asked about the Peace Action endorsement, she said she had never heard of the group.

“DJOP does not support Boycott Divestment and Sanction,” said Zipin. “I don’t know anything about that group and at this point I can’t give you any sort of comment because I’m not familiar with the group but our group does not support BDS…I can’t speak to who gives him endorsements or who does not. We support John Fetterman because he supports a two-state solution and he is a strong supporter of Israel. He’s also been endorsed by Democratic Majority for Israel.”

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Dr. Mehmet Oz’s bedside manner was on display during a campaign visit to Media Thursday, where he met with small business owners.

The Republican U.S. Senate candidate stopped at Giovanni’s Media Barber Shop where owner Nichole Missino warmly greeted him. Missino is also a GOP candidate for state representative challenging Democratic incumbent Jennifer O’Mara in the 165th District. She is known as one of the small business owners who defied the COVID closure orders and reopened her business with personal protective equipment.

Oz asked her whether it was difficult to hire people. Last summer Missino had problems finding people because they would fill out applications just to stay on unemployment. But recently she had six qualified people apply for a job opening.

“I hope the economy will start coming back,” she said.  Many of her customers have remained loyal.

(From left) Congressional candidate David Galluch, RNC Co-Chair Tommy Hicks, Nichole Missino, Dr. Mehmet Oz and state Rep. Chris Quinn

“They talk a lot of politics here,” said Missino. “They know I’m running. And they all talk about inflation. We just had to raise our prices in April.”

“My main thing is I’m fighting for freedom,” she pointed out. “I fought for freedom for my employees. I want to fight for freedom for people in my district…I just want to get in there and help people.  I’m an unconventional candidate for unconditional times. You don’t usually see anyone running for office who is covered in tattoos.”

“The gas (cost) is killing everybody. It’s insane,” she said.

After someone mentioned that he was getting a bit shaggy, Oz took a turn in the barber’s chair, allowing Missino to give him a trim. Oz said during the pandemic his daughter, who is a chef, cut his hair.

“For a long time during COVID, my daughter cut my hair. She’s pretty good with scissors and a knife,” Oz said. “I feel so pampered,” he told Missino.

While he was getting his trim, the Delaware Valley Journal asked Oz why voters who are leaning toward his opponent, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, should vote for him instead.

“It’s one simple decision. If you think the country is going in the right direction, then John Fetterman is going to pull the president even further in that direction. If you’re worried about where we’re going, I’m the other solution, a person for change. And I’m outside the system. John’s been in politics for years. He’s part of the establishment. And he’s one of the ones in charge of COVID management, some of the issues these folks are worried about. And I was the one pushing back for science to be the driving force behind many of our decisions.

“And for energy policy, where scientifically speaking we’re very wise if we use natural gas, it’s such a clean source of energy, as we transition to green,” Oz said. “I also feel the same about the values we share with our kids…Early on in the pandemic I kept saying if you mix politics and medicine, you get politics.

“You don’t want politics involved,” he said. “Give people the autonomy to make their own decisions as much as possible.”

Oz also visited Kenny’s Flower Shoppe and spoke with owner Joyce Walker, a former special education teacher. Some of her employees are special needs individuals, she said. She shared her experiences, telling Oz about how an active shooter training had affected her so profoundly that she left the profession.

“My very last day of teaching… we had to go through armed shooter training. With the FBI. And the first thing they did was show us actual video of 5 and 6 year-olds in a shooting. It was very, very devastating to think, ‘I am that last line of defense.’”

“I’d love (violence) to be addressed by everybody…to hear the stories every day from Philadelphia…No matter how many flowers I bring to funerals you never get used to it. You can’t. (In Delaware County) an Asian man was going too slow and a guy got out at the light and shot his head off in front of his wife.”

Walker wiped back tears and Oz enveloped her in a hug.

“We’ve been through a massive experiment that failed,” said Oz. “We’ve got to restore a sense of civility to the city.  What bothered me most of all of these shootings, it hit me hard, was the South Street (shooting). I took my wife there on our first date.”

Oz asked Walker about other experiences as an educator and how to reach children who are falling through cracks in the system. He mentioned visiting charter schools in Chester County that are doing a good job educating minority children.

She said while small classes help, parents who are not working several jobs to support their family and can be with their children should help with homework.

To survive the pandemic, Walker opened an online shop and would offer to arrange flowers from people’s gardens for funerals when commercial flowers were unavailable.

Because of high gas prices, she now calls to make sure someone is home before making a delivery so the driver does not have to make a return trip to a house.

Democrats have made allegations that Oz is a resident of New Jersey, not Pennsylvania, their top attack. Asked about the issue, Oz shrugged it off.

“I’ll tell you what the data shows. People much care more about what you stand for than where you’re from. If that’s the best they can do, I’m in pretty good shape.”

