SUPPORT FOR CONVERSATIONS LIVE COMES FROM... WHRR FROM THE WPSU PRODUCTION STUDIO, THIS IS CONVERSATIONS LIVE.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M ANN DENY.

PENNSYLVANIA IS A BATTLE GROUND STATE.

VOTERS WILL PICK A NEW GOVERNOR AND NEW U.S.

SENATOR IN RACES THAT HAVE BEEN PLAYING OUT NATIONALLY.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT HOW THE ELECTIONS ARE SHAPING UP ARE TWO POLITICAL EXPERTS.

KATIE MEYER IS A GOVERNMENT EDITOR AND REPORTER AT SPOTLIGHT P.A.

BEFORE THAT SHE COVERED POLITICS FOR W.H.Y.Y.

PUBLIC RADIO IN PHILADELPHIA AND STATE POLITICS IN GOVERNMENT FOR W.I.T.F.

PUBLIC RADIO 234 HARRISBURG.

CHRIS BORICK IS A PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND DIRECTOR OF THE MUHLENBURG COLLEGE INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC OPINION.

SHE IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCHER AND CONDUCTS LARGE SCALE PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS.

YOU, TOO, CAN JOIN TONIGHT'S CONVERSATION.

OUR TOLL FREE NUMBER IS 1-800-543-8242.

CONNECT@WPSU.ORG.

KATIE MEYER AND CHRIS BORICK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THIS IS A MID TERMY ELECTION YEAR BUT IT IS GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION, MORE THAN THE MID TERM POLITICAL YEAR.

YOU HAVE THE GOVERNOR'S RACE AND U.S. SENATE SEAT THAT IS UP AND THE INCUMBENT IS NOT SEEKING REELECTION SO IT'S MAKING IT A CONTENTIOUS RACE AND OF COURSE PENNSYLVANIA IS SEEN AS A BATTLE GROUND SWING STATE SO IT'S GETTING A LOT OF NATIONAL ATTENTION, THE.

SO WITH WITH THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE, KATIE MEYER, I WONDER IF YOU COULD START US OFF WITH WHAT WE ARE SEEING WITH THE U.S. SENATE RACE AND THE COMPETITORS IN IT AND HOW IT HAS EVOLVED?

>> YEAH, SO WE'VE GOT, I WOULD SAY A VERY UNUSUAL MATCHUP IN THIS RACE.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR JOHN FETTERMAN, A PRETTY PROGRESSIVE POLITICIAN BUT THEN YOU HAVE Dr. OZ, FAMOUS TV DOCTOR WHO RECENTLY MOVED TO PENNSYLVANIA.

WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IT LOOKED LIKE FETTERMAN WAS A COMFORTABLE LEAD AND THAT WAS UNUSUAL BECAUSE AS FAR AS POLITICAL WINDS GO, THIS IS A TOUGH YEAR FOR DEMOCRATS.

IT USUALLY IS IN THE MID TERM AFTER A NEW PRESIDENT HAS TAKEN OFFICE FOR THAT PRESIDENT'S PARTY.

AS WE HAVE GOT N CLOSER TO THE ELECTION, THE RACE HAS TIGHTENED QUITE A BIT.

AND THAT'SER WITH WE'RE NOW.

FETTERMAN MOST POLLS SHOW HIM IN THE LEAD BUT A NARROW LEAD WITHIN THE MARGIN OF ERROR AND CHRIS CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.

IT'S A TIGHT RACE.

>> RIGHT, SO THE POLITICAL KOCH REPORT WAS REPORTED LEANING THIS DEMOCRATIC BUT MOVED IT OVER TO THE TOSS-UP CATEGORY AS YOU MENTIONED WITH THE POLLS.

CHRIS, WHY DO YOU THINK FETTERMAN HAD BEEN UP UNTIL RECENTLY, ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE LEAD AND WHY IS THAT LEAD SHRINKING IN THE RACE AND THE RACE TIGHTENING?

>> I DO THINK IT'S SHRINKING AND WE SEE A LOT OF EVIDENCE THAT IT IS A MUCH CLOSER RACE THAN IT WAS EARLIER.

I THINK REALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS RACE, COMING OUT OF THE PRIMARY ELECTION, ME MET MEHMET OZ WON BY ABOUT A THOUSAND VOTES, LARGELY WITH THE HELP OF FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP GETTING HIM ACROSS THE LINE IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY AND HE CAME OUT WOUNDED.

AND THEN OVER THE SUMMER I THINK THE WOUNDS WERE EXPOSED A LITTLE BIT MORE THAT HE ISN'T SOMEONE WITH DEEP TIES TO PENNSYLVANIA.

IN FACT HE HAS LIMITED TIES TO THE COMMONWEALTH.

WENT TO MED SCHOOL HERE AND FETTERMAN WAS REALLY GOOD AT EXPLOITING THAT AND HIS TEAM WITH SOME TROLLING ON THE INTERNET USING A BUNCH OF CREATIVE MEANS AND RIPPING APART ASPECTS OF OZ'S CONNECTIONS TO THE STATE BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED THIS FALL IS THAT OZ HAS TAKEN SOME MOMENTUM BACK WITH LOTS OF BIG AD BUYS, EXPENSIVE AD BIBUYS BY HIS CAMPAIGN AND OUTSIDE GROUPS, THE PHILADELPHIA MEDIA MARKET THAT TARGETED FETTERMAN ON BEING TOO LEFT AS KATIE IS SAYING.

HE IS PROGRESSIVE, HAS AN INTERESTING BRAND, VERY INTERESTING BRAND IN LOTS OF WAYS BUT OPENS HIMSELF UP WITH HIS BRAND TO MAYBE BEING MADE TO LOOK A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE FOR SOME VOTERS AND IT'S CLOSED.

IT HAS WORKED.

OZ HAS PRETTY, FROM A POLLING PERSPECTIVE, SOME PRETTY HIGH NEGATIVES.

BUT WE SEIFERTMAN'S NEGATIVES CREEPING UP AND MAKING IT A MUCH TIGHTER RACE.

YOU CAN SEE THE POLLS IN SINGLE DIGITS.

EARLIER THIS SUMMER IT WAS HIGH DOUBLE DIGITS BY ALL METRICS IT LOOKS LIKE A COMPETITIVE RACE.

>> WHEN IT GETS DOWN TO THE SINGLE DIGITS IF FETTERMAN COMES OUT IN THE POLL AHEAD BY TWO POINTS, IS THAT WITHIN THE MARGIN OF ERROR SO NOT REALLY AHEAD AT ALL?

>> IT IS.

SOME ARE MORE AGGREGATE POLLS, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT ANY INDIVIDUAL POLL AND YOU SEE IT BE A FEW POINT RACE, CONSIDER IT A VERY COMPETITIVE TOSSUP AND DON'T BE SURPRISED IF THE CANDIDATE THAT'S RAILING BY A FEW POINTS ENDS UP WINNING THE RACE.

I SPEND A LOT OF MY TIME CONDITIONING VOTERS TO THINK JUST BECAUSE A CANDIDATE IS UP ONE OR TWO POINTS CONSISTENT, THAT COULD DISAPPEAR IN CHANGES IN TURNOUT AND OTHER FACTORS THAT CHANGE AT THE END WHEN SEE RACES IN LOW SINGLE DIGITS, I SAY BE PREPARED TO SEE THE RACE GO EITHER WAY.

THEY HAVE DISTINCT PERSONALITIES, RIGHT.

DO YOU SEE THAT INFLUENCING WHERE THAT CAMPAIGN IS GOING.

>> PART OF IT HAS BEEN SO MUCH HAS BEEN RUN ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SO MUCH HAS BEEN RUN ON ADS.

THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY VERY UNUSUAL BUT IN THIS RACE IT HAS BEEN NOTE BELIEVE BECAUSE RIGHT BEFORE THE PRIMARY ELECTION, FETTERMAN HAD A STROKE AND KEPT HIM OFF OF THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL FOR MOST OF THE SUMMER AND WHAT HIS CAMPAIGN GO DID, WHILE HE COULDN'T CAMPAIGN IN PERSON WAS A VERY AGGRESSIVE SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN BASICALLY AIMED AT MAKING Dr. OZ LOOK STUPID.

THAT'S A BLUNT WAY OF PUTTING IT BUT AT THAT TIME WAS THE GOAL.

SO TYING HIM TO THE FACT THAT HE VERY RECENTLY LIVED IN NEW JERSEY, PAINTING HIM AS A RICH GUY OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE WORK WORKING CLASS PENNSYLVANIAN.

THOUGH WERE ALL CLEAR STRATEGIES FETTERMAN HAD AND IT TOOK THE OZ CAMPAIGN TIME TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO COUNTER THOSE SORTS OF ATTACKS AND THEY FINALLY DID #KU TOGETHER WITH A CONSENSUS THAT THEY WANTED TO PAINT FETTERMAN AS SOFT ON CRIME AS, YOU KNOW, ALIGNING HIMSELF WITH CRIMINALS OVER VICTIMS, THAT KIND OF THING.

