Fetterman said debates are 'important part' of Democratic primary, but now refuses to debate Oz

Pennsylvania Democratic Senate nominee John Fetterman is refusing to debate Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Republican nominee, ahead of the general election for the seat in November, despite a comment he made in February insisting that debates were "an important part" of the Democratic primary for Senate.

"Debates are an important part of this primary," Fetterman wrote in a February tweet, prior to the Democratic primary election for the Senate seat. "We believe voters deserve no fewer than three network televised debates - including all candidates who make the ballot - before major media markets across PA."

The Oz campaign has made several attempts to engage with Fetterman through a debate, but those invitations have been largely ignored.

On Tuesday, Fetterman, Pennsylvania's lieutenant governor, rejected Oz's offer to partake in the first debate between the two candidates.

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"I’m eager to put my record and my values up against Dr. Oz’s any day of the week," Fetterman said in a Tuesday statement. "As I recover from this stroke and improve my auditory processing and speech, I look forward to continuing to meet with the people of Pennsylvania."

Fetterman also pointed out that the "concessions" made by the Oz campaign earlier on Tuesday had "made it abundantly clear that they think it is funny to mock a stroke survivor."

Oz had released a statement where he detailed various tongue-in-cheek concessions he would make for Fetterman, including things like promising not to hurt Fetterman's feelings and allowing him to wear an earpiece or ask for a "bathroom break."

Following the news that he would not take part in the debate, Britney Yanick, Oz's communications director, lashed out at Fetterman in a statement, calling him a "liar, a liberal, and a coward."

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In a separate statement, Yanick also accused Fetterman of "insulting" Pennsylvania voters' intelligence as she questioned when he would be ready to debate.

"We heard John Fetterman won't debate Oz in the 'first week of September.' OK, so when will he debate? He won't ever say – not even in his latest whiny statement," Yanick said. "John Fetterman's campaign is insulting the intelligence of Pennsylvania voters."

On Wednesday, the Oz campaign also took aim at Fetterman for his refusal to participate in a debate hosted by WFMZ-TV and the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, which, according to the Oz campaign, both candidates were invited to take part in "weeks ago."

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"First, John Fetterman's campaign lied about wanting to debate Dr. Oz based on some secretive 'terms' that they won't share with anyone. Now, John Fetterman says he won't debate Doctor Oz 'in the first week of September.' That's another lie," Yanick said in a statement. 

"He won't debate Doctor Oz at all, and we all know it. The WFMZ & Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber debate makes TWO debates that Fetterman is ducking. So now we have two lies AND two ducked debates. We thought John Fetterman was a big tough guy, so what is he so afraid of? Is he afraid of defending his radical record of releasing murderers back on the streets? Let us know, John."

In a clip from a campaign event shared to Fetterman's Twitter account on Wednesday, the Democrat slammed the Oz campaign for attempting to mock his recovery from a stroke.

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"How many of you, maybe yourself, have had a big health challenge in your own life? Any of your parents? Any of your children maybe? Can you even imagine if you had a doctor that was mocking your illness or ridiculing that? Well here we are," Fetterman told a room full of supporters. "I would like to think that Dr. Oz may have really lost his way if you're gonna make fun of somebody that had a stroke. But I don't think he ever had his way."

Fox News did not receive an immediate response from the Fetterman campaign on whether he stands by his February remarks or whether he will debate Oz prior to the state's general election.