Fetterman Raises 'Unprecedented' $2 Million in Less Than 24 Hours After Debate

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, the state's Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, announced Wednesday afternoon that his campaign had raised more than $2 million in less than 24 hours following a debate with his Republican opponent, Dr. Mehmet Oz.

The campaign said its latest fundraising numbers indicate "unprecedented and massive haul for a Pennsylvania Senate race" following Oz's statement that "local political leaders" should have an equal say in decisions about abortion care as pregnant patients and their doctors.

"This is a gigantic show of support for John and his debate performance."

Following the debate, the national corporate media focused largely on Fetterman's performance and health five months after he suffered a stroke, which has left him with auditory processing issues.

"This is a gigantic show of support for John and his debate performance," said Brendan McPhillips, Fetterman's campaign manager. "We're honored and grateful for the support heading into the last two weeks of the race."

The campaign said it is using its latest fundraising haul to air its new television ad focusing on Oz's statement about abortion care. Fetterman has spent several weeks calling on Oz to tell voters whether he would support a 15-week nationwide abortion ban proposed by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and following the debate, his campaign said the celebrity doctor "belongs nowhere near the U.S. Senate."

"Our campaign will put this money behind making sure as many Pennsylvania women as possible hear Dr. Oz's radical belief that 'local political leaders' should have a say in their personal healthcare decisions," said McPhillips.

Earlier this month, Fetterman raised $1 million in one day after Republicans seized on an NBC News interview in which he used a closed captioning device, as he did during the debate. Experts on the effects of strokes say auditory processing difficulties do not denote necessarily cognitive issues, and Fetterman's doctor released a statement last week saying he is able to "work full duty in public office" following the stroke.

Fetterman addressed more than 3,300 voters at a rally in Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, speaking about abortion rights and his support for raising the minimum wage as well as the debate.

"I may not get every word the right way," Fetterman said. "But I will always do the right thing in Washington, D.C. I have a lot of good days. And every now and then I'll have a bad day. But every day I will always fight just for you."

Referring to Oz's statement about abortion rights, Fetterman added, "For some of the focus on the words that I miss, he really has to say that he had the worst line of that night."