A few days ahead of the hugely consequential midterm election, the closely watched Pennsylvania Senate race appears to be neck-and-neck, write Judy Woodruff, Frank Carlson, and Ian Couzens for PBS News Hour. 

Both candidates, Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman and Republican celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, are focusing their push on the suburbs around Philadelphia, including Chester County. As the population continues to grow, the former Republican strongholds have become more blue. 

Chester County is also preparing for voting. Sophomore Drake Smith, president of the student government at Lincoln University, the country’s first historically Black college and university, is working on convincing students to find time to vote on Nov. 8. 

“We tell students that, like, there’s power in your vote, because they’re trying to take it away,” he said. “They want to make it harder for you to vote because they know just how much power there is in your collective voting.” 

Meanwhile, Chester County farmer David Lantz, is focusing on the economy and the need to expand oil and gas drilling. He plans to vote for Oz. 

“I’m a farmer, obviously, and diesel prices are sky high,” he said. “I’d like to see that come down.” 

Read more about the Pennsylvania Senate race in PBS News Hour.