2022 Pennsylvania Senate race: debates and news coverage


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OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Abortion     David McCormick: Staunchly pro-life; life begins at conception.     Kathy Barnette: I value all life, will promote alternatives to abortion.     Val Arkoosh: We need to codify Roe v. Wade immediately.     Mehmet Oz: Knows how precious life is and is 100% Pro-Life.     Carla Sands: Is "unapologetically pro-life".     Jeff Bartos: Rated pro-life by Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, LifePac.

Budget & Economy     David McCormick: Support small businesses; get government out of the way.     Kathy Barnette: Incentivize investments in assets that generate real growth.     Mehmet Oz: President Biden's reckless spending has led to inflation.     Jeff Bartos: Concerned infrastructure bill might burden working families.     Jeff Bartos: Big companies thrived in pandemic; mom-and-pops got crushed.     Jeff Bartos: Opposed American Rescue Plan as "spendapalooza".     Jeff Bartos: Trump tax cuts, deregulation led to best economy pre-COVID.

Civil Rights     David McCormick: 2013: supported same-sex marriage to Supreme Court.     Kathy Barnette: Critical Race Theory is evil race-based Marxism.     Val Arkoosh: For Equality Act to protect LGBTQ+ community.     Mehmet Oz: Did program on "curing" gays; later blogged it was harmful.     Val Arkoosh: Would be first woman physician elected to the Senate.     Malcolm Kenyatta: BLM has to include Black queer folks & Black trans folks.

Corporations     Everett Stern: Supports regulation of financial institutions.

Crime     David McCormick: Will always back and support law enforcement officials.     Val Arkoosh: Train our police in de-escalation techniques.     Jeff Bartos: Against "Defund the Police," police need to be fully funded.     John Fetterman: Overhauled clemency process, recommended more commutations.     John Fetterman: Must expand redemption, forgiveness side of criminal justice.     Malcolm Kenyatta: We really do need radical reform to policing.

Drugs     Val Arkoosh: Decriminalize marijuana, reform on nonviolent drug offenses.     Mehmet Oz: Cannabis safer than alcohol & safer than narcotics.     John Fetterman: Listening tour, report got governor to support legalization.     John Fetterman: Legalization means billions in revenue, thousands of jobs.     Mehmet Oz: Marijuana not gateway to narcotics, may be the exit drug.

Education     Kathy Barnette: Competition is the best way to ensure innovation.     Val Arkoosh: Supports funding of public schools, childcare, Pre-K.     Mehmet Oz: Extreme left indoctrinating kids with anti-American ideology.     Mehmet Oz: Will fight for more school choice for all Americans.     Jeff Bartos: Silencing conservative students is fundamentally un-American.     Jeff Bartos: Critical race theory is "state-sponsored racism".     Val Arkoosh: COVID: Showed tears realizing what her own teens had lost.

Energy & Oil     David McCormick: Needn't choose between clean environment & affordable energy.     Kathy Barnette: Green New Deal will put millions of people out of work.     Val Arkoosh: Supports federal efforts to ban fracking nationwide.     Mehmet Oz: Supports fracking, will make us safer and create jobs.     Mehmet Oz: I believe in energy independence, don't beg other countries.     Jeff Bartos: Natural gas is bounty God has given us here in Pennsylvania.     Jeff Bartos: Natural gas is key to future of Pennsylvania's economy.     John Fetterman: Can't ban fracking immediately, have to be honest.

Families & Children     Sean Parnell: Denies wife's claim of physical and verbal abuse.     Val Arkoosh: Voters set priorities: the economy, jobs, cost of child care.

Foreign Policy     David McCormick: Sanction China for its crimes; reparations for COVID.     David McCormick: Promote equality and pluralism around the world.     Jeff Bartos: Would fight UN Human Rights Council studying racism in US.     Jeff Bartos: Let people sue China for COVID, prosecute IP theft.     Everett Stern: Pro-Israel candidate; attended "Stand Up for Israel" rally.     Jeff Bartos: Supports security for Israel, against Iran nuclear deal.     Jeff Bartos: Hold China accountable, for moving embassy in Israel.     Jeff Bartos: U.S.-Israel relationship is sacred to me and to our family.

Free Trade     David McCormick: When China succeeds, the United States succeeds.     David McCormick: With Bush: embrace trade; with Trump: America First.     Val Arkoosh: For robust Buy America policies, incentivize retaining jobs.     Mehmet Oz: We need to focus on creating jobs here in America.