WE CAN GET INTO THE SUBSTANCE OF THAT BECAUSE IT'S AN INTERESTING AREA OF POLICY BUT THE CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN CHARACTERED TURING EACH OTHER.

CHRIS, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE IDEA OF THESE UNFAVORABLE RATINGS SO IT SOUNDS LUKE WHAT KATY IS TALKING ABOUT, ALL THESE NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNS AND NEGATIVE SOCIAL MEDIA THAT IT MIGHT BE STICKING AND WORKING.

>> I THINK THAT'S RIGHT.

AND THE FOCUS HAS REALLY BEEN, AS KATIE WAS MENTIONING ON BRANDING THE OTHERS IN THIS NEGATIVE LIGHT.

HIGHLIGHTING THE WEAKNESS.

OZ IS I HOLLYWOOD OUTSIDER TRYING TO STEAL A SEAT.

FETTERMAN ULTRALEFT PROGRESSIVE SOFT ON CRIME AND YOU SEE THE MESSAGING ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA AND ADS FOCUSING THERE.

AND WHAT IT IS DESIGNED TO DO IS DRIVE DOWN THE GENERAL IMAGE, THE LIKABILITY OF THE CANDIDATES THAT WE CALL IT THEIR FAVORABLES AND WE ASK A SIMPLE QUESTION.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORABLE OR UNFAVORABLE VIEW OF THE CANDIDATE?

AND SEE SEE THAT OZ IS REALLY UNDER WATER, MANY MORE UNFAVORABLES THAN FAVORABLES.

WHEN WE POLLED WEEKS AGO, FETTERMAN WAS IN A BETTER POSITION BUT HAD HIGH UNFAIIVELS AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THE POLLING AT THAT TIME HAS COME OUT SINCE, FETTERMAN IS STARTING TO FEEL THE IMPACT ON HIS LIKABILITY, HIS IMAGE STATEWIDE FROM THE ATTACKS THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE AIRWAVES FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS ONCE YOU MAKE IT A RACE ABOUT TWO UNFAVORABLE PEOPLE, YOU CHANGE THE DYNAMIC I USE 2016 AS AN EXAMPLE.

WHEN WE POLLED THAT RACE, HILLARY CLINTON AND DONALD TRUMP HAD HISTORICALLY HIGH UNFAVORABLE RATINGS, OFF THE CHART AND THAT HAD CHANGED DURING THE YEAR.

CLINTON PROGRESSIVELY MORE UNFAVORABLE, TRUMP WAS ALWAYS THERE AND THEN IT'S A TOSSUP AND SOMETIMES THE CANDIDATE THAT'S REPRESENTING CHANGE AT THAT POINT MIGHT GET THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND I THINK IN SOME WAYS, IT'S HARD TO FIND WHO IS THE CANDIDATE OF CHANGE HERE BUT CERTAINLY OZ MAKING IT A RACE BETWEEN MORE UNLIKEABLE PEOPLE BENEFITS HIM BECAUSE WE HAVE A DEMOCRAT WHO IS A PRESIDENT, A DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS.

SO IF PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY NECESSARILY OR TOO ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT EITHER CANDIDATE AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR CHANGE, COULD THAT ACTUALLY FAVOR OZ?

>> IT COULD FOR SURE, YEAH THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY AND I'M CURIOUS TO WHAT CHRIS WOULD SAY, BUT FETTERMAN, HIS BRAND HAS BEEN VERY UNUSUAL FOR THIS KIND OF A RACE AND HIS THEORY OF HOW YOU WIN A STATEWIDE RACE IN PENNSYLVANIA IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER DEMOCRATS AND ALSO REPUBLICANS.

FETTERMAN HAS RUN A POP POP POPULIST CAMPAIGN WHERE HE ALIES THE CHRISTIAN TABLE ISSUES, LABOR AND RELATIVELY MODERATE POSITION ON NATURAL GAS EXTRACTION FOR A DEMOCRAT.

MODERATE POSITION ON GUNS FOR A DEMOCRAT BUT LEFT SOCIAL POSITIONS.

WANTING TO MAKE HEALTHCARE AFFORDABLE.

THAT SUITE OF ISSUES HE IS TRYING TO WIN OVER A TYPE OF VOTERS, NOT NECESSARILY THE PHILADELPHIA SUBURB VOTER BUT A VOTER WHO FEELS MORE INDEPENDENT OR IS LESS COMMITTED TO EITHER WATER.

A SIMILAR KIND OF VOTER THAT DONALD TRUMP WANTED, MAYBE NOT THE SAME PEOPLE BUT THAT'S THE THOUGHT.

YOU WIN OVER THOSE DISAFFECTED VOTERS.

AND SO HE, I WOULD THINK WOULD PITCH HIMSELF AS A CHANGE CANDIDATE AND CERTAINLY HE IS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CANDIDATE THAN WE USUALLY SEE.

>> ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT, STARTING WITH ABORTION MAYBE.

>> YIA, I'LL JUST FOLLOW UP A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT KATY SAID I THINK IS SPOT ON.

JOHN FETTERMAN IS A BRAND I HAVEN'T SEEN EVER.

YOU CAN SEE BY THE GRAY IN MY BEARD, I HAVE BEEN AROUND LONG FOLLOWING PENNSYLVANIA POLITICS.

HE IS COMPLETELY UNIQUE AND SO IS MEHMET OZ AS A PENNSYLVANIA CANDIDATE AND YOU PAIR THEM UP WITH THE SPOTLIGHT AND MONEY, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S UNFORTUNATE HEALTH SWAYING.

THERE ARE SO MANY MOVING PARTS IN THIS ELECTION.

IT MAKES IT HARD TO COMPARE TO OTHER RACES AND OTHER CYCLES AND FETTERMAN, AS KATIE ALLUDED TO, IS FASCINATING.

HE TRYING TO GET SOME VOTERS, IN THE TRUMP CAMP, SOME TRUMP VOTERS, TO HIS SIDE, MAYBE WHITE WORKING CLASS VOTERS THAT ARE ENAMOURED WITH HIS BRAND BOTH HIS IMAGE AS SOMEONE UNIQUE HIS CLOTHING, HIS TATTOOS, THE ISSUES THAT HE TALKS ABOUT FROM MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION TO A LOT OF THE OTHER TOPICS THAT I THINK GET HIM ATTENTION SOME SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES AND I THINK HE WILL MAKE SOME INROADS IN THE COMMUNITIES STATEWIDE BUT AT THE SAME TIME, CAN HE DO THAT WHILE NOT ALIENATING A CHUNK OF VOTERS THAT MIGHT SEE THAT BRAND AS TOO FAR FOR WHAT THEY WANT IN POLITICS.

KATIE MENTIONED THE PHILADELPHIA SUBURBS, MODERATE, OLDER, HIGHER ED INDICATED VOTERS WHICH IS A STAPLE OF THE DEMOCRATIC COALITION IN RECENT YEARS.

I THINK OZ IS TRYING TO EXPOSE SOME CLEAVAGES THERE AND DO THAT SO I THINK IT'S FASCINATING AND TO THE LAST POINT AS WE LOOK AT ISSUES IN THE RACE, ARE POLLING AND LOTS OF POLLING SHOW THAT ABORTION, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS RISEN TO THE TOP TIER IN 2022.

WE COMPARED OUR DATA STATEWIDE IN 2018 WHERE WE ASKED THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE AND NOW IN 2022-- 2018, 3% OF PENNSYLVANIANS SAID ABORTION WAS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE TO GO TO THE POLLS WITH.

OVER 20% NOW AND OUR LOCAL DISTRICT THAT WE DID POLLING IT IS A TOP TIER ISSUE ALONG WITH ECONOMIC MATTERS INFLATION BEING AT THE TIP TOP SO THERE ARE SOME DOMINANT ISSUES PLAYING OUT IN THE ELECTION CYCLE.

>> IS IT CLEAR THAT THE STATUS OF ABORTION IS KICKING IT BACK TO THE STATES, WILL THAT FAVOR THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FETTERMAN OR WILL THAT NOT MAKE THAT MUCH OF A DISHES?

COULD IT GO THE OTHER WAY, TOO.

>> I THINK AND CHRIS CAN SPEAK MORE TO THE POLLING ON IT BUT VOTERS I'VE TALKED TO TEND TO WANT MODERATION ESPECIALLY IN ISSUES LIKE ABORTION.

