Pennsylvania in spotlight as control of Congress at stake
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The control of Congress is at stake this Election Day and Pennsylvania is in the spotlight. Pennsylvania is one of six states that CBS News projects as a toss-up.
Democrat Lieutenant Gov. John Fetterman and Republican celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz are in a tight battle to succeed Sen. Pat Toomey.
Months ago, polls showed Fetterman with a significant lead, but Oz has steadily closed the gap.
The race is now essentially a toss-up.
Fetterman is the former Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. He's campaigned on living wages and fighting for women's and workers' rights.
Dr. Oz is a heart surgeon and longtime TV host, who's running on the promise to put America first and clean up crime.
"Down in Philly, families don't let their kids go outside anymore because there's too much crime. So what do they all have in common? This is what Pennsylvanians are telling me. Washington is getting it all wrong because there are too many extreme positions in Washington. Too much out there pulling us away from where the real answers lie," Oz said.
"Dr. Oz has lied about our record on crime. One of the very things that I'm most proud of in my career and that's the reason why I ever ran for public office was because of gun violence and crime in Pennsylvania," Fetterman said.
But why does this race matter so much? The United States Senate is spilt evenly amongst democrats and republicans. A net gain of just one seat for either party would give them control of the senate for at least the next two years.
How pivotal is Pennsylvania?
According to ad tracker "Ad Impact" from Labor Day through Election Day, the two parties spent nearly $160 million on ads, more than any other senate race in the country.