Fetterman campaigns in Butler County as polls tighten

BUTLER COUNTY, Pa. — Lt. Governor John Fetterman campaigned in Butler County Tuesday a day after his opponent, Dr. Mehmet Oz, stopped in the county, too.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >> Dr. Oz makes Butler County campaign stop

The stumping comes as polls drastically tighten. What was a double-digit lead a couple of months ago for Fetterman has shrunk to just a few points.

Fetterman spoke for about 20 minutes at the Steamfitters Technical Building in Harmony. He touched on topics like raising the minimum wage, cutting taxes and abortion.

“All you women in the audience, do you believe the choice belongs to you?” Fetterman asked and was answered with cheers.

He also doubled down on his record on crime.

“We had significant gun violence there [Braddock]. That’s the reason why I started to run in 2005. That’s why I got in. That’s why I started. That’s why I’m so proud. I was able to partner with the police. Fund the police,” he said.

His opponent was in Cranberry yesterday and in Allegheny County today. Dr. Oz criticized Fetterman for being soft on crime while receiving an endorsement from the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 91.

“I was at the Steelers game this weekend, two days ago. And, in the tailgate area, many people were commenting that only a few blocks away, only a few hours earlier, three people had been shot to death,” Dr. Oz said, speaking of Saturday’s shooting on Cedar Avenue on the North Side.

But why Butler County? It went red by 32 points just two years ago.

“There’s a change in demographics, particularly in the south part of the county, the Cranberry area especially,” Butler County Democratic Chair Catherine Lalonde said.

She says that demographic change plus the population boom could be big for Democrats.

“We may not get a majority, but we’re working towards that and believe in a few years that can happen,” she said. “There’s votes to fight for here.”

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