AND WHAT YOU SEE THE CAMPAIGNS DOING IS, YOU KNOW, FETTERMAN WILL SAY OZ WANTS TO OUTLAW ABORTION WHICH HE HAS SAID HE IS IN FAVOR OF PRETTY RESTRICTIVE THINGS IN THE PAST BUT HE IS NOTABLY STEERED CLEAR OF THIS ISSUE I THINK INTENTIONALLY AND THEN OZ WILL SAY FETTERMAN WANTS ABORTION WITHOUT EXCEPTIONS.

THEY PAINT TO PAINT EACH OTHER AS EXTREME ON THIS ISSUE.

OBVIOUSLY IT IS A TOP ISSUE FOR THE SENATE AND FOR ANY SENATE RACE JUST BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE SITUATION WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, YOU KNOW, PASS NEW FEDERAL ABORTION LAWS PROTECTING IT BUT YEAH, I THINK WHAT I HAVE SEEN AND I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT CHRIS SAYS BASED ON THE POLLS HE HAS SEEN IT SEEMS TO BE A MOTIVATING ISSUE MORE FOR DEMOCRATS THAN REPUBLICANS.

BUT CHRIS, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

I'M CURIOUS.

>> I AGREE WITH YOU, KATIE.

IT'S AN ISSUE.

IF WE LOOK AT THE CYCLE AND POLITICS IS ABOUT CYCLES.

USUALLY LEAD THERE BEFORE I EVEN TALK ABOUT CANDIDATES.

A GOOD CYCLE TO BE A REPUBLICAN.

MID TERM ELECTION, THE PRESIDENT'S PARTY IS USUALLY PUNISHED AND PENNSYLVANIA WE HAVE A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR, IT IS SEEN AS A CHANGE POINTING TO THE OUTSIDE PARTY AND IT'S THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN MANY WAYS.

THEY HAVE THE ENERGY AT THEIR BACK AND FAIRLY UNPOPULAR PRESIDENT IN THE WHITE HOUSE THAT'S A DEMOCRAT.

THEY HAVE INFLATION AT 40-YEAR HIGHS.

THAT'S A LOT GOING IN THEIR DIRECTION.

HOW DO YOU OFFSET THAT?

AND MANY IN WAYS NOT TOTALLY MAYBE IT STILL COMES OUT TO BE MORE OF A REPUBLICAN YEAR AS KATIE ALLUDED TO, ABORTION WAS AN ISSUE THAT HAS ENERGIZED DEMOCRATIC VOTERS.

GIVEN THEM A REASON IN A CYCLE WHERE THEY WEREN'T ALL THAT EXCITED ABOUT TO NOW BE PLAYING, YOU KNOW, ENGAGED IN THE RACE WE SEE THAT THROUGH A NUMBER OF POLLING INDICATORS, THROUGH SOME POST DOBBS REGISTRATION NUMBERS.

IN THE STATE AND I THINK SOME SOME WAYS, HAS GIVEN DEMOCRATS A LIFELINE.

MAYBE NOT ONE THAT WILL SAVE ALL DEMOCRATS AND HELP EVERY DEMOCRAT ACROSS THE LINE BUT MAYBE MORE THAN WHAT WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE WON IN A VERY TOUGH CYCLE.

>> KATIE WHEN YOU ARE TALKING TO VOTERS AND ELECTED LEADERS, WE HAVE ABORTION AND THE ECONOMY, ARE THERE OTHER THINGS COMING TO THE SURFACE AS IMPORTANT TO THEM IN THE RACES?

>> I WOULD SAY THE OTHER BIG ISSUE I HAVE HEARD ABOUT FROM VOTERS IS CRIME AND THAT IN THE SENATE RACE HAS BEEN INTERESTING.

THE WAY YOU HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT CRIME, IT'S OFTEN, YOU KNOW, I LIVE IN PHILADELPHIA, IT'S ABOUT PHILADELPHIA, THIS IDEA THAT PHILADELPHIA IS LAWLESS AND CRIME IS GOING TO COME TO YOUR SUBURB AND THE SUBURBS OUTSIDE OF PHILADELPHIA ARE ONE OF THE MOST POPULOUS AREAS OF THE STATE AND A MAJOR AREA FOR VOTERS FOR CANDIDATES TO GET VOTERS.

THOSE AREAS GO FOR DEMOCRATS BUT IF REPUBLICANS CAN CUT INTO THOSE MARGINS, THEY HAVE A MUCH, MUCH BETTER CHANCE OF WINNING STATEWIDE RACES.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE?

WUJ OF THE THINGS THAT OZ HAS DONE I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING IS HE HAS LATCHED ON TO THIS THING WITH FETTERMAN FETTERMAN SERVES ON THE PARDONS BOARD AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND HE HAS BEEN AGGRESSIVE.

IT IS THE CENTER PIECE OF HIS LIEUTENANT GOVERNORSHIP BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE THUNKS THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IS IN CHARGE OF.

HE HAS PUSHED VERY STRONGLY FOR PARDONS WHO HAVE HAD LONG PRISON SENTENCES BUT DIDN'T NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW THERE ARE REASONS THE CRIMES MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN AS BAD NECESSITATED A LIFE CENTRAL PENS.

PENNSYLVANIA PUTS PEOPLE IN PRISON FOR LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE CONVICTED OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER MEANING YOU WERE INVOLVED IN A CRIME WHERE SOMEONE WAS KILLED BUT YOU DIDN'T KILL ANYBODY.

THIS IS A LONG WAY OF SAYING IT BUT FETTERMAN HAS TWO PARDONED GUYS HE GOT OUT OF PRISON AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND THE ENTIRE PARDONS BOARD DID.

AND OZ HAS RUN ADS SAYING FETTERMAN IS EMPLOYING CRIMINALS AND HE IS NOT ON YOUR SIDE WHEN IT COMES TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND HAS CALLED FOR HIM TO FIRE THE HORTON BROTHERS FROM HIS CAMPAIGN AND IT'S A NASTY POINT OF CONVENTION TENSION IN THIS RACE AND ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE FETTERMAN AS A POLITICIAN, YOU KNOW A LOT OF POLITICIANS HAVE TREAD VERY LIGHTLY AND CAREFULLY AROUND THE PARDONS BOARD WHILE THEY HAVE BEEN ON IT.

HE DID NOT DO THAT.

AGAIN, HE WAS VERY AGGRESSIVE IN TRYING TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF PRISON WHO WERE SERVING REALLY LONG SENTENCES.

AND SO THAT'S AN AREA WHERE HE HASN'T BACKED AWAY FROM THAT.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING HE HAS APOLOGIZED FOR OR ANYTHING.

SO AGAIN, JUST ANOTHER INTERESTING DYNAMIC IN THIS RACE >> ANOTHER WAY THAT RACE IS VERY ATYPICAL AND NOT WHAT WE ARE NECESSARILY USED TO SEEING WITH POLITICIANS AND I WANT TO COME BACK TO THAT IN A MINUTE BUT I ALSO JUST WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE WATCHING AND LISTENING THAT IF YOU ARE JUST JOINING US, I'M ANN AND THIS IS WPSU'S CONVERSATIONS LIVE, 2022 MID TERM ELECTIONS.

WE ARE TALKING WITH TWO EXPERTS ON PENNSYLVANIA POLITICS AND OUR TOLL FREE NUMBER IS 1-800-543-8242 OR EMAIL US AT CONNECT@WPSU.ORG.

I ALSO WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HEALTH SITUATION WITH LUM FETTERMAN AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS HAVING AN INFLUENCE ON HOW PEOPLE MIGHT VOTE IN THE ELECTION.

CHRIS, DO YOU THINK WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH HIS HEALTH AND Dr. OZ'S EFFORTS HIS CAMPAIGN'S EFFORTS TO CAST DOUBT ON WHETHER FETTERMAN IS ABLE TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE, DO YOU THINK THAT IS BEING EFFECTIVE OR COULD THAT HAVE THE OTHER EFFECT AND TURN VOTERS OFF?

>> IT'S A REALLY TRICKY ISSUE TO NAVIGATE IN A CAMPAIGN FOR BOTH CAMPAIGNS.

I DON'T THINK OZ AND PEOPLE ON HIS CALF WERE POKING A BIT AT FETTERMAN AND HIS HEALTH AND CAPABILITY AND FRAIPING IT IN A WAY THAT YOU KNOW, DIDN'T SEEM VERY SYMPATHETIC TO HIS PLIGHT IF YOU WILL, THAT WAS NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE FOR THEIR CAMPAIGN.

SO THEY HAVE TO BE CAREFUL I THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO QUESTION IS THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FIT AND READY TO TAKE ON THE ROLE AS A U.S.

SENATOR AND TO RAISE THAT QUESTION, NOT IN A WAY THAT YOU DEMEAN HIS HEALTH SITUATION, BUT TO JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKE THAT A PART OF VOTERS CALCULOUS AND THEN HOW THEY'RE MAKING A DECISION WITHOUT LOOKING SOMEHOW THAT YOU ARE AN ABLEIST OR BEING CRASS, ESPECIALLY AS A MEDICAL DOCTOR AND SO HE HAS WALKED A REALLY TIGHT ROPE.

