Celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, endorsed by former President Donald Trump to fill Pennsylvania’s first open US Senate seat in 12 years, has won a nail-biter in the Republican primary. It came after his opponent conceded that a recount wouldn’t yield him enough votes to overcome a narrow defeat.
Oz had to wait nearly three weeks after Pennsylvania’s May 17 primary election to confirm his victory, as he led by just 972 votes, or 0.1%, a margin so slim that a recount was ordered. Second-place finisher Dave McCormick, a former hedge fund executive, called Oz on Friday to concede the race after concluding that he wouldn’t prevail in the recount.
“It’s now clear to me, with the recount largely complete, that we have a nominee,” McCormick told supporters on Friday night. “And today, I called Mehmet Oz to congratulate him on his victory. And I told him what I always said to you: that I will do my part to try to unite Republicans and Pennsylvanians behind his candidacy, behind his nomination for the Senate.”
Oz thanked McCormick for his pledge of support heading into the November general election against Democrat candidate John Fetterman, who is currently the state’s lieutenant governor. “We share the goal of a brighter future for Pennsylvania and America,” Oz said.
After previously appearing as a health expert on Oprah Winfrey’s talk show for five years, Oz got his own nationally syndicated daily show, in which he discussed the health concerns of his viewers, in 2009. The show ran for 13 seasons, ending only when the doctor gave it up to run for office.