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Left, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, the Democratic nominee for the state's U.S. Senate seat, speaks in Erie, Pa., on Aug. 12, 2022. Right, Dr. Mehmet Oz, his Republican challenger, speaks in Springfield, Pa., Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022. (AP)
No, Dr. Mehmet Oz hasn’t won the Pennsylvania race for a Senate seat
If Your Time is short
- No one has won this race. The election isn’t until Nov. 8.
Recent polling has shown Pennsylvania Republican U.S. Senate nominee Dr. Mehmet Oz gaining on his Democratic rival, the state’s lieutenant governor, John Fetterman.
But an Oct. 5 Facebook post prematurely called the race.
"‘HE LEFT THE RACE’ Trump has VICTORY laugh after Fetterman BEGS to join ‘Trumper’ … Dr. Oz wins SEAT," the post says.
It was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook.)
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Fetterman has not left the race. The last day for a primary-nominated candidate to withdraw from the general election was Aug. 15. And in the hours since this post was published, Fetterman’s Twitter account was actively and regularly campaigning. His website was soliciting donations. His Facebook account was sharing videos based on claims Oz is connected to medical research that resulted in the deaths of dogs, pigs and rabbits.
Oz, meanwhile, hasn’t won the Senate seat. The general election isn’t until Nov. 8.
We rate this post Pants on Fire!
Our Sources
Facebook post, Oct. 5, 2022
Pennsylvania Department of State, Upcoming Elections, visited Oct. 5, 2022
Politico, Republicans gain ground in Senate races in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, Oct. 5, 2022
Jezebel, Dr. Oz’s Scientific Experiments Killed Over 300 Dogs, Entire Litter of Puppies, Oct. 3, 2022
John Fetterman Twitter account, visited Oct. 5, 2022
John Fetterman Facebook account, visited Oct. 5, 2022
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No, Dr. Mehmet Oz hasn’t won the Pennsylvania race for a Senate seat
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