New York Daily News

Dr. Oz to run as Repub for Senate in Pa.

- BY PETER SBLENDORIO AND DAVE GOLDINER

The doctor is in — and he could determine control of the U.S. Senate.

Mehmet Oz, a controvers­ial celebrity heart surgeon, announced he will run for Pennsylvan­ia’s open Senate seat in 2022 as a Republican.

“We are angry at our government and at each other,” Oz wrote in an opinion piece announcing the campaign. “That’s why I am running for the U.S. Senate: to help fix the problems and to help us heal.”

Oz (photo), who was born in Cleveland and is the son of a heart surgeon who emigrated from Turkey, will vie for the seat being vacated by Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who previously announced his retirement.

Although he did not divulge any specific political stands, Oz suggested he would stress his disagreeme­nt with restrictio­ns designed to limit the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Arrogant, closed-minded people in charge closed our parks, shuttered our schools, shut down our businesses and took away our freedom,” Oz said.

Oz praised former President Donald Trump for spearheadi­ng the developmen­t of vaccines to fight the virus but did not mention President Biden or his push to convince millions of Trump supporters to get the lifesaving shots.

The fight for the seat from battlegrou­nd Pennsylvan­ia could determine if Democrats can cling to control of the now-evenly divided Senate after next year’s midterm elections.

With strong name recognitio­n thanks to his prior connection with Oprah Winfrey and his own television show, Oz, 61, is poised to become a top contender for the seat. But he would face a tricky Republican primary and a general election against one of several strong Democratic candidates.

The daytime TV rating wizard is expected to announce his candidacy official as early as Tuesday night, with Fox News host Sean Hannity teasing that Oz will make a “huge announceme­nt” on his show.

“Hint: think midterm election,” Hannity said.

Other GOP candidates include Jeff Bartos, a failed one-time candidate for lieutenant governor, and Carla Sands, a wealthy donor who served as Trump’s ambassador to Denmark.

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