The founder of one of the only polling organizations to predict Donald Trump's 2016 victory said Philadelphia's skyrocketing crime rate combined with revelations about Lt. Gov. John Fetterman's work schedule and left-wing politics are narrowing key statewide contests.
Robert Cahaly of the Trafalgar Group told "Life, Liberty & Levin" the widely circulated flash mob robbery at the Wawa in Mayfair — where dozens of young people ransacked the convenience store — is "galvanizing" voters toward pro–law & order candidates.
Philadelphia has also seen a spike in carjackings, including a recent one at a gas station in the city, where an innocent motorist was fueling up.
"In Pennsylvania, what we're seeing is the race tightening a lot. You know, a few weeks ago, the media narrative was that [Dr. Mehmet] Oz was down so far, there was no way to recover," Cahaly told host Mark Levin.
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"What they didn't talk about was after the primaries, there was a long period of time when nobody said anything about Fetterman because he was still in the hospital [following a stroke]. So he kind of was in a cocoon, but nobody laid off Oz."
Once time passed and Fetterman began incrementally returning to the public's conscience, they began realizing his record, Cahaly said.
Levin, who grew up only a few miles north of Philadelphia, said Fetterman has been "romancing criminals" much of his career and pointed to reports he attended many board of pardons meetings, but missed several state legislature sessions, as the lieutenant governor's main role in Harrisburg is to preside over the State Senate.
The chamber is controlled by Republicans, led by President Pro-Tempore Jake Corman, but the lieutenant governor serves as the presiding officer regardless of party.
Other polls are "catching up" to Trafalgar's analysis of a tightening race between Oz and Fetterman, Cahaly said, adding that they are "realizing this thing is a dogfight and that we see crime emerging as a very big issue."
"I think that an incident at the Wawa in Philadelphia is really going to be something that's going to continue to just kind of galvanize voters and realize how out-of-control the crime situation is in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania overall."
Oz has roundly criticized Fetterman's record on the crime front, while the issue also continues to be a top concern in the similarly-key gubernatorial race.
After a reporter at Philadelphia's local Fox station shared surveillance audio of several men allegedly "fir[ing] over 30 shots" at another man, GOP gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano blamed his opponent for failing to stem the continued violence across the state and city.
"AG Shapiro is unfit for office, having failed to fulfill his duty to maintain safety of our communities," Mastriano said of his Democratic opponent.
The state senator called Shapiro "too extreme and dangerous" for the Commonwealth in light of the crime spike under his thus far six-year tenure as attorney general.
A local ABC affiliate reported in early September that there were 946 carjackings and attempts in the city by that point for 2022, eclipsing the cumulative 2021 total of 847, citing the Philadelphia Police Department.
Levin noted such statistics come as, save for the legislature, Democrats are in full "control of the state" – pointing to Shapiro, Gov. Tom Wolf and Fetterman all holding statewide office.
"Rape is through the roof and it is a Democratic city [with] a Soros D.A. [in Larry Krasner]," he added.
