HARRISBURG, Pa. — Here’s what you need to know about Pennsylvania elections on Oct. 20:
Oz faces allegations over endorsed supplements
The Associated Press reported that Republican Senate candidate Mehmet Oz has ties to Usana Health Sciences, a supplement manufacturing company that is being investigated by federal officials and sued by shareholders. The company stands accused to operating like a pyramid scheme.
Oz appeared at conventions for the company in 2018 and the company spent at least $50 million in advertising on his show, according to the report.
Usana said any suggestion of wrongdoing was misleading, incorrect or just false. Neither the company nor the Oz campaign have said how much Oz made by promoting Usana products.
Oz’s campaign responded to the allegations with a statement, which read in part,
"Dr. Oz was a successful businessman and a world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon who invented life-saving devices to repair heart valves, raised $80 million for HealthCorps to help at-risk teens, funded a scholarship program for #MoreBlackDoctors, and hosted the number one health show in the world which has inspired millions to take control of their lives."
Biden campaigns in PA
President Joe Biden traversed the Keystone State Wednesday as part of the final campaign push until the election, just 19 days away.
His first stop was Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh, which collapsed in January 2022, injuring at least 10 people. Biden credited the current construction on a new bridge to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, passed 2021. Officials said the law allowed PennDOT to quickly allocate $25.3 million in federal funds to the project.
“This is one of just 2,400 bridges across the country that is being repaired just this year because of this law,” Biden said in a speech.
The president traveled east later in the day to attend a Philadelphia fundraiser for Democratic Senate hopeful John Fetterman.
Biden has stayed unusually under the radar for a president during midterm elections. Former President Donald Trump held 26 rallies in October 2018, and former President Barack Obama held 16 rallies in October 2016.
Older Pennsylvanians focus on inflation, healthcare
A new AARP survey found among Pennsylvania voters age 50+, Democratic candidate for governor Josh Shapiro has a 10-point lead over Republican candidate Doug Mastriano, and John Fetterman has a 2-point lead over Mehmet Oz.
The statistics are similar to overall polling, but the 50+ voting bloc reported different top issues. Among them were inflation, Social Security and Medicare.
“A lot of older Pennsylvanians are very worried that those programs will be cut, they’ll be privatized,” said Pennsylvania AARP state director Bill Johnston-Walsh. “They’ll be looking at them in a different way. They know that something needs to be done, but they don’t want their benefits cut.”
Many voters can still be swayed; according to the survey, about 15% are still undecided about whom to vote for.
Deadlines
Some important dates to keep in mind:
Oct. 24: Last day to register to vote.
Nov. 1: Last day to request a mail-in ballot. You can apply online here.
Nov. 8: Election Day, and last-day ballots can arrive at county elections offices.
You can find more information on candidates, important dates and how to register to vote on our Election Guide page.