BUT IN A CLOSE ELECTION, AND THIS IS A CLOSE ELECTION, ALL ISSUES MATTER AND I THINK ON THE MARGIN, THE VOTERS-- THERE ARE SOME VOTERS THAT MIGHT BE LOOKING AT THAT AS SOMETHING THEY'LL TAKE INTO THEIR FINAL DECISION.

AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THE DEBATE-- USUALLY PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT DEBATES FOREVER AND THEIR EFFECT ON RACES AND I'M PRETTY SKEPTICAL OF THEM MOVING A LOT OF VOTERS.

THEY DON'T GET BIG AUDIENCES, STATEWIDE RACES WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

PEOPLE THAT TUNE IN ARE USUALLY PRETTY MUCH DECIDED ON HER THEY WANT TO GO.

AND SO I DON'T THINK THEIR IMPACT IS THAT BIG.

THAT DEBATE NEXT TUESDAY BETWEEN LUM AND Dr. OZ-- LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND Dr. OZ, BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH ATTENTION ON HOW LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CAN ENGAGE IN THESE SETTINGS MAY HAVE A LITTLE MORE IMPACT THAN WE USUALLY SEE IN PENNSYLVANIA AND I THINK A LOT OF EYES, PROBABLY A BIG AUDIENCE.

I'M SURE LIT GET VIEWER HISPANIC AND RECYCLE THROUGH VARIOUS MEANS WHERE IT'S BECOME PART OF THIS ELECTION SOUNDS LIKE PEOPLE MAY BE WATCHING THAT MORE CLOSELY TO SEE HOW LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FETTERMAN DOES IN LIGHT OF HIS MEDICAL SITUATION.

HE DID RELEASE A MEDICAL REPORT FROM A DOCTOR SAYING HE CAN WORK FULL DUTY IN PUBLIC OFFICE.

KATIE, FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW FROM PEOPLE YOU ARE TALKING WITH, DO YOU THINK THIS IS AN ISSUE, SOMETHING THEY'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON OR WHAT ARE YOU HEARING?

>> YOU KNOW IT'S MIXED.

ABSOLUTELY THIS DEBATE COULD HURT FETTERMAN.

IT IS COMING LATE IN THE CYCLE AND I THINK THAT IS NOT AN ACCIDENT ON THE PART OF THE FETTERMAN CAMPAIGN.

PEOPLE HAVE STARTED VOTING BY MAIL.

PEOPLE ARE MUCH LIKELY TO HAVE THEIR MINDS MADE UP AT THIS STAGE.

FETTERMAN, IF HE TURNS IN A POOR DEBATE PERFORMANCE, THAT COULD HURT HIM AND THAT'S WHAT YOU USUALLY SEE IN DEBATES FOR MANY REASONS, A CANDIDATE, IF THE CANDIDATE IS LIKE WINNING, A DEBATE COULD HURT THEM.

SO, YEAH, THAT WILL BE A DYNAMIC.

I WILL SAY TALKING TO VOTERS, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HEAR IS THAT ACTUALLY HEALTH ISSUES ARE SEEN AS RELATABLE.

LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE STROKES, LOTS OF PEOPLE KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD STROKES OR HEART ATTACKS AND THOSE KINDS OF STRUGGLES.

HE HAS DONE AN INCREASING NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS AND HAS GOTTEN BERT IN HIS SPEECHES, GIVEN LONGER SPEECHES.

PEOPLE FROFER STROKES.

AND-- RECOVER FROM STROKES.

IT HASN'T BEEN THAT LONG SINCE HE HAD IT BUT IT WILL BE IMPORTANT.

>> WE CAN SWITCH GEARS HERE IN A MOMENT TO THE GOVERNOR'S RACE AND TALK ABOUT THAT, TOO.

IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, ALT MAT MEDIA IN POLITICAL RACES AND WE ARE SEEING A LOT MORE OF THAT OF CANDIDATES SAYING I'M GOING TO SKIP THE DEBATE.

I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT.

WE HAD THAT HAPPEN TO SOME DEGREE HERE IN CENTRE COUNTY SO YOU SEE MORE CANDIDATES SKIPPING DEBATES AND GOING STRAIGHT TO SOCIAL MEDIA OR OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS BYPASSING THE TRADITIONAL MEDIA ALL TOGETHER.

CHRIS, DO YOU THINK THIS IS WHERE THINGS ARE HEADED OR ARE WE IN A PERIOD OF TRANSITION?

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO SEE.

>> THAT A REALLY GREAT QUESTION AND I DO THINK SOCIAL MEDIA HAS CHANGED SO MANY ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES.

I'M TEACHING MY CAMPAIGNS IN ELECTIONS CLASS.

I'VE BEEN STEVENNING IT FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND WE LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS OF COMMUNICATING AND CERTAINLY FOR CAMPAIGNS, THEY'VE TAKEN IT TO HEARTED HOW WE CAN BYPASS MEDIA OUTLETS AND TRY TO GET OUR MESSAGES OUT TO OUR VOTERS IN A WAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A DEBATE OR INTERVIEW AND I THINK IN THIS CYCLE YOU HAVE SEEN IT NATIONALLY AND VERY MUCH SO IN PENNSYLVANIA WITH CANDIDATES, PARTICULARLY REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES, TRYING TO AVOID MANY OF THE CONTACT POINTS THAT WE WOULD THINK CANDIDATES USUALLY HAVE AND THAT'S INCLUDING DEBATES NOW YOU THINK WAS KATIE SAID BEFORE I LOT OF IT THE STRATEGIC.

IF YOU ARE LEADING IN A RACE, YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO DEBATE, EVEN IF YOU ARE GOOD AT IT.

YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE OPPOSITION CHANCES TO HIT YOU BUT THERE IS THE BROADER TREND YOU SHOWED IN THE GRAPH THAT IS BECOMING PART OF AMERICAN POLITICS AND THERE IS A PARTISAN DIFFICULT SIDE ON THAT THAT POPS THE ISSUE A LITTLE MORE IS THAT YOUR EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO COVER POLITICAL ELECTIONS AND HAPPENINGS, YOU HAVE CANDIDATES NOT WILLING TO TALK WITH YOU.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S STARKER IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE.

DOUG MASTRIANO SPECIFICALLY DOES NOT TALK TO MAINSTREAM MEDIA BUT YOU HAVE STARTED TO SEE INIEN THE PARTISAN ANGLE TO IT, MANY REPUBLICANS HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY UNWILLING TO TALK TO MAINSTREAM MEDIA OUTLETS THEY SEE AS BIAS AGAINST THEM BUT THERE IS AN EFFECT WHERE A RADIO STATION, THEY WOULD DO THESE INTERVIEWS TO TRADITIONALLY WITH QEATS AND THEY WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME-- LOTS OF RADIO STATIONS AND TV STATIONS HAVE HAD A LONG TIME-- HARD TIME GETTING INTERVIEWS.

BECAUSE A REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE IS NOT GOING TO RESPOND TO A REQUEST FOR AN INTERVIEW, IT DOESN'T BEHOOVE THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE TO OPEN THEMSELVES OUT FOR SCRUTINY WHEN THE REPUBLICAN IS NOT.

THIS EFFECT STARTS TO OVER TAKE RACES AND AS YOU ALLUDED TO THEN, THEY CAN TALK TO THEIR SUPPORTERS AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN UNDECIDED VOTERS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.

THEY DON'T LOSE AS MUCH BY DOING IT AS THEY WOULD HAVE 10 YEARS AGO.

>> AND CHRIS, YOU HAVE DONE POLLING ON THE MOOD OF VOTERS.

ED WHAT YOU FINDING WITH THAT, THE MOOD OF ELECTIONS BECAUSE CAMPAIGNS AND CAMPAIGNS BEING CYNICAL TALKING TO THE MEDIA AND ARE VOTERS FEELING THE SAME SIN SIM-- SAME CYNICISM.

>> IT PERMEATES LOTS OF ASPECTS OF AMERICAN LIFE RIGHT NOW.

MEDIA ELECTORAL PROCESS, TRUST IN GOVERNMENT, TRUST IN A WHOLE BUNCH OF INSTITUTIONS, HIGHER EDUCATION.

AND WE HAVE SEEN IT AND PENNSYLVANIA IT HAS BEEN FASCINATING.

