The candidates for Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate Seat, including John Fetterman (Democrat), Dr. Mehmet Oz (Republican), Erik Gerhardt (Libertarian), Ron Johnson (Constitution), Dan Wassmer (Keystone), and Richard Weiss (Green) weigh in on top issues for the 2022 election.
About the WESA Candidate Survey: In August, WESA sent surveys to all candidates running in competitive races for federal and state offices in our listening area, including Allegheny, Armstrong, Cambria, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland counties. Our candidate survey was based upon input we solicited from voters.
Editor's note: We have removed candidates' efforts to characterize their opponents' positions and fixed basic capitalization and punctuation issues, but have not otherwise edited their answers.
In the wake of the Dobbs decision, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly has proposed a federal ban on abortion after 6 weeks, with exceptions for life or health of the mother, but not for rape or incest. Would you support such a proposal — yes/no?
- Please explain your stance and identify other changes, if any, you would support at the federal level.
Fetterman: No. The right to an abortion is non-negotiable, period. Women should have control over their own bodies and their own lives. I support eliminating the filibuster to pass a bill like the Women’s Health Protection Act to codify the right to an abortion into law.
Gehardt: Yes it should stay with the state and be a constitutional question for the people to decide.
Johnson: The constitution says no life shall be taken, my personal belief is this. I am pro-Life. SCOTUS should have turned this over to the states to begin with. I would support his proposal but it should be left up to the citizens of each state.
Oz: I'm pro-life with three exceptions: life of the mother, rape and incest. And as a senator, I'd want to make sure that the federal government is not involved in interfering with the state's decisions on the topic.
Wassmer: No. I support a woman’s right to choose based upon the 9th and 13th amendments which grant to the people rights beyond those enumerated in the Bill of Rights. In addition the 13th specifically states no person shall be an involuntary servant of another. Apparently Justice Alito failed to read those provisions in the Constitution. Erosion of Rights harms all of us.
Weiss: No. I support an unrestricted, no questions asked, right to a safe and prompt abortion up to the end of 20 weeks of pregnancy, calculated starting at 2 weeks after last menstruation. Saint Thomas Aquinas believed ensoulment occurs after animation or quickening. After 21 weeks I would not support abortion other than in the case of a nonviable fetus (e.g. brain death), threat to the life of the pregnant person, or severe defect. For reference, I would not consider down syndrome to be a severe defect. Luke 1:44 occurred after 21 weeks. “In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy…” Luke 1:26
The federal minimum wage has been set at $7.25 an hour since 2009. Do you favor federal action to change the minimum wage?
- Please explain your stance and, if you support a change, identify the minimum wage rate you believe is appropriate.
Fetterman: Yes. The minimum wage must be raised to a living wage of $15 an hour. It should be tied to inflation and go up automatically every year, so that American workers never again have to go 12-plus years without a raise. Personally, I think that any senator who is against raising the minimum wage should have to live and work for $7.25 per hour so they can demonstrate to all of us how it’s even possible to survive. It’s not.
Gerhardt: No I do not. I do however support open avenues to a free market capitalistic system and allow the skill of people dictate their wage.
Johnson: I think the $7.25 is out dated but, I would make it to grow with the economy.
Oz: I support a higher minimum wage when employment and economic conditions warrant increasing the minimum wage.
Wassmer: No. Candidly the minimum wage is now meaningless. I am a college professor and poll my students about their wages and I haven’t had a single student earning the minimum wage — ever. I believe in free markets not government mandated labor rules which harm small businesses more than large businesses.
Weiss: Yes. I support an increase of the federal minimum wage to $15.00 an hour or more. Alternatively, I support a universal basic income of $300 per week for each adult U.S. citizen, which would amount to a subsidy for employers. I also support Medicare for All single payer universal health insurance, which would relieve employers of payments for health insurance for their employees. Finally I support collective bargaining of all workers like they have in Denmark, where fast food workers make $19 per hour. A Big Mac there costs only a few cents more; McDonald’s has not gone out of business.
Earlier this term, the U.S. House passed the "For the People Act" (H.R. 1), with provisions requiring states to offer options like early voting and automatic voter registration, and to create independent commissions to draw Congressional boundaries, rather than have the legislature and governor do so. The measure died in the Senate. Would you vote for H.R. 1 in office? Yes/no?
- Please explain your answer, and suggest any federal action — either in H.R. 1 or outside it — that you think would be appropriate for Congress to take on the conduct of elections.
Fetterman: Yes. I have been vocally supportive of legislation in Congress that would strengthen our democracy and expand voting rights, including the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, the For the People Act, and the Freedom to Vote Act. It’s crucial that we make it easier for people to vote and knock down the restrictions designed to reduce turnout, especially among voters of color. We should also work to eliminate dark money in politics and increase donor and lobbyist transparency.
Gerhardt: No. I believe a block chain system of checks and balances should be built to monitor [irregularities] from registered voters pre-election paired with voter ID for cross reference to make sure everyone gets only 1 vote.
