John Fetterman’s TV debate was disastrous – but he can still beat Dr Oz | Ross Barkan

The Democrat, who had a stroke in May, struggled in the debate format. But on the merits, he's better than his Republican rival

John Fetterman can still become the next senator from Pennsylvania, the Democrat who safeguards their fragile majority. He is effectively tied or leads in many reputable polls, and he's been a prodigious fundraiser throughout the race. Few left-leaning Democrats, in such foreboding terrain, have engineered a coalition this formidable.

All of this must be stated outright because Fetterman's lone televised debate performance was disastrous. In May, he suffered a stroke, and he could not speak consistently and coherently on Tuesday against his Republican opponent, Dr Mehmet Oz. While partisans online defended his speaking style and pleaded for empathy - all victims of health calamities certainly deserve it - it was inarguable that Fetterman struggled, and even sympathetic observers acknowledged a debate format was a steep challenge. Fetterman is simply not the candidate he was before his stroke.

Ross Barkan is a writer based in New York