WE HAVE DO THAN SOME POST ELECTION POLLS IN BOTH 2020 AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND MID TERMS LAST YEAR AND WE WILL GO AGAIN AFTER THIS ELECTION CYCLE AND ASK PEOPLE HOW MUCH THEY TRUSTED THE ELECTION OUTCOMES AND NOT SURPRISINGLY WE SEE A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE PENNSYLVANIA ELECTORATE DOES NOT TRUST AND THAT'S OVERWHELMINGLY PARTISAN IN NATURE, REPUBLICANS BEING FAR LESS LIKELY TO TRUST THE RESULTS OF ELECTIONS IN THE STATE IN 2020 AND OON EVEN LAST YEAR.

OFTEN IN RACES THAT REPUBLICANS WON IN THE STATE.

INSTITUTIONS ALSO.

WE WERE LOOKING AT TRUST IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE LAST YEAR WHICH IS REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED AND REPUBLICAN VOTERS HAD LESS TRUST IN THAT INSTITUTION THAN DEMOCRATS DID SO THE TRUST ISSUE IS FASCINATING RIGHT NOW AND A LOT OF IT DOES COME FROM MESSAGING.

WE ASKED SIMILAR QUESTIONS WELL BEFORE THE 2020 ELECTION.

AND THE PARTISAN DIVIDES WERE NOT NEARLY AS BIG.

AS ELECTION PROCESSES GO THE MORE IN THE SPOTLIGHT AND THERE WAS WHAT WE CALLY LEAST CUES COMING FROM-- CALL ELITE CUES COMING FROM PEOPLE LIKE FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP QUESTIONING THE SYSTEM, WE SAW SCEPTICISM AND LACK OF TRUST RISE DRAMATICALLY IN PENNSYLVANIA AND IT HAS BEEN PERSISTENT SINCE AND GOING INTO THE THIS ELECTION CYCLE, THAT SCEPTICISM IS STILL PART OF THE BROADER ENVIRONMENT THAT WE SEE HERE.

>> AND KATIE, IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE HEARING, TOO, WHEN YOU TALK WITH COUNTY AND ELECTION OFFICIALS, POLITICIANS, THAT THAT'S JUST PART OF THE LANDSCAPE THAT THEY'RE GOING HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DEAL WITH WHEN IT COMES TO LEARNING WHO RUN THE ELECTIONS.

IF YOU ARE RUNNING ELECTION AS COUNTY OFFICER YOU WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE FAITH AND TRUST IN THE RESULTS.

>> YEAH, AND I THINK ESPECIALLY FOR COUNTY OFFICIALS, IT'S FRUSTRATING.

I THINK MANY PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW DECENTRALIZED HOUR OUR ELECTIONS ARE.

IT'S NOT JUST THE SECRETARY OF STATE RUNNING ALL FACETS OF ELECTIONS.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, A PERSON WHO MIGHT BE YOUR NEIGHBOR.

THAT'S THE PERSON AT THE POLLS.

IT'S SOMEBODY WHO IS A VERY-- A COUNTY LEVEL BUREAUCRAT IS REALLY IN CHARGE OF MUCH MORE OF THE IMPORTANT STUFF THAT CREATES TRUST IN ELECTIONS BUT THAT ASIDE, YEAH, WE HAVE SEEN INCREDIBLE TURNOVER OVER ELECTION STAFF ESPECIALLY AFTER THE 2020 ELECTION, WHICH WAS TOUGH.

WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGE IN PENNSYLVANIA'S ELECTION LAW AND I THINK BROADLY A SENSE OF CONCERN AMONG ELECTIONS OFFICIALS THAT EVEN SMALL PROBLEMS OR SMALL DISPUTES ON HOW TO COUNT UNDATED MAIL BALLOTS.

THAT DOESN'T POINT TO PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTION.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE ELECTION CAN'T BE TRUSTED BUT WE HAVE COME TO SEE A LOT OF ROUTINE LITIGATION, ROUTINE ARGUING BETWEEN PARTIES, ESPECIALLY BETWEEN PARTIES AFTER ELECTIONS AND I THINK THAT DOES GIVE PEOPLE THE SENSE THAT THERE IS CHAOS AND REALLY WHAT IT IS A SLIGHTLY UNSETTLED ELECTION LAW THAT IS NEW AND KINKS ARE BEING WORKED OUT.

HARD TO DO THAT WITH DIVIDED GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE WHICH WE'VE HAD THIS WHOLE NEW LAW.

THERE IS AN UNFORTUNATE CONFLUENCE OF FACTORS IN PENNSYLVANIA ELECTIONS RIGHT NOW BUT I DO THINK IT CREATES A SENSE THAT ALL ELECTIONS ARE NOT TRUSTWORTHY AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

>> I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TRUST IN POLLING.

WE ARE GOING TO REMIND VIEWERS AND LISTENERS THEY CAN JOIN THE CONVERSATION, TOO.

IF YOU ARE JUST JOINING US, THIS IS WPSU CONVERSATION'S LIVE 2022 MID TERM ELECTIONS.

WE ARE TALKING WITH TWO EXPERTS ON PENNSYLVANIA POLITICS, OUR TOLL FREE NUMBER IS 1-800-543-8242 OR EMAIL US AT CONNECT@WPSU.ORG.

CHRIS, ONE AREA WHERE THERE IS DEFINITELY LESS TRUST PERHAPS THAN THERE HAS BEEN IN THE TRUST IS IN POLLING.

AND THAT HAS COME OUT IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AND PEOPLE NOW QUESTION WHETHER THE POLLING IS RIGHT HOW WOULD BE RESPOND TO THAT AND HOW DO YOU ADJUST THE POLLING THAT PEOPLE DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE OR HAVE CALLER I.D., PEOPLE HAVE CELL PHONES INSTEAD OF LAND LINES AND VARIABLES INFLUENCING TELEPHONE POLLING.

>> IT'S A BIG QUESTION AND LEGITIMATE CONCERN I WILL START OFF ON A MACRO LEVEL, EVEN WHEN POLLS ARE AT THEIR BEST AND METHODOLOGYIES AND WORKING LIKE WE CAN EXPECT A SMALL SAMPLE TO TELL US ABOUT A BIG SAMPLE, HAVE ERROR.

FIRST OF ALL, VOTERS SHOULD NEVER AFFIX LEVELS OF PRECISION AND LEVELS YOU, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER IF A CANDIDATE IS UP A FEW POINTS, DON'T BE SURPRISED IF THE CANDIDATE DOESN'T WIN.

THAT'S NOT THE ANYWAY PURR OF POLLS.

THEY'RE GIVING US ESTIMATES OF WHERE RACES ARE YOU CAN GET A LOOK THAT IT'S CLOSE OR NOT VERY CLOSE.

BUT OVER TILE IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING.

I HAVE BEEN DIRECTING POLLING CENTERS FOR A QUARTER OF A CENTURY AND OVER 20 YEARS HERE JUST IN PENNSYLVANIA.

AND IT'S A MUCH DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT TO POLL.

IT'S MORE COSTLY.

IT'S TIME-- IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME TO DO IT RIGHT COMPARED TO 25 YEARS AGO WHEN, YOU KNOW, LOOKING BACK, IT ALMOST IS LIKE A DREAM-LIKE PERIOD.

PEOPLE HAD LAND LINES.

CELL PHONES WEREN'T VERY MUCH OUT THERE.

IT WAS PRETTY EASY TO DO.

IT HAS BECOME HARDER.

AND INDEED, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SYSTEMATIC ERRORS IN POLLING IN THE LAST FEW CYCLES BUT THEY WERE CONCENTRATED AND, YOU KNOW, THIS ACTUALLY EXACERBATES THE PROBLEM IN SOME WAYS, AROUND TWO PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.

AND PRESIDENT TRUMP HAVING HIS SHARE OF THE VOTE UNDER REPRESENTED IN THOSE ELECTIONS AND IT'S RAISED-- WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AS INDUSTRY AND ACADEMICS AND SCHOLARS TRYING TO DIAGNOSE WHAT IT WAS.

IT WOULD BE REALLY EASY IF WE COULD SAY THAT WAS THE ISSUE.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS AFTER 2016 NOT WAITING FOR EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT WHICH HAS BECOME A REALLY BIG ISSUE AND DIVIDE IN AMERICAN POLITICS SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE ADAPTED TO THAT.

WE DID START WAITING FOR EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND HELPED OUR NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT BUT THERE WERE SYSTEMATIC ISSUES.

WHAT IS FASCINATING, AND THIS IS A TEST AND THIS IS WHAT I TELL EVERYBODY WITH POLLING IN THE CYCLE, PRESIDENT TRUMP IS AT LEAST TECHNICALLY NOT ON THE BALLOT IN 2022.

HE WASN'T ON IT IN 2018 AND THE POLLS LOOKED A LOT MORE NORMAL IN HOW THEY WERE RESPONDING IN THOSE SITUATIONS.

WE'LL GET TO SEE HOW THEY PERFORM AFTER ELECTION DAY 2022.