Johnson: Yes, the government needs to stay out of the elections. Each state should have a nonpartisan, non-affiliated commission to handle the elections. We are in this mess now because the fed. government doesn't know how to stay out of stuff.
Oz: I do not support the federal government trying to involve itself in state and local election laws.
Wassmer: Yes — with amendments to insure all districts are competitive and allow independent candidates to also have access. As a former Assistant County Solicitor for Bucks County PA I handled various “election law” issues. As an Independent running on the Keystone Party line I can insure that a lot to be changed in election laws not only to provide greater access for voters but all more options for voters.
Weiss: Yes. Everyone should be registered to vote at birth or allowed to register on the spot at their polling location, and if they don’t have photo ID, then vote with a fingerprint to eliminate any double voting. Paper ballots. Hand marked. Hand counted. On camera. Make Election Day a holiday. Copies may be counted by scanner as a quality control measure that may prompt a physical hand recount however the physical hand count on camera should be the official count. Ballots should be on camera from the time they enter the polling place as blanks to the time they’re completely counted.
President Biden recently signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which will move the United States toward reducing carbon emissions by 40% below 2005 levels by 2030. That’s short of a 50 percent reduction by 2030, which scientists say is necessary to limit the worst impacts of climate change on the globe. Would you support further legislation aimed at that target — yes or no?
- Please explain your stance, and describe any changes you wish to see to federal energy or climate policy.
Fetterman: Yes. I’m proud to say I have never taken a dime from the fossil fuel industry, and I never will. Republicans need to get real about climate change, and Democrats need to get real about our energy needs. We can’t just abandon the people who keep our energy grid running, and tell them to go learn how to code. That’s why I don’t support a fracking moratorium in Pennsylvania. This idea that we have to choose between jobs and a clean environment is wrong. We must uphold the union way of life for workers across Pennsylvania in a responsible way.
Gerhardt: No. We need to produce on all cylinders as we do not have the electric generation capabilities or the oil production for such a massive endeavor. The current math limits us to meet the quota for all Americans at 8 million electric car a year will take 41 years. We cannot do the work without oil burning vehicles as current EVs are not equipped to handle the work yet and won't be ready for at least 10 years.
Johnson: No, all this crap about forcing people to buy EV, is nonsense stay out of it.
Oz: I support an all-the-above energy approach. We must also invest in natural gas, a workable, clean solution for mass energy production, while renewables continue to innovate.
Wassmer: Yes and No. As a former environmental science major — I would like to see carbon emissions reduced (simply as a pollutant) by empowering environmental groups to file lawsuits as opposed to strict government action which I actually consider “permission slips” to pollute. I also have a number of questions related to climate issues which I would like answered. Number 1 of which is how NASA scientists looking at lunar surface temperatures can claim that a similar increase there is caused by blackened patches left by astronauts. And if so why many believe adding solar and photovoltaic pannels would result in decreases in Earth surface temperatures.
Weiss: In order to address climate change, a mobilization similar to that during World War II is needed. The Green New Deal, originally proposed by Green Party NY Governor candidate Howie Hawkins in 2010, can be found in its current form here. Until the political will for such a mobilization is achieved, I support any phasing out of fossil fuels and just transition to renewable energy as quickly as possible. “Just” means any displaced workers will be compensated and retrained for new jobs. The renewable energy sector creates far more jobs and produces cheaper energy that does not cause cancer.
Inflation is a concern for Pennsylvanians, and some legislators have called for either reducing or suspending the federal gas tax. Would you support such a measure? Yes/no?
- If yes, how would you replace the revenue — and are there other inflation-fighting policies you would pursue? (Please limit your answer to 100 words)
Fetterman: As prices soar and families get ripped off, people are struggling across Pennsylvania. We need real solutions that will fight inflation and bring down costs. I recently released my plan for working Pennsylvanians that will do just that by making more stuff in America (and right here in Pennsylvania), bringing jobs back home, cracking down on huge corporations that are price gouging, cutting taxes for working people, and slashing “out of pocket” healthcare costs. These critical policies aren’t Democratic or Republican solutions — they’re pro-America, and pro-worker solutions.
Gerhardt: No. Those funds are designated to fix the roads and are being spent on other things in the state. the other uses should be looked into, and a cost comparison should be set if it should be only used for the roads as it says in the bill.
Johnson: Inflation is the key issue here in Pa. along with every other state. Congress enacted the Department of Transportation in '66 it needs a revamp and the federal gas tax is part of it. The states tax gas the feds tax gas get rid of it. The states pay a majority of the money for the roads.
Oz: We should be pursuing solutions that will offer Pennsylvanians meaningful, lasting relief. I believe we need to unleash our energy production in Pennsylvania and across our country. This will help ease inflationary pressure on Pennsylvanian families.
Wassmer: Yes. I wouldn’t replace the revenues but rather look at multitudes of cost cutting measures. An example would be my plan to bar any recipient of a federal contract (infrastructure) from engaging in pay to play — on non-bid contracts by imposing a 200% tax on any contractor found to be kicking monies via donations back to any political party. That would prevent inflated stimulus bills which cost taxpayers a small fortune only to see that money end up in the hands of politicians campaign funds.