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A group of Republicans and former Republicans is backing Attorney General Josh Shapiro, the Democratic nominee for governor, instead of GOP nominee state Sen. Doug Mastriano. They say they find Mastriano’s views too extreme.

Former Bucks County Congressman Jim Greenwood called Mastriano “unacceptable” and cited a list of reasons why he could not support his party’s nominee including that Mastriano attended the Jan. 6 rally, is pro-life, supports President Donald Trump’s position that the 2020 election was stolen, is against gun control, and is against gay marriage.

“He’s just not the kind of Republican that used to lead our party, people like Dick Thornburgh, who was a terrific governor of Pennsylvania, and (the late senators) Arlen Specter and John Heinz. I’m concerned,” said Greenwood.

“He’s a Trump acolyte and I’m a very strong never-Trumper,” he said.

Greenwood raised $2 million to support President Joe Biden in 2020, escorted Biden when he visited Bucks County, and wrote op-eds endorsing the Democrat when he was running for president.

As for Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Republican candidate for Senate, Greenwood said he will “probably not” support him.

“I watched him turn himself into something he wasn’t in order to gain Trump’s endorsement,” said Greenwood.

Lita Cohen, a former state representative from Lower Merion, told Delaware Valley Journal she has not been a registered Republican since she retired in 2002.  She supports Shapiro because she believes he is “brilliant” and ethical.

“He’s unusual for someone active in politics that is his moral and ethical standards are above and beyond reproach…He doesn’t deviate from what is right and proper,” she said.

“We have an extraordinary human being, who’s a lawyer and could be making a fortune in private practice but instead he’s chosen public service jobs,” said Cohen.

Republican consultant Craig Snyder, who was Specter’s chief of staff, is leading the group of Republicans who back Shapiro.

He noted Mastriano received “just over 40 percent of the slightly more than one-third of registered Republicans who voted in the primary. In other words, a minority of a minority. He won fair and square under the rules of the current system, but that system clearly favors extremists and therefore the majority of both Republicans and Pennsylvanians do not have to walk off the cliff with this nominee.”

Asked whether he supports Oz, Snyder said, “I’m not personally endorsing Oz, but given that the Democrats also nominated someone I see as an extremist, with the candidacy of (Lt. Gov. John) Fetterman, I think lots of folks are going to split their tickets and vote Shapiro/Oz.”

And Snyder said, “Absolutely not,” when asked if he would support another run by Trump. “A second Trump term poses an unprecedented threat to American democracy,” he said.

Mastriano did not respond to a request for comment. However, he may have the last laugh, having snared Trump’s endorsement.

Conservative commentator Kathy Barnette, who ran for Senate and campaigned with Mastriano, weighed in.

“These are the same people in the Republican Party who are demanding that conservatives, who find Mehmet Oz an unconscionable choice, shut up, line up, hold their nose, and vote for Oz. They are hypocrites, to put it nicely,” said Barnette.

“Many Pennsylvanians have lived through two of the worst years of their lives under the totalitarian rule of (Gov.) Tom Wolf,” Barnette added. “Now, with Mastriano in a statistical tie for first place, we have a very real opportunity to get a leader in office who believes in preserving individual freedom, energy independence, and cheap gas. And now, like clockwork, RINO Republicans are fighting against him.”

The list of Republicans released by the Shapiro campaign includes Charlie Dent, former congressman, Lehigh County; Sandra Schultz Newman, a former Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice from Montgomery County; Denny O’Brien, Former Speaker of the House, Philadelphia County; Dave Steil, former state representative, former Lt. Gov. Robert Jubelirer of Blair County; Morgan Boyd, chairman, Lawrence County Board of Commissioners; and Ken Davis, former Montgomery County GOP chairman.

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Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney wants to live in an America without the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In fact, he even has a name for this place. “Canada.”

Kenney made his comments to reporters on July 4th after two police officers were struck by gunfire at the Wawa Welcome America Concert on the Parkway.

“It was a chilled-back day, beautiful weather. But we live in America where we have the Second Amendment, and we have the Supreme Court of the United States telling everybody they can carry a gun wherever they want,” the mayor said. “I was in Canada two weeks ago and never thought about a gun. The only people I knew who had guns in Canada were police officers.”

Kenney added, “If I had the ability to take care of guns, I would. But the legislature won’t let us. Congress won’t let us. The governor does the best he can. The attorney general does the best he can. But this is a gun country.”

In the same conversation, Kenney also complained about his job and said he will be “happy” when he is no longer mayor

“There’s not an event or a day where I don’t lay on my back and look at the ceiling and worry about stuff,” he said. “So everything we have in the city for the last seven years, I worry about. I don’t enjoy the 4th of July. I don’t enjoy the Democratic National Convention. I didn’t enjoy the NFL draft. I’m waiting for something bad to happen all the time. So I’ll be happy when I’m not here, when I’m not mayor and I can enjoy some stuff.”

Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, called on Kenney to “immediately resign.”