WE WILL SEE SOME SOME OF THE CORRECTIONS WE ARE MAKING, WE ARE ALWAYS TWEAKING HOW WE ARE DOING IT.

WE WILL SEE IF THE TWEAKS PAY OFF.

WE.

>> WE WILL KNOW AFTER THE ELECTRICS RESULTS WERE IN, IT MAY NOT BE THE DAY AFTER THE ELECTION BUT HOPEFULLY NOT TOO FAR AFTER THAT.

WE DO HAVE A CALL FROM DICK IN JOHNSTOWN.

THANK YOU FOR CALLING.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT?

>> I DO AND I WOULD LIKE TO DIRECT IT TO THE PROFESSOR.

I RECALL WHEN AL GORE LOST BY ROUGHLY 500 VOTES, IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THE SUPREME COURT SAID STOP COUNTING.

I DON'T RECALL ANYBODY SAYING IT WAS FRAUD.

IT WAS ILLEGITIMATE.

I WOULD LIKE A BRIEF HISTORY FROM THE PROFESSOR AS TO HOW THIS ELECTION FRAUD, HAS IT BEEN AN UNDERLYING THING OR DID TRUMP BRING IT TO VIEW?

THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

WAS THERE MISTRUST, WAS IT THERE ALREADY AND JUST GOTTEN BIGGER AND MORE EXACERBATED.

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION FROM DICK ABOUT THE BROADER ISSUE AND TAKING US ALL THE WAY BACK 22 YOURS AGO.

AND INDEED, THE DEBATES AROUND WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN FLORIDA THEN CERTAINLY WERE FOCUSED ON PROCESS IN A LOT OF WAYS.

HOW DO WE COUNT BALLOTS, THE FAMED HANGING CHADS OF 2000.

WERE DEBATES ABOUT PROCESS, HOW THE BALLOTS LOOKED, HOW THEY WERE COUNTED, THE POSSIBILITY OF VOTERS, YOU KNOW, INTENT NOT BEING REPRESENTED BECAUSE THEY WERE CONFUSED BY THE BALLOT.

LEGITIMATE PROCESS QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN PART OF AMERICAN ELECTORAL VOTING PROCESSES FOR A LONG TIME AND WE HAVE SEEN THAT COME AND GO AT DIFFERENT ELECTION CYCLES 20 SAN FRANCISCO BY THE WAY WAS REALLY INTERESTING.

CONCERNS ABOUT ELECTION PROCESSES AND ACCURACY WERE MORE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE TRUSTING WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE PROCESS.

AND QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME INTERFERENCE OR DIFFERENT WAYS THE RESULTS ARE SO IT'S NOT COMPLETELY ASYMMETRICAL WITH ONE SIDE.

THAT BEING SAID, SINCE 2000 WE HAVE REALLY SEEN A CHANGE WHERE IT'S BECOME MUCH MORE THE LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN THE SYSTEM, THE CLAIMS OF FRAUD THE CLAIMS THAT THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED COMING MORE FROM THE RIGHT AND FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP MADE THAT A CORNERSTONE ON ELECTORAL POLITICS, REALLY STARTED IN 2020 AND CARRIED OVER POST ELECTION AND WAS INVOLVED IN A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAW POST ELECTION HAS CARRIED ON.

AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, REALLY ERODED SOME BROADER CONFIDENCE IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS HERE IN PENNSYLVANIA AND BEYOND, OFTEN UNWARRANTED.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN AS KATIE WAS TALKING ABOUT BEFORE, THAT THE SYSTEM COULD USE SIGNIFICANT ATTENTION, RIGHT?

AND IT'S ONE OF THE PRODUCE BUSINESS IN THE STATE IS WE HAVE A DIVIDED GOVERNMENT THAT'S NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.

I THINK THERE ARE LEGITIMATE EASY FIXES TO HELP MAKE THE PROCESS SEEM BETTER THAT ARE BEING PUSHED ASIDE FOR PARTISAN REASONS RIGHT NOW AND THAT'S UNIVERSITY FOR CONFIDENCE IN THE SYSTEM.

>> THANKS FOR YOUR CALL, WE HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

LET'S LOOK AT THE GOVERNOR'S RACE IN PENNSYLVANIA.

CAN YOU GIVE US AN OVER VIEW FOR THAT RACE WHAT WE ARE SEEING WITH THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE JOSH SHAPIRO AND THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE DOUG MASTRIANO, THAT IT LOOKS, LOOKING AT THE POLLS, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT IS A DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN THE RACE FOR SENATE.

>> YEAH, SO I GUESS THOUSANDS VIEW THIS RACE EXTREMELY DIFFERENT FROM THE SENATE RACE BUT VERY WEIRD IN ITS OWN WAY.

YOU HAVE JOSH SHAPIRO, THE PENNSYLVANIA ATTORNEY GENERAL, HE IS A REAL LIKE OLD FASHIONED SORT OF STANDARD TYPE OF CANDIDATE.

HE HAS A LONG HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA POLITICS, A STATE REPRESENTATIVE, THEN HE WAS THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND ELECTED TO ATTORNEY GENERAL IN 2016.

HE IS RUNNING, YOU KNOW, AS A FAIRLY MODERATE DEMOCRAT.

HE HAS A TON OF MONEY IN HIS CAMPAIGN CANDIDATE AND THAT'S FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.

HE HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD FUNDRAISER.

HE SUCCESSFULLY CLEARED THE FIELD FOR HIMSELF IN THE PRIMARY.

HE DID NOT HAVE AN OPPONENT.

THAT'S A VERY RARE THING IN A RACE THAT'S TOTALLY OPEN LIKE THIS SO HE HAS, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, DONE A VERY STANDARD PLAY PLAYBOOK I'M NOT A POLITICAL CONSULTANT BUT MOST POLITICAL CONSULTANTS I'VE TALKED TO SAID HE HAS DONE IT PRETTY WELL.

THEN YOU HAVE DOUG MASTRIANO WHO HAS RUN THE MOST UNUSUAL STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN I HAVE EVER SEEN AND PEOPLE WITH A LONGER HISTORY IN PENNSYLVANIA THAN ME HAVE ALSO SAID THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING QUITE LIKE IT.

A STATE SENATOR, FRANKLIN COUNTY, HE HAS NOT BEEN IN THE SENATE VERY LONG.

HE WAS CAREER MILITARY BEFORE THAT.

AND HE IS A VERY RIGHT WING ALLIED WITH DONALD TRUMP AND VERY COMMITTED TO THE IDEA THERE WAS RAM PANTED FRAUD IN THE 2020 ELECTION, HUGE OPPONENT OF COVID-19 RELATED SAFETY CLOSURES AND HE HAS NOT GOTTEN A LOT OF FORWARD FROM HIS OWN WATER HIS FUNDRAISING HAS BEEN VERY WEEK.

A LOT OF THE MAJOR GROUPS THAT GIVE TO BIG CAMPAIGNS LIKE THIS IN SWING STATES HAVEN'T GIVEN TO HIM.

HE HAS WON A CAMPAIGN THAT IS AIMED AT HIS BASE MUCH MORE CONSERVATIVE PEOPLE WHO THINK THERE WAS FRAUD IN THE 2020 ELECTION.

SO THAT'S WHY YOU THINK YOU SEE A BIG SPREAD IS THE FINANCIAL DIFFERENCE, THE DIFFERENCE IN REACH, HE HASN'T RUN A LOT OF ADS ON TV.

IT'S A VERY UNUSUAL RACE WE HAVE A CALL FROM J.R.

IN STATE COLLEGE.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT?

>> YES.

I JUST HEARD A STUD BETHREE DAYS AGO THAT THE BIGGEST THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW IS THE MEDIA BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT-- ONCE TRUMP GOT INTO THE ELECTION, THEY JUST WENT AGAINST HIM LIKE THE HATE IS STILL THERE.

BUT ONCE I GOT INTO IT, YOU CANNOT-- THE PEOPLE SAY THAT THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW, AMERICAN MEDIA, REPUBLICANS DON'T GET A FAIR SHAKE WITH THE MEDIA.

JUST LIKE PEOPLE NOT WANTING TO COME TO INTERVIEWS WITH THE MEDIA.

LOCALLY I'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN WHERE ONE CANDIDATE COMES IN THERE THAT IS A REPUBLICAN AN THAT PERSON INTERVIEWING WOULD ATTACK THEM LIKE CRAZY BECAUSE HE IS A REPUBLICAN THEN THE DEMOCRAT COMES IN AND IT'S KUMBAYA.

I'VE SEEN THAT MANY TIMES.

I THINK THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE MEDIA NATIONWIDE AND I THINK THAT SURVEY I SAW THE OTHER SAY SHOWS IT.

>> THANKS FOR YOUR CALL, I'M SURE YOU HAVE HEARD THE CRITICISM THAT THE MEDIA IS NO THE FAIR.

