Trump endorses Oz in Pa. Senate primary contest
WASHINGTON Former president Donald Trump on Saturday endorsed fellow television celebrity-turned-politician Mehmet Oz in a hard fought Republican primary for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, where the leading candidates have jockeyed hard for Mr. Trump’s support.
Mr. Trump issued a statement announcing the endorsement just as he was beginning his remarks at a rally in North Carolina, where he campaigned for Rep. Ted Budd, who is running in a crowded Republican primary for U. S. Senate there.
“This all about winning elections in order to stop the Radical Left maniacs from destroying our Country,” Mr. Trump said in a statement. “The Great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has a tremendous opportunity to Save America by electing the brilliant and well-known Dr. Mehmet Oz for the United States Senate.”
Mr. Trump had previously hinted at his preference for Mr. Oz, but David McCormick, a hedge fund manager who is also a top contender in the Pennsylvania race, was spotted at Mar-a-Lago only a few days ago seeking Mr. Trump’s endorsement.
The Senate race in Pennsylvania to replace retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey is expected to be one of the most expensive and closely watched elections this year. Strategists in both major parties believe the contest will factor heavily into the battle for control of the Senate in 2023.
Pennsylvania is a longtime swing state, frequently flipping back and forth between Democratic and Republican candidates in statewide elections. Mr. Trump’s narrow 2016 win there was the first for a GOP presidential nominee since 1988. President Joe Biden, who was born in Scranton, Pa.,won it in 2020.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee swiftly jumped on the Trump endorsement of Mr. Oz.
“The Republican Senate primary in Pennsylvania was already nasty, expensive and brutal,” said DSCC spokesperson Patrick Burgwinkle. “Now Trump’s endorsement will only intensify this intraparty fight, just like it has in GOP Senate primaries across the country — leaving their ultimate nominee badly damaged and out of step with the voters who will decide the general election.”
At the rally, Mr. Trump mentioned his support for Mr. Oz, referencing their shared history as television stars.
“By the way, I endorsed another person today — Dr. Oz in Pennsylvania,” Mr. Trump told the crowd. “Dr. Oz. Great guy, good man. He’s a good man. Harvard educated, tremendous, tremendous career and they liked him for a long time. That’s like a poll. You know, when you’re in television for 18 years, that’s like a poll, that means people like you.”