Government Reform     David McCormick: Supports Voter ID & absentee ballot signature verification.     David McCormick: Fully supports term limits; pledges no more than two terms.     David McCormick: January 6 was a dark chapter in American history.     Pat Toomey: Bipartisan independent commission to investigate Jan. 6th.     Val Arkoosh: Overturn Citizens United, won't take corporate PAC money.     Mehmet Oz: Government that can give you everything can take it all away.     Carla Sands: Signed Term Limits on Congress Pledge.     Jeff Bartos: Investigate 2020 election, particularly mail-in ballots.     Kathy Barnette: 2020: Something horribly wrong took place in this election.     Jeff Bartos: Senseless regulations drive businesses to other countries.     Jeff Bartos: Voting rights bill attempt by radical left to seize power.     Sean Parnell: Filed lawsuit against no-excuse mail-in ballot system.     Jeff Bartos: Election not stolen; Trump not to blame for insurrection.     Jeff Bartos: For voter ID, end "no excuse" absentee ballots.     Jeff Bartos: Signed U.S. Term Limits pledge.     Pat Toomey: I think Trump committed impeachable offenses.     Pat Toomey: Not clear if impeachment is valid after leaving office.     John Fetterman: Mocked Texas AG on voter fraud accusations.     Malcolm Kenyatta: Opposed law making voting process less accessible.     Everett Stern: After whistleblower at HBSC, unable to find another job.

Gun Control     David McCormick: Stand against extreme left who want to abolish our rights.     Kathy Barnette: I live the 2d Amendment, registered conceal carry holder.     Val Arkoosh: Ban high-capacity magazines, assault weapons.     Mehmet Oz: Supported "red flag laws" on his television show.     Mehmet Oz: Proud gun owner, firm believer in Second Amendment.     Jeff Bartos: Proud gun owner since dad gave him Glock on 21st birthday.

Health Care     David McCormick: Government should never impose vaccine mandates.     Kathy Barnette: Don't force people through coercive mandates.     Kathy Barnette: Remove stigmas associated with mental illness.     Val Arkoosh: Focus on disparities in health outcomes for Black moms.     Mehmet Oz: Elites fighting COVID pandemic took away our freedom.     Mehmet Oz: Expand access to private sector plans for prescription drugs.     Mehmet Oz: Criticized for promoting dubious cures on his TV show.     Carla Sands: Vaccine mandates put us on slippery slope to tyranny.     Jeff Bartos: Vaccinated but opposed to federal mandates.     Jeff Bartos: Vaccine mandate is a backbreaker for small businesses.     John Fetterman: Supports single-payer health care.

Homeland Security     David McCormick: Advocate for resources for military and veterans.     Val Arkoosh: Robust funding for military installations & veteran benefits.     Everett Stern: Found money-laundering at HSBC bank to fund terrorist groups.

Immigration     Craig Snyder: Refugees among most loyal and contributing Americans.     Sean Parnell: 30,000 refugees from Afghanistan is irresponsible.     David McCormick: Stop illegal immigration; finish building the Wall.     Kathy Barnette: A merit-based immigration policy that puts Americans first.     Val Arkoosh: Fair pathway to citizenship for those willing to work for it.     Mehmet Oz: We need to have a secure border with a barrier to protect us.     Mehmet Oz: We're subsidizing cartels involved in human trafficking.     Jeff Bartos: Secure the border, cut funding for sanctuary cities.

Jobs     John Fetterman: Joined newspaper employees on the picket line.     Malcolm Kenyatta: We need to value service industry employees.

Principles & Values     David McCormick: America is exceptional; will stand up against wokeness.     Val Arkoosh: I am ready to call Republicans on their BS and get to work.     Mehmet Oz: Immigrant father loved US; saw deep darkness of alternatives.     Mehmet Oz: We need to expand the role of religious institutions.     Carla Sands: Had brief career as movie/TV actress 1987-1991.     Jeff Bartos: Marxists are trying to divide us by race.     Jeff Bartos: The only candidate with meaningful ties to the state.     Everett Stern: Voted for Trump in 2020, but thinks his behavior "atrocious".     Jeff Bartos: People just need government to get out of the way.     Jeff Bartos: Matters to me that I'm Jewish, not to average voter.     Everett Stern: Protecting US is life's passion, central purpose of career.     John Fetterman: Mentored young boy whose parents had died of AIDS.     John Fetterman: Doesn't live in Lt. Gov.'s mansion; but opened pool to kids.     Pat Toomey: Choice between radical left wing and Trump, not referendum.     Malcolm Kenyatta: Liberty and justice not currently attainable for all.

Tax Reform     Val Arkoosh: Corporations, wealthy must pay their share.     Mehmet Oz: I believe in capitalism which means lower taxes, regulations.     Jeff Bartos: Cut spending and waste, give working families tax breaks.     Malcolm Kenyatta: Require online retailers to collect & remit local sales tax.

Technology     Kathy Barnette: Break up monopolies colluding to censor unwanted speech.     Jeff Bartos: Rein in Big Tech--but owns stock in Google and Apple.

War & Peace     Mehmet Oz: For leaving Afghanistan but Biden surrendered to Taliban.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Carla Sands Republican Challenger Pennsylvania Craig Snyder Republican Senate Challenger Pennsylvania David McCormick Republican Challenger Pennsylvania Everett Stern Republican Senate candidate Pennsylvania Jeff Bartos Republican Challenger Pennsylvania John Fetterman Pennsylvania Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Kathy Barnette Republican Challenger Pennsylvania Malcolm Kenyatta Senate Candidate Pennsylvania Mehmet Oz Republican Challenger Pennsylvania Pat Toomey Republican Jr Senator Pennsylvania Sean Parnell Republican Challenger Pennsylvania Val Arkoosh Democratic Challenger Pennsylvania