YOU CAN HEAR THAT THE OTHER DIRECTION, TOO.

>> YEAH AS A MEMBER OF THE MEDIA, I APPRECIATE J.R.'S CALL AND THERE ARE A COUPLE WAYS I ON ANSWER THIS.

NOT ALL JOURNALISM IS GOOD.

I THINK REPORTERS NEED TO BE FAIR AND NEED TO HEAVILY SCRUTINIZE BOTH PARTIES AND SCRUTINIZE PEOPLE IN POWER GENERALLY BUT I WILL SAY ESPECIALLY POST 2020 AND LEAD UP TO THE ELECTION, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYTHING IS THE EXACT SAME THING ON BOTH SIDES.

AND YOU DID HAVE A PARTY AND WE SAW THIS VERY STRONGLY IN PENNSYLVANIA, ONE PARTY SEIZING ON THIS THEORY THAT WAS NOT TRUE THAT THERE WAS MASSIVE FRAUD IN THE 2020 ELECTION AND I THINK THAT WAS A REAL AGAIN, THERE WAS TENSION WITH THE MEDIA BEFORE THAT, BUT THAT WAS AN EXAMPLE AND VERY CLEAR ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THE STATE SENATE WITH THE IDEA THERE WAS FRAUD, LETTERS URGING OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION NOT TO CERTIFIED THE ELECTION.

IT WAS BASED ON SOMETHING THAT WASN'T TRUE.

AND THEN THERE WAS EXTRAPOLATION WHERE YOU ARE SAYING YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT HOW AN ELECTION IS ADMINISTERED WHICH TOTALLY FAIR BUT DOESN'T MEAN THERE WAS FRAUD.

AS THE MEDIA, WE NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND YES I WOULD LOVE NOTHING MORE THAN TO DO VERY DEEP WATCHDOG REPORTING ON A GOVERNOR, ANY GOVERNOR, LIKE THAT'S THE MAIN PART OF MY JOB AND THAT'S THE THING THAT I DO BUT ALSO WHEN YOU HAVE ONE PARTY SPECIFICALLY AND SYSTEMATICALLY SAYING SOMETHING THAT'S NOT TRUE, YOU HAVE DO ADDRESS THAT.

IT'S AN UNUSUAL POSITION TO BE IN AND PEOPLE HAVE MADE KONK DECISIONS IN THEIR COVERAGE BUT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN'T ESCAPE AS A PROFESSION.

>> DEFINITELY.

CHRIS, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT AND MAYBE ALSO THOUGHTS ON WHETHER THIS IDEA THAT THERE WAS FRAUD, DISPROVEN IDEA BUT AN IDEA NONETHELESS, FRAUD IN THE 2020 ELECTION, WHAT TYPE OF INFLUENCE THAT WILL HAVE ON THE GOVERNOR'S RACE IN PENNSYLVANIA?

GENTLEWOMAN, IT IS.

AND I THOUGHT KATIE'S ANSWER WAS EXCELLENT: IT IS CHALLENGING, RIGHT?

I THINK J.R.'S POINT IS THERE IS A PERCEPTION, RIGHT?

OVERWHELMING PERCEPTION.

WE'VE POLLED THIS AMONG CONSERVATIVES AND REPUBLICANS THAT THE MEDIA IS UNFAIR AND THAT THEY DON'T GIVE REPUBLICANS A FAIR SHAKE AND WE COULD STUDY THAT EMPIRICALLY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DO AND TRY TO ISOLATE AND TRY TO FIND INCIDENTS OF IMBALANCE AND THINGS AND IN A VERY FRAGMENTED MEDIA MARKET, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS WE CAN CUT THAT.

THE REALITY IS IT ALSO BECOMES CHALLENGING, RIGHT?

YOU PUT YOURSELF IN THE MEDIA'S PLACE, IF YOU WILL, LIKE KATIE WAS TALKING ABOUT.

AND IT'S EMPIRICAL, YOU CAN LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS THE REALITY.

THERE WAS NO WIDESPREAD FRAUD.

THE COURTS HAVE SAID THAT.

EVERY PIECE OF EVIDENCE TO POINT TO THAT.

IF YOU ARE IN THE MEDIA AND YOU WANT TO ASK REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ON THAT MATTER, YOU ARE GOING TO LOOK ADVERSARIAL.

AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES WHY YOU ARE NOT SEEING AS MANY REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES SPEAK.

IT'S AN AWKWARD RELATIONSHIP TO TALK ABOUT THAT OR JANUARY 6.

PARTICULARLY RIGHT NOW SOMETHING THAT MIGHT NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO ENGAGE IN.

BUT IF I'M A REPORTER, I'M ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS.

SO IT IS DIFFICULT.

YOU HAVE TO KIND OF CONSIDER THAT.

PER THE ELECTION, 2022, I DON'T THINK ELECTORAL MATTERS ARE AT THE LEVEL OF INFLATION, ABORTION, ECONOMIC ISSUES, EVEN CRIME.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE NOT IMPORTANT.

AND I THINK AS PART OF THE MESSAGING, IF YOU WATCH JOSH SHAPIRO'S ADS, ONE OF THE CONSISTENT THINGS THAT HE WILL TARGET IS DOUG MASTRIANO'S STATEMENTS ON WHAT HE WOULD DO AS GOVERNOR IN TERMS OF MANAGE ELECTORAL PROCESS IN THE UNITED STATES.

I THINK THAT'S A CLEAR SIGN THAT SHAPIRO WANTS VOTERS THINKING ABOUT THAT AND HE BELIEVES SENATOR MASTIAN OWE'S POSITION IS NOT GOING TO RESONATE WITH VOTERS.

I THINK FOR DOUG DOUG RUNNING AS KATIE SAID BEFORE, A VERY, VERY UNUSUAL CAMPAIGN, HE HAS PASSION FROM HIS SUPPORTERS BUT DOESN'T GET ON THE AIR TO REACH OTHER SUPPORTERS IN THE STATE.

HE COULD RALLY SUPPORTERS AT LEAST IN HIS BASE ARE CLAIMS OF ELECTION FRAUD.

I THINK HE HAS DOUBLED DOWN AND WANTS TO CONTINUE SPEAKING ABOUT THOSE AND USE THOSE TO HELP ENERGIZE HIS BASE FOR WHAT HE THINKS IS OR AT LEAST CLAIMS IS AN INJUSTICE IN TERMS OF AMERICAN OR PENNSYLVANIA ELECTORAL PROCESS.

>> IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ANOTHER CALL AND THIS IS FROM MARY IN STATE COLLEGE.

THANK YOU FOR CALLING.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT?

>> I DO, THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY CALL.

I'VE ALWAYS HEARD IN THE PAST IN TALKING THAT WHATEVER WAR CHEST A CANDIDATE HAD, IN OTHER WORDS, HOW MUCH MONEY THEY HAD TO PUT IN THE CAMPAIGN WAS A HUGE WINNING FACTOR AND I'M JUST PRESUMING BECAUSE Dr. OZ BEING A TV STAR SO TO SPEAK, HAS A LOT OF MONEY, IS THAT REALLY ACTING FAVORABLY FOR HIM?

>> SO WHAT IS THE ROLE OF MONEY IN THESE CAMPAIGNS?

THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF MONEY POURING INTO BOTH OF THEM.

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION IT'S ACTUALLY INTERESTING.

IN THE SENATE RACE, THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CANDIDATES IS NOT HOW MUCH MONEY THEY HAVE BECAUSE BOTH OF THEM HAVE ENORMOUS WAR CHESTS BUT Dr. OZ HAS SELF FUNDED A LOT.

HE GAVE HIMSELF A LOT OF MONEY ESPECIALLY DURING THE PRIMARY AND THAT HELPED HIM, HAVES A VERY CROWDED PRIMARY FOR SENATE AND HE WAS ABLE TO HELP HIMSELF OUT WITH THOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM HIS OWN BANK ACCOUNT HE PUT IN THERE.

IN THE GENERAL ELECTION, THEY HAVE BEEN PRETTY EVENLY MATCHED FINANCIALLY BECAUSE OZ GOT, YOU KNOW, PICKUP FROM BEING THE ONLY CANDIDATE FOR HIS CANDIDATE, SMALL DONATIONS PICKED UP FOR HIM BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, PAC MONEY PICKED UP FOR HIM.

FETTERMAN ON THE OTHER HAND HAS BEEN A FUNDRAISING JUGGERNAUT AND HIS FUNDRAISING WAY MORE THAN OTHER CANDIDATES I'VE SEEN HAS BEEN IN SMALL DONATIONS.

HE IS THE KING OF EMAIL LISTS.

VERY, VERY STRONG GRASSROOTS NETWORK.

