Everett Stern, the independent candidate for the U.S. Senate seat from Pennsylvania, has just announced that he is dropping out of the race, and is endorsing Democratic nominee John Fetterman “in the interest of protecting the country.”
“I am polling around 3% which places Democracy at risk,” Stern, a former Republican, said Tuesday afternoon. “In the interest of protecting the United States I am dropping out of the U.S Senate Race in PA. I fully endorse John Fetterman. The Democrats must win. PA must be Blue. It has been an honor running.”
“I fully endorse John Fetterman and want to make crystal clear here that Pennsylvania must go blue in this election,” Stern adds separately in a lengthy video. “The Democrats need to win this.”
Dr. Oz “is being backed by Trump and by Flynn, and that is simply unacceptable,” Stern says, referring to right-wing extremist and QAnon evangelist Michael Flynn.
Stern asked his supporters to make certain they do not write-in his name, and to donate to the Fetterman campaign “as much support as possible,” to ensure “that the Democrats win this election.”
Stern endorsement is a big win for Fetterman, the current Pennsylvania Lt. Governor.
The announcement came just hours before the awaited debate between Fetterman and Trump-back candidate Mehmet Oz. it also comes two weeks before Election Day.
Much of the attention heading into the debate was on Fetterman’s ongoing recovery after suffering a stroke and how his struggle with auditory processing and speech could impact a debate against someone who was a TV host.
But Fetterman didn’t stumble and the debate focused on the deep policy differences with the two candidates sparring over energy policy, abortion and the economy.
Oz clearly entered the debate hoping to cast Fetterman as someone too extreme to represent Pennsylvania, using the term “extreme” countless times to describe several the Democrat’s positions. In response, Fetterman frequently used the phrase the “Oz rule” to describe his opponent’s relationship with the truth.
U.S. Senate Announcement: I am polling around 3% which places Democracy at risk. In the interest of protecting the United States I am dropping out of the U.S Senate Race in PA. I fully endorse John Fetterman. The Democrats must win. PA must be Blue. It has been an honor running.
— Everett Stern (@EverettStern1) October 25, 2022
