HARISBURG, Pennsylvania (AP) – Dr Mehmet Oz, a prominent cardiac surgeon approved by former President Donald Trump, won the Senate election in the Republic of Pennsylvania on Wednesday, beating former hedge fund chief executive David McCormick with difficulty. a state affected by litigation that reached the nation’s highest court.
The census found that Oz won a victory over McCormick with 951 votes out of more than 1.3 million cast in the May 17 primary. This came a few days after McCormick acknowledged the race, admitting he was not getting the boost he needed to close the gap.
In the general election in November, Oz will face Democratic Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, who is out of the campaign while recovering from a stroke and serious heart disease. The race could help determine control of the narrowly divided Senate, and Democrats see it as perhaps their best chance of gaining a seat in the race to replace resigning Republican Sen. Pat Toomey.
“After the official nationwide census, it’s time to focus on how high the stakes are in November,” Oz said in a statement.
National parties and Feterman have begun testing general election strategies and broadcasting television commercials in Pennsylvania, a presidential state still rocked by Trump’s baseless allegations that the 2020 election was stolen from him.
Trump backed Oz about five weeks before the primary, saying his decision was “all about winning the election.” The former president also had a long personal history with Oz, who is best known as the host of the daily TV show Dr. Oz’s Show.
Trump said his wife, Melania, is a big fan of the show. Still, Oz barely won despite Trump’s push. In the last days of the campaign, Trump held a rally for Oz and viciously attacked Oz’s closest rivals, including McCormick and conservative activist Katie Barnett, who finished third.
Oz, who has dual citizenship in Turkey, will be the first Muslim senator in the country if elected. During the census, he remained relatively quiet and out of the campaign.
Feterman, meanwhile, is recovering from a stroke he suffered just days before his election, which he easily won. Last week, he said he “almost died” of a stroke, admitting he had ignored warning signs for years and the doctor’s advice to take blood thinners.
His cardiologist also revealed that Feterman was being treated for heart disease, which could be fatal. He remained out of the public eye and did not specify a date for returning to the campaign.
As Feterman recovers, his campaign launches two television commercials in which Feterman portrays himself as an ordinary man who will “fight Washington” – perhaps a hint of political winds for President Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats, as Americans say are skeptical about Biden’s economic prospects and record.
In an ad, Feterman criticized outsourced jobs, closed factories, rising costs and low wages, saying “these decisions were made for us by people who don’t know us.”
Meanwhile, national Republicans are trying to link Feterman to the most liberal members of his party and the Biden administration. In a statement Wednesday night, Oz said Pennsylvania residents “want someone who will stand up to Biden-Feterman’s liberal agenda, leading to higher gas prices, record inflation and unprecedented levels of violent crime.”
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