Oprah Winfrey says Dr. Oz would not get her vote.
The media queen, who made Mehmet Oz a household name on her Oprah Winfrey Show nearly two decades ago, has endorsed his Democratic opponent, John Fetterman, in the Pennsylvania Senate race.
“If we do not show up to vote, if we do not get fired up in this moment, the people who will be in power will begin making decisions for us,” Winfrey said Thursday during A Virtual Voting Conversation. “Decisions about how we care for our bodies, how we care for our kids, what books your children can read, who gets protected by the police and who gets targeted.”
As for the cardiothoracic surgeon she made famous, “I said it was up to the citizens of Pennsylvania … but I will tell you all this: If I lived in Pennsylvania, I would have already cast my vote for John Fetterman for many reasons.”
Ahead of the Nov. 8 election, Winfrey, who previously endorsed former President Barack Obama, New Jersey Sen. Corey Booker and Stacey Abrams in her bid for Georgia governor — talked about there being “clear choices out there … to represent the values … we hold dear. The values of inclusion, the values of compassion … that so many of us share. So use your discernment and choose wisely for the democracy of our country.”
Oz’s race with Fetterman has been neck and neck. The democrat shared a clip of Winfrey’s endorsement to social media, writing, “Oprah knows Dr. Oz very well and decided to support us ‘for many reasons.'”
In a statement, Fetterman called it “an honor and privilege to have Oprah’s support in this race. She is a leader on so many issues — fighting for our democracy, passing common-sense gun reform, and ensuring racial justice. I’m grateful for Oprah’s support and trust on the issues that matter to people across the country and Pennsylvania as we close out this campaign.”
The Fetterman campaign also touted Winfrey’s thumbs-up, saying “it speaks volumes that Oprah would endorse Fetterman over Oz. Oprah is widely regarded as the person who helped launch Dr. Oz’s career and knows him well.”
And Winfrey did make Oz a star. For five years, he appeared on her eponymous talk show, giving her viewers health advice — and became one of “Oprah’s All-Stars” along with Phil McGraw and Robin Smith. He went on to star in his own daytime TV program, The Dr. Oz Show, which ran for 13 seasons and ended earlier this year after he announced his senate bid.
Oz has long been a controversial figure in the medical world, however, for touting unproven medical treatments and making misleading scientific claims. He announced his political bid last year and faced criticism for not living in the state where he was running for office. However, he has insisted Pennsylvania is “home,” since 2020.
Winfrey has made her stance clear and Fetterman also has support from President Biden and former President Obama, who will campaign for him in Pennsylvania on Saturday. But Oz has his own well-known supporter: former President Donald Trump, who has endorsed him and will also campaign for him this weekend in the Keystone State.
