ELECTION SPOTLIGHT: Dr. Mehmet Oz and John Fetterman square off over Biden performance, economy

The heated race in Pennsylvania Senate is under the ‘Election Spotlight’ this week, Fox News Digital’s series that asks candidates in top races to respond to the same set of policy and political questions.

Both Democratic Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, and celebrity physician-turned-GOP-candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz talked to Fox News Digital about issues facing America, including President Biden’s administration, the economy, energy and more.

Here’s what the two dueling candidates had to say.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate Joe Biden’s handling of the presidency and why?

Fetterman: “There is still more work to be done, the American people are struggling, and we need to make sure the government is doing all we can to lower prices and help working people.”

DR. OZ: THE ONLY THING JOE BIDEN IS BUILDING BACK BETTER IS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY

Oz: “Joe Biden has completely failed our country and has earned a 0 for not showing up. His wasteful spending, attack on American energy, failure to deal with inflation, and open border policies have been disastrous for our nation.

“My opponent, John Fetterman gave him a great rating during a debate earlier this year even though the majority of Americans agree that our country is not headed in the right direction under Joe Biden’s Administration. That is why we will prevail in November and help Republicans regain control of the Senate.”

Do you think the economy has entered into a recession? How would you get the economy back on track if elected this November?

Fetterman: “We still have a lot of work to do to get rising costs and inflation in order and bring down prices for working people across this country. People are hurting. I would continue to fight inflation by expanding manufacturing here at home and simplifying our supply chains. Making more shit in America will drive down prices for everyone and create more good-paying jobs for people across Pennsylvania. I would also take on corporate greed and the CEOs who are making record profits all while charging the people of Pennsylvania more and more. I have the backbone to actually stand up and take on the CEOs and the corporate special interests and fight to bring down prices for working people, my opponent Dr. Oz, does not.”

JOHN FETTERMAN CALLS FRACKING A ‘STAIN’ ON PENNYSLVANIA, LAMENTS OWN ‘PRIVLEGED’ LIFE IN OLD REDDIT POSTS

Oz: “Whatever the Biden Administration wants to call it: two consecutive quarters of a shrinking GDP is a recession, and John Fetterman’s spending plans would make things even worse. Joe Biden and his rubber-stamp Democrats like John Fetterman have sent the United States economy spiraling into a recession. It’s time to stand up for American families and get our economy back on track from this downward spiral with an all-of-the-above energy policy with emphasis on natural gas. We also need to cut out reckless spending that overheats the economy with borrowed money.”

What is something that voters should know about your opponent?

Fetterman: “My multi-millionaire celebrity opponent, Dr. Oz, doesn’t feel a change in price when he’s filling up his gas tank — if he even pumps his own gas at all, since they don’t let you do that in Oz’s native New Jersey. He doesn’t get it. He doesn’t feel the rising prices at the pump or in the grocery store. He has no idea what Pennsylvania families are going through.

“Moving to Pennsylvania from New Jersey to try and take our Senate seat is part of a bigger issue, which is who Oz truly is: a fraud that’s just using the people of Pennsylvania for his newest vanity project.”

Oz: “My opponent is a Bernie Sanders socialist. John Fetterman’s radical, liberal policies would drive up gas prices for everyone by destroying our energy industry. He has even called fracking a ‘stain on Pennsylvania.’  He will make our communities less safe, and has advocated for the release of ⅓ of prisoners in jail. It’s no wonder the Democrat Party’s far-left leaders — AOC and Elizabeth Warren — have thrown their support behind someone who shares their radical values.

“It’s time John Fetterman starts answering publicly for his crazy views on things like support for dangerous sanctuary city policies, decriminalizing all drugs, energy-crushing policies like the Green New Deal and trillions more in wasteful spending.”

What do you believe is the most important issue in your state?

Fetterman: “The most important issue in Pennsylvania is still inflation and rising prices. When I fill up my Dodge RAM, it’s still costing a hell of a lot more than it did a year ago. When I go shopping for groceries, almost everything I buy costs more.

“If we’re going to be serious about bringing down gas prices, we need to suspend the federal gas tax to provide immediate relief for people at the pump. We should also continue to use American oil — and produce and invest in more American energy.  But inflation isn’t only impacting us at the pump. It’s everywhere. So it’s not just energy we should be making here at home. It’s everything. We should be ramping up production across industries, increasing capacity and supply to bring down prices across the board. The supply chain gets a lot less complicated when it starts and ends here at home, instead of relying on countries overseas.”

DR. OZ SLAMS GREEN ENERGY PUSH BY BIDEN, DEM SENATE OPPONENT: ‘NOT FOLLOWING THE SCIENCE’

Oz: “Pennsylvania energy can be a tool for solving our current energy crisis. We have enough natural gas underneath our feet to power the whole country for more than 200 years. Yet, Joe Biden and John Fetterman have launched an attack on American energy – forcing us to become reliant on our adversaries around the globe. John Fetterman called for canceling the Keystone Pipeline and called fracking a ‘stain on Pennsylvania.’

“We need to unleash the power of American energy, not go overseas begging for energy from Iran, Russia, and Venezuela. If the government got out of the way of our Pennsylvania workers, we could use American energy to bring down the cost of gas as well as restore America’s energy dominance.”

What do you believe is your greatest strength going into the midterms?

Fetterman: “I understand what voters across Pennsylvania are going through. Throughout my whole career I have always fought for the communities and the people that politicians in Washington leave behind. Voters know that they can trust me to fight for them, because I am one of them. I’ve lived in Pennsylvania for nearly my entire life, I’ve visited all 67 Pennsylvania counties multiple times, and I know the issues that matter to people all across the Commonwealth. Dr. Oz does not.”

Oz: “Radical liberals in Washington only care about the appearance of caring. Their policies have sent the economy spiraling into a recession and have robbed Americans of their savings. I care about fixing problems. I spent my life in the medical field, inventing life-saving devices and empowering my patients to become experts on their own health. As an outsider, I have challenged powerful insiders to protect Americans for my entire career, and I will continue the same as a U.S. Senator.”

What is something you want to tell voters who are considering a vote for your opponent?

Fetterman: “My multi-millionaire celebrity opponent, Dr. Oz, who has 11 houses across the world, does not care about the people of Pennsylvania, he does not understand our struggles, he does not understand our lives. He is not one of us, and he sure as hell won’t fight for us in Washington. 

He just moved here from New Jersey to run for Senate. Just like he’s been doing on television for nearly two decades now, Dr. Oz is just saying and doing whatever will benefit him personally.”

Oz: “I’m a political outsider – not a career politician like John Fetterman. I’m ready to take on the establishment and the disastrous Biden-Fetterman agenda of rising crime, skyrocketing inflation, weak leadership, and failing schools. John Fetterman has made it clear that he would be another rubber stamp for the failed policies hurting Pennsylvanians. John Fetterman’s radical, socialist agenda will harm American workers and make our streets less safe. Pennsylvania needs to send a bold leader to Washington to share a dose of reality and help heal our great country – that’s exactly what I will do.”

Check back next week for another edition of Election Spotlight to hear from candidates on the ballot this fall.