“Mayor Kenney should resign from office. Kenney’s comments about how he will be happy when he is no longer mayor further indicate he has given up on Philadelphia. John Fetterman, Larry Krasner, and Jim Kenney all support the failed policies that coddle criminals, provide sanctuary to dangerous illegal aliens and put dangerous criminals back out on the street. These radical far-left policies have led to record-breaking homicides and unprecedented rates of violent crime in Philadelphia and across the commonwealth. Worse still, Fetterman would go further by releasing one-third of all criminals and reducing sentences for murderers. We need to restore safety and security to Philadelphia and all of Pennsylvania–it begins by getting rid of Kenney, Krasner, and Fetterman.”

Lt. Gov. John Fetterman is the Democratic candidate for the Senate. He did not directly address Kenney’s remarks or Oz’s rebuke. Instead, he railed against “gun violence” on Twitter and called for an end to the Senate filibuster.

“There is a sad irony in experiencing multiple mass shootings on a day meant to celebrate our freedom. We wish the law enforcement officers injured in the Philly shooting a safe + quick recovery,” Fetterman tweeted.

“We cannot become numb to ever-increasing gun violence. Washington needs to act + take on the NRA by prosecuting gun dealers whose weapons routinely wind up at crime scenes. And Democrats in the Senate need to scrap the filibuster + immediately pass common-sense reform,” said Fetterman.

Kenney’s attack on the Second Amendment drew responses from residents of the Delaware Valley.

“I saw a movie about a country where only the police and military had guns. It was called ‘Schindler’s List,’” said Wayne resident and firearms instructor Frank Tait.

“His failure to put competent leadership in the Philly Police Department. And to have a progressive DA only exasperated this crime problem,” said a Radnor resident who collects antique firearms. “Revolving door justice and letting repeat offenders of serious crimes out on no bail is a joke. Only when the Feds stepped into the car carjacking crimes have strong sentences been imposed. But Philly people get what they vote for. When you have an 18 percent turnout in a primary (in the DA’s race), that speaks volumes. Maybe he’d be better off in Canada?”

Kim Stolfer, president of Firearm Owners Against Crime,  was unimpressed by Kenney’s comments. “Well, thankfully, it isn’t up to him. And thankfully, he owns all the violence that’s in Philadelphia.

“The fact is, this is part of the broad brush that is being used by Democrats to paint 100 million gun owners in this country for a dozen mass murders,” Stolfer added.

The Republican nominee for Congress in the 4th District, Christian Nascimento, also called on Kenney to resign.

“Jim Kenney has given up on stopping crime. He has given up on Philadelphia. He has given up on police and their families. Today I call on Mayor Kenney to resign his seat as Philadelphia mayor. And if Congresswoman (Madeleine) Dean has a shred of integrity and even the smallest amount of concern and support for police and for the safety of district families, she will join me in calling for Kenney’s immediate resignation today.”

Attorney General  Josh Shapiro, the Democrat running for governor, said he would protect Second Amendment rights.

“I’ll be a strong defender of Second Amendment rights and a strong defender of making sure law-abiding citizens have the ability to bear arms. But we must make sure that those who are criminals — those who shouldn’t have access to guns — can’t get them,” Shapiro told 6 News.

By Tuesday afternoon, Kenney had apologized for his comments about no longer wanting to be mayor. “I apologize for being frustrated, but I do take my job personally and I take the problems we face personally,” he said. “And I apologize for wearing my emotions on my sleeve.”

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Perhaps more famous for inspiring social media memes than for writing legislation, Democratic New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) — aka “AOC” — endorsed Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman Wednesday.

On her Instagram account, where else?

Along with a clip of her star turn on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” where she touted the Green New Deal, ending the filibuster and packing the Supreme Court, AOC wrote this underneath: “We are not powerless, and we are never beyond hope. History shows us the way. We can do more to pursue these items more aggressively. And then once we do, we can secure the W and turn out the vote for @JohnFetterman in PA…this November: Expansion of SCOTUS; End the Senate filibuster; Repeal the Hyde amendment; Codify Roe, same-sex marriage, right to contraception and interracial marriage. Thanks for having me @colbertlateshow”

Fetterman’s campaign did not responded to avrequest for comment concerning AOC’s endorsement.

His Republican opponent, Dr. Mehmet Oz, tweeted: DC Socialist Dream Team playbook: Anti-PA energy, Job killing policies, Radical socialists. Fetterman and AOC might be a match made in heaven, but their policies are wrong for PA.

However, earlier this month the National Republican Senatorial Committee ran commercials linking Fetterman to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an avowed socialist who ran for president as a Democrat.

The contest between Lt. Governor Fetterman and celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Oz has drawn national attention, particularly with the Senate split 50/50. While many believe the 2022 midterms will bring a Red Wave sweeping Congress comparable to the 2010 midterms, it remains to be seen whether notoriously purple Pennsylvania will follow that pattern.

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