WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP, PA - U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman popped into the Lehigh Valley Thursday afternoon to encourage campaign canvassers in the waning days of the 2022 election season.
Fetterman, the lieutenant governor, swung by the Teamsters Local 773 office around 3:15 p.m., where he briefly spoke to about about 40 volunteers and campaign staff working on behalf of Rep. Susan Wild (D-Lehigh/Monroe) and himself.
- Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman dropped by the Teamsters Local 773 office to thank campaign volunteers
- Fetterman and Republican Mehmet Oz are in a tight race that could determine control of the U.S. Senate
- Turnout in the Lehigh Valley, a swing region, could help determine the winner
Canvassers are the foot soldiers of political campaigns, going from door to door to drum up support for their candidates. Fetterman thanked the group for their efforts and reminded them of the importance of driving turnout for Election Day.
"I won my very first election 17 years ago by one single vote. The work you are willing to do right now to support this could be the difference between sending me to D.C. and Susan to back to another term in D.C.," Fetterman said.
That history of close races could play out again this month. Polls find Fetterman, a Democrat, is locked in a tight race against Republican Mehmet Oz. And Wild, whom campaign staff said was speaking with business owners in the Slate Belt, is in a dead heat against Republican challenger Lisa Scheller in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District race.
Fetterman, who suffered a stroke five months ago, spoke haltingly at times during his remarks. But his message of raising the minimum wage, protecting Social Security and expanding healthcare resonated with those in attendance.
"I won my very first election 17 years ago by one single vote."Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, candidate for U.S. Senate
The group cheered him on during the address, serving as a Greek chorus in support of his stances. At one point, Fetterman rhetorically asked if people wanted to leave decisions about their healthcare to local elected officials, repeating a line Oz made during a debate last month.
"No!" shouted the audience.
"I don't want it, thank you," cracked state Rep. Michael Schlossberg, an Allentown-based Democrat seeking re-election this year.
Teamster officials presented Fetterman with a hoodie before campaign staff whisked him away to another engagement. After that, the volunteers began collecting their assignments of neighborhoods to canvass.
One was Dianne Wall-Gillikin of North Whitehall Township. She said she has canvassed for the Wild campaign on weekends over the past two months, but came out Thursday for a chance to see Fetterman. She commended his strong moral character, and said that seeing him in person gave her more confidence to meet with voters.
The voters she interacts with tend to ask a wide array of questions - everything from policies to, in Fetterman's case, his tattoos, Wall-Gillikin said. While she's done her homework on Fetterman's background, the opportunity to see him in person made a difference.
"To actually get to see somebody talk and listen to their priorities? He stated very clearly what he wants to help accomplish," she said before heading out to the Fullerton neighborhood.
