PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — With open seats for U.S. Senate and governor at the top of the general election ballot this year, there is a lot on the line in Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry hosted a candidate’s forum this week, but only one major party candidate from each race showed up.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mehmet Oz and Democratic nominee for governor Josh Shapiro had the stage to themselves. They each spoke separately for about a half hour.
Oz hit on familiar Republican talking points including immigration, energy, and abortion.
“I believe that abortion should be left to the states,” said Oz. “I'm pro-life. I have three exceptions left for the mother, rape and incest.”
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Shapiro says he believes the current law in Pennsylvania, which allows for abortions through the 23rd week of pregnancy and afterward if the life of the mother is at stake, should stay in place.
He used the opportunity to take a shot at what he calls an extreme position on abortion by his Republican opponent, Doug Mastriano.
“Understand that if that extreme ban passes here in Pennsylvania, your jobs as employers will be much harder,” said Shapiro. “We are going to lose jobs in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania if his extreme agenda is given the opportunity to pass into law.”
The forum was initially set up to be a debate, but the format was rearranged.
Mastriano has said he won’t participate in debates where he can’t handpick the moderator.
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Following his stroke earlier this year, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman has said he will participate in only one debate with Oz, scheduled for later this month.
Fetterman owns a 6% lead on Oz, according to a USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll released Tuesday. The current Pennsylvania lieutenant governor’s lead on Oz has shrunk since September.
In the same poll, Shapiro has an 11% lead on Mastriano in the governor’s race, 48% to 37%.
The Pennsylvania Chamber is the largest broad-based business association in the state, with nearly 10,000 member businesses representing all sizes and crossing all industry sectors.