In Biden's hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, voters speak out on economy and hotly contested Senate race

CBS News poll: Democrats leading key contests in Pennsylvania

With multiple visits by President Biden and by former President Donald Trump, Pennsylvania is once again becoming the battleground in American politics.

A recent CBS News survey shows the economy and inflation remain top concerns for both Republican and Democratic voters. Eight in 10 Pennsylvania voters say higher prices have been difficult or a hardship for them.

The economy is a concern for residents in Mr. Biden's hometown of Scranton. The president won Pennsylvania in 2020. 

"Everybody up here, they struggle. The food is expensive, the gas," Scranton resident and registered Democrat Vera Wilson said.

"I worry all the time about the economy and health care," said Scranton resident and registered Republican Stephanie Hrebin.

In the state's Senate race, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman leads Dr. Mehmet Oz by five points among Pennsylvania's likely voters. The race between the two candidates will once again test whether an endorsement by Trump is enough to win. 

Oz, who is backed by Trump, has been cast as an outsider by Democrats for living for years in New Jersey.

"So anybody can just decide they want to go and buy a house someplace to run for office," Scranton resident and registered Democrat Richard Fontinell said.

Fetterman has recently started campaigning again after having a stroke in May.

Still, despite pledging to debate Oz once, Fetterman continues to face scrutiny about how the stroke has affected him.

"I don't think he's physically able to do the job. I just think they have nobody else," Helen Lancia said. 

Since returning to the trail, Fetterman has been busy rallying Democrats, especially on abortion rights. Fetterman leads among all who say it's very important, both men and women.

In the race for governor, Democrat Josh Shapiro has also been rallying his party's voters on abortion rights. He is warning them about Republican Doug Mastriano, an Army veteran who has been backed by Trump and was near the Capitol on January 6 and has repeatedly echoed the former president's false claims about the 2020 election.

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