Weiss: Yes. The rise in cost of energy is the source of the current surge in inflation. The U.S. is currently energy independent and the cost of producing oil/gas in the U.S. did not go up. The world price went up. The price increase was due to the corporations' obligation to sell at the world price to maximize profits. All the price increase was due to sanctions and went to corporate profits. Set energy prices in the U.S. at pre-Russian sanctions prices and require oil companies to satisfy the U.S. market first. They would be just as profitable as before the sanctions.
In the face of rising homicide and other crime rates, would you support requiring universal background checks for gun purchases? Yes/no?
- Please explain your stance, and describe other approaches to fighting crime that you would support.
Fetterman: Yes. One of my proudest achievements as Mayor was when Braddock went five and a half years without a gun death. I’ve worked hand-in-hand with the police, I understand the challenges our police forces face and how to support them to make communities more safe. As your senator, I will make sure law enforcement has the resources necessary to do their job. We also need to immediately pass common-sense gun reforms like universal background checks, red flag laws, and a ban on military-grade assault weapons and high capacity magazines.
Gerhardt: No. The federal level should not have the say over the states as was set as [precedent] in the case of Roe v. Wade.
Johnson: No, the 2nd Amendment gives us the right to own a gun. Just because the government puts more regulations on a background checks, does not mean the criminals will go in for a check. No, you want to sight crime start with the soft on crime DA’s.
Oz: Far left politicians like Philadelphia's Larry Krasner are overseeing the dismantling of our communities by allowing violent crime to run rampant. Krasner released a quarter of inmates from city jails and refused to prosecute certain crimes. In the U.S. Senate I will fight to fund our police and will hold officials accountable who choose to not enforce the law.
Wassmer: No. Candidly the “gun violence issue” is not what it purports to be. As horrible as any violent death is people are living in fear caused by politicians to generate campaign contributions. For example the average number of “random” mass shooting victims in the US is actually around 350-360 people annually. Gun violence deaths (absent suicides) isn’t even within the top 15 causes of death in the US. We loose 4 times the number of people annually in house fires and at least that number of victims daily to diabetes related comorbidities. I would prefer to see us spend money on healthcare and fire prevention which would save more people annually. Again I am not unsympathetic to the victims of any crimes but candidly I see a lot of this as a fund raising scare tactic employed to generate campaign donations. (Note: Republicans pull it also with immigration).
Weiss: Yes. The Second Amendment only prevented the federal government from prohibiting states to maintain their own militias, which are now the National Guard. It did not even apply to states when it was written, but only to the federal government. So it is not possible to state that the founding fathers intended the Second Amendment to restrict a state's right to regulate guns. States could restrict guns in any way they pleased and did so throughout the history of the United States. Cities in the old west were gun free zones. Look up the "Gunfight at the OK Corral."
Do you support proposals for the federal government to wipe out student debt? Yes/no?
- Please explain your stance and describe the changes you would support to change student loan programs.
Fetterman: While I don't support wiping out all student debt, I have long been supportive of canceling some of the debt that's crippling Pennsylvanians and bringing the cost of college down across the board, especially for folks who are struggling. But we also need to support people who chose not to go to college, to make sure that you can get a good job with good pay without having a degree. That’s why I support increasing investments in career and technical programs. This isn’t an either/or issue; we must be helping folks who need it, with or without college degrees.
Gerhardt: No. Creating a larger welfare state is beneficial to no one as robbing Peter to pay Paul is not a sound business strategy.
Johnson: No, it is your choice to go to college, it was your choice to apply for a loan, so that loan is yours pay it.
Oz: Canceling student loans costs billions and is unfair to those who rightly paid off their debt. The best student loan repayment plan is a good-paying job. Pennsylvania manufacturers, specialty trades, and businesses need a skilled workforce, and we have the career and technical schools needed to train anyone for these highly-valued and rewarding careers.
Wassmer: No. The average US Student Loan debt is approximate $28,750. When I left school almost 30 years ago I owed $45k. To pay off that debt I worked 3 jobs and survived. Literally handing everyone money perpetually (including corporations) is the dumbest thing I have ever seen in my life. The only people who aren’t being rewarded and are actually punished by these policies are essentially those living on fixed incomes — Senior citizens. If people understood what was happening due to this they would realize this is how hyperinflation starts. Sure everyone may be a millionaire but at what cost? A loaf of bread costing $100.00? It is absolutely preposterous. In addition our Federal Reserve Board is running us right down the same road that they did in the late 1970’s early 1980’s due to fuel prices. Lest anyone think that that is a free market guess again. Someone had his hand in it.
Weiss: Yes. “Like canceling student debt, curing cancer is unfair to all the people who struggled with cancer in the past.” I paid off my student loans already, and I don’t want other people to have to do that. Imagine what a boost to the economy there would be, if $1.7 trillion in student loans were forgiven. Reimburse people who paid already. The Fed has created $35 trillion since 9/11, for overthrow/occupation of Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan, with nothing to show for it. Don’t tell me we can’t afford it. Make college free again like it used to be in the U.S.
