Democratic Senate candidates split on key issues but stress why they should be the nominee
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — While Democratic voters will find only one name on their primary ballot for governor, four Democrats are seeking the Democratic nomination to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican.
In the last of his four-part series, KDKA political editor Jon Delano asked the candidates what they saw as the most important issue and why voters should pick them.
Many see this as a two-person race, but there are actually four Democrats running for Senate nomination: Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta and Jenkintown council member Alexandria Khalil.
Fetterman stresses several issues like, "raising our nation's minimum wage. It's a disgrace a $7.25 an hour, and the fact that the Democratic caucus in the Senate can't get passed that is deeply disappointing. Second, is voting rights. The fact that we must codify voting rights, universal protections, for every American."
For Lamb, the most important issue is electability, breaking the 50-50 tie in the Senate.
"Really think the most important issue is who has the best chance of beating a Republican in November because across every issue, whether it's a woman's right to choose or voting rights or many of the economic struggles that people are having with high inflation and high costs, the Senate has really been gridlocked," Lamb said.
Kenyatta focuses on his working-class roots while Khalil returns to issues.
"Are we or are we not actually going to have a government that works for working people and prioritizes the needs of working families?" Kenyatta said. "As the working-class candidate in this race, I've talked about this every day, making America's basic bargain real for every family."
"We need to bring back manufacturing. We need to negotiate prescription drugs. We need to clean up Pennsylvania. We have an environmental mess throughout the state, and we need to sit back and make sure that all our residents and citizens of Pennsylvania have health care," Khalil said.
Asked why Democrats should pick them, in a switch, Fetterman talks electability while Lamb talks health care.
"We are the only ones that have run and won statewide. We've built a true grassroots campaign, and that's going to be critical as well, too. We have donors in 90 percent of Pennsylvania's zip codes. We need to win this seat," Fetterman said.
"The other three all favor something called Medicare for All," says Lamb. "It's at least a $30 trillion program over the next decade. Not a single one of them or anyone else in Washington has a plan to pay for it."
Kenyatta and Khalil highlight their independence.
"I have been willing to say what other folks are afraid to say, like expanding the Supreme Court, like ending new permits for fracking," Kenyatta said.
"None of them have the work experience of going out every day, dealing with people, working with people of different backgrounds," Khalil said.
Voters will choose their party nominees this coming Tuesday.