Trump endorses celebrity surgeon Dr. Oz for Pennsylvania Senate seat

• Celebrity surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz is running as a Republican for a Senate seat in Pennsylvania.
• He received former President Donald Trump’s endorsement on Saturday.
• The Pennsylvania seat could help decide if the Senate remains in control of the Democrats.

Celebrity surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, who is running as a Republican for a Senate seat in Pennsylvania, received the endrosement of former President Donald Trump on Saturday.

Trump stated, “Dr. Oz is smart, tough, and will never let you down, therefore, he has my Complete and Total Endorsement.”

The Pennsylvania Senate race has been closely watched, since it could determine whether the Senate could remain in control of the Democrats. Several candidates have vied to replace retiring Republican Senator Pat Toomey.

Toomey was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump during his February 2021 impeachment trial, on a charge that he incited the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The Senate voted 57-43, which ultimately fell short of the two-thirds majority needed for a conviction.

Oz and former hedge fund CEO David McCormick are the top Republicans in the senatorial race. The Republican primary contest is scheduled on May 17.

The top Democrats, meanwhile, are Pennsylvania’s progressive lieutenant governor, John Fetterman, and Congressman Conor Lamb, a moderate representing the northwestern suburbs of Pittsburgh.

Oz said the former president “knows how critical it is to change the kinds of people we send to Washington.” He added, “I’m ready to fight. I thank him for that, and I am proud to receive his endorsement.”

Oz has become known due to his “The Dr. Oz Show,” where he showed shocking images of what happens to the body when it’s not taken care of.

In 2014, his public image took a blow when lawmakers looked into bogus diet products promoted on his show, including green coffee bean extract, a dietary supplement Oz touted in 2012 as a “miracle.” During the hearings, he admitted that some of the products lacked “scientific muster.”

In September 2021, Trump endorsed Sean Parnell for the Pennsylvania seat. Parnell had to suspend his campaign in November 2021, after he was accused of physical abuse by his wife. He also lost custody of his three children.

Source: Reuters