Celebrity candidate Dr. Oz wins Pennsylvania Senate GOP primary race

Mehmet Oz — celebrity heart surgeon, The Dr. Oz Show host, Donald Trump–endorsed political candidate, and enemy of roughly 500 ex-Jeopardy contestants — has won Pennsylvania's United States Senate Republican primary after his opponent, David McCormick, conceded Friday