THAT'S WHY YOU SAW HIM FAR AND AWAY HAVE THE STRONGEST FUNDRAISING IN THE SENATE PRIMARY AND THAT HAS CONTINUED INTO THE GENERAL ELECTION BUT HE HAS ADDED TO IT MORE OF THE MAJOR FUNDERS FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT HE WASN'T GETTING BEFORE.

OZ BEING RICH, YES, ABSOLUTELY HELPED HIM.

BUT FETTERMAN HAS BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, MATCHED THAT.

>> YEAH, SO A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SITUATION IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE AS FAR AS THAT GOES.

WE MIGHT GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE BUT WE WANT TO TAKE THIS CALL FROM RICK IN CLEAR FIELD.

THANK YOU FOR CALLING AND DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT?

>> YES MA'AM.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE PREVIOUS EXCHANGE ABOUT THE MEDIA AND THE RIGHT HAVING A TENDENCY TO FEEL THEY'RE BEING SINGLED OUT.

OF COURSE WHEN YOUR FACTS AREN'T THE FACTS AND THE PURPOSE OF THE MEDIA IS TO SEEK AND SEARCH AND VALIDATE AND VERIFY THE FACTS, YOU CAN EQUIVOCATE AND PREVARICATE ALL YOU WANT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE BEING SINGLED OUT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT YOUR FACTS ARE NOT ACCURATE.

AND I JUST WANTED TO CELEBRATE THE ROLE OF JOURNALISM IN OUR COUNTRY AS VERY NECESSARY AND-- I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW ANYBODY THINKS THAT THE MEDIA COULD EVER BE QUOTE FROM Mr. TRUMP, THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE AS HE MENTIONED A FEW TIMES BECAUSE WITHOUT THE MEDIA, WE WON'T HAVE A FREE SOCIETY.

THE ONLY OTHER ALTERNATIVE TO SEEK INFORMATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT, SO IT'S EITHER THE MEEDIA OR THE GOVERNMENT OR THE INTERNET, I SUPPOSE BUT THAT'S MY COMMENT.

I TRIED TO PUT IT IN THE FORM OF A QUESTION BUT I COULDN'T COME UP WITH ONE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT.

DO YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ON THAT?

HE TALKED ABOUT HOW THE MEDIA CAN CAN RESPOND.

>> I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT, THANKS, RICK AND I THINK HE GETS TO AN IMPORTANT POINT WHICH IS I PERSONALLY THINK ONE OF THE WORST FORMS OF MEDIA BIAS AND PERNICIOUS IS NOT BIAS TOWARDS REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS BUT BIAS TOWARDS AUTHORITY.

AND TAKING THE WORD OF THE POWERFUL FOR GRANTED AND THAT HAPPENS IN MANY WAYS, POLITICAL REPORTING AND ALL KINDS OF REPORTING, BUT GOOD REPORTERS ARE OFTEN ABLE TO CUT THROUGH THAT AND FIGURE THINGS OUT ON THEIR OWN AND THAT'S THE GOAL AND THAT'S THE HOPE AND IT'S A UNIQUELY USEFUL SERVICE OF THE PROFESSION.

SO, YEAH, THANKS FOR SUPPORTING THAT.

>> THAT'S A GREAT POINT AND GREAT WAY TO THINK ABOUT THAT.

WE ARE GOING TO TRY TWO SWEEZ IN ONE MORE QUELL.

DANIEL FROM BELLEFONTE.

DO YOU HAVE A QUICK QUESTION OR COMMENT?

>> I DO.

IT'S REALLY FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE THAT BRANDON GOT MORE VOTES THAN BARACK OBAMA DID IN HIS FIRST AND SECOND ELECTION?

WHICH WAS A RECORD FOR THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT VOTED FOR ONE PRESIDENT?

WITHOUT ACTUALLY CAMPAIGNING.

>> THE QUESTION IS TRUST IN THE ELECTIONS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.

CHRIS, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THAT?

>> YOU KNOW, IF WILL CALLER WANTS MY ANSWER I THINK JIB GOT MANY JOE BIDEN GOT MANY, MORE VOTES THAN BARACK OBAMA DID IN HIS REELECTION IN THE LAST SESSION BECAUSE THE TURNOUT NATIONALLY WAS SO MUCH HIGHER.

PRESIDENT TRUMP GOT MORE VOTES THAN LOTS OF OTHER CANDIDATES EVEN IN A LOSING CAUSE.

SO THE REALITY IS, YES AND IT'S EMPIRICALLY THERE AND SO THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE I CAN'T CHANGE THEIR MIND BECAUSE THEY HAVE A BELIEF THAT THEY DIDN'T.

BUT, IF YOU GO ACROSS 50 DIFFERENT STATES, LOTS OF VOTING SYSTEMS, LOTS OF, YOU KNOW, LOCAL BALLOT AREAS, THE REALITY IS HE GOT MORE VOTES BOTH IN PENNSYLVANIA AND NATIONALLY.

AND YOU MAY NOT WANT TO BELIEVE THAT AND YOU MAY FIND LOTS OF REASONS TO CLAIM BECAUSE OF HIS CAMPAIGNS, BUT THE EVIDENCE ISN'T THERE.

YOU CAN ACCEPT IT IF YOU WANT OR NOT AND WE HAVE JUST A FEW MINUTES LEFT, TIME FOR A FEW COMMENTS ON THIS.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE ROLE OF ABORTION IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE SENATE RACE, TOO.

BUT OBVIOUSLY THE CANDIDATES FOR PENNSYLVANIA HAVE STARKLY DIFFERENT VIEWS.

WE'LL GO TO KATIE FIRST.

>> THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR HAS DIRECT POWER OVER PENNSYLVANIA POLICY ON ABORTION.

SO PENNSYLVANIA IS NOT ONE OF THOSE STATES THAT HAVE A TRIGGER LAW THAT RESTRICTED ABORTION WHEN ROE V. WADE WAS OVERTURNED.

PENNSYLVANIA ALLOWS ABORTION UP TO 24 WEEKS THE LAW INTENDED TO CUT IT OFF AT VIABILITY LATER ABORTIONS ARE ALLOWED FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT THAT'S WHERE THE LAW IS.

AND DOUG MASTRIANO HAS SAID ONE OF THE FIRST LAWS HE SPONSOR, BILLS HE SPONSORED WHEN HE CAME INTO THE LEGISLATURE WAS A SIX WEEK ABORTION BAN BECAUSE IT'S BEFORE MANY PEOPLE KNOW THEY'RE PREGNANT AND HE HAS SAID HE IS FOR A TOTAL BAN.

THAT'S WHERE HE IS AT AND THAT INCLUDES NO EXCEPTION FOR RAPE, INCEST OR MEDICAL EMERGENCY IN WHICH A PARENT'S LIFE IS AT RISK SO THAT'S WHERE HE IS SHAPIRO, WHAT HE SAID BASICALLY HE WANTS THE STATUS QUO, DOESN'T WANT TO CHANGE THE ABORTION LAWS IN PENNSYLVANIA, IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LEGISLATURE CONTROLLED BY REPUBLICANS WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE REPUBLICANS.

AND DOUG MASTRIANO IS DEDICATED TO ABOLISHING ABORTION, THEN WE WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY SEE REDUCTION IN ABORTION ACCESSIBILITY.

ITS UNCLEAR WHAT THE LEGISLATURE WOULD GO FOR BUT LEADERSHIP HAS SAID HE SUPPORTS, FOR INSTANCE A SIX WEEK BAN, SO THAT'S ON THE TABLE.

SO WITH DOUG MASTRIANO, YOU GET RESTRICTED ABORTION, WITH SHAPIRO YOU DON'T.

AND YEAH, IT'S A VERY CLEAR DIFFERENCE IN THIS RACE.

>> AND WE HAVE LESS THAN A MINUTE LESS BUT CHRIS I WONDERED IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU WILL BE WATCHING ON ELECTION NIGHT AS WE WAIT FOR THE BALLOTS TO COME IN AND BE COUNTED.

>> THERE IS SO MUCH.

WE COULD PROBABLY GO THROUGH THE ARRAY OF ELECTIONS IN PENNSYLVANIA BOTH AT THE STATE LEVEL, CONGRESSIONAL LEVEL, THERE IS REALLY COMPETITIVE SEATS IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE STATE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE.

LOTS OF COMPETITIVE STATEHOUSE AND SENATE RACES SO THERE IS SO MUCH TO LOOK AT.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN POLITICS, YOU HAVE A REALLY BOUNTIFUL ELECTION NIGHT.

>> CHRIS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SORRY TO CUT YOU OFF THERE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND WE ARE OUT OF TIME.

OUR GUESTS TONIGHT HAVE BEEN SPOTLIGHT P.A.

REPORTER KATIE MEYER, MUHLENBURG COLLEGE POLITICAL SCIENTIST CHRIS BORICK.

I'M ANN DENEHY.

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