Former United States President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he is endorsing celebrity surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz in the Senatorial race in Pennsylvania.
In a statement, Trump expressed his "Complete and Total Endorsement" for the Senate campaign of the star doctor, who he described as "smart, tough, and will never let you down."
In a statement, Oz said he is "ready to fight" and he is "proud to receive" the former US President's endorsement.
Analysts consider the Senate race in Pennsylvania to be crucial because it might determine Senate control and the future of Democratic President Joe Biden's plan. A large field of contenders is trying to succeed Republican Senator Pat Toomey, who is retiring, as per The New York Times.
Oz and David McCormick, a former hedge fund CEO, are the leading Republicans in the campaign. According to recent surveys, Oz and McCormick are in a close battle in the Republican primary on May 17.
Oz's Star Power Advantage
Oz, who is well known for his syndicated "The Dr. Oz Show," brings a lot of star power to the Nov. 8, 2022, competition.
The doctor became popular for stunning audiences with show-and-tell displays of rotting lungs and livers to convince them to take good care of their health. But his reputation suffered when he disclosed to lawmakers during a probe in 2014 that some of the products featured on his program lacked "scientific muster," according to a report from Reuters.
In that hearing, the Senators investigated the dietary supplement green coffee bean extract, which Oz claimed as a "miracle" product.
In 2016, Oz had then-candidate Trump as a guest in his program. The latter received a health check-up, a move criticized by some as a political stunt that favored Trump's candidacy due to a predominantly positive check-up result.
Trump supported Sean Parnell for the open Pennsylvania Senate seat that Oz is competing for in September 2021. But, in November, Parnell decided to pause his bid when his ex-wife accused him of physical violence and he lost a custody fight over his three kids.
On the Democratic ticket, Pennsylvania's radical lieutenant governor, John Fetterman, is pitted against Congressman Conor Lamb, a centrist who represents Pittsburgh's northwest suburbs.
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Some Trump Allies Dislike Dr. Oz
However, some Trump supporters expressed their dislike for Dr. Oz.
Former White House chief strategist, who served during the Trump administration, Steve Bannon criticized Oz in his recent podcast episode, Politico reported.
He said Oz is possible the "most anti-MAGA guy" and questioned how does the doctor "becomes a factor in a Senate race in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania" considering that he is from New Jersey and a "buddy" of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Trump and Erdogan's relationship have long blown hot and cold due to several big foreign issues according to a New York Times article.
Bannon also accused Fox and Newsmax of "nonstop pimping" Oz.
Far-right personality Jack Posobiec, a guest on the podcast episode, said that he was surprised by the news as Oz was certainly not around during Trump's campaign in 2016.
"But suddenly he found his road to Damascus conversion, and he's been this conservative in hiding the entire time? Wow, that's news I think to everybody else in the entire movement," Posobiec noted.
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