(NewsNation) — Recent polling shows opinions are changing after the first and only debate between Democratic Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman and Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz.
A new survey from Emerson College Polling and The Hill found that half of respondents said their view of Fetterman worsened while more than 40% of voters said their opinion of Oz improved.
Fetterman continues to recover from a stroke he suffered in May. During the debate, there were times the lieutenant governor struggled to clearly communicate his thoughts, taking extended pauses to find the right words, repeating himself often, or leaving out words during statements.
At the beginning of the debate, Fetterman said he wanted to address the “elephant in the room,” letting viewers know early on that the stoke might impact his communication.
The experience on stage wasn’t easy, he later said, citing alleged errors with the captioning system provided for him.
The winner of Pennsylvania’s race could determine the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.
Meanwhile, both men continued their trek around the state, making campaign stops to rally their base and make an impression on undecided voters.
A USA Today/Suffolk University poll that noted about 7% of Pennsylvania voters said they were supporting other candidates or are still undecided — but they would have supported Fetterman if he hadn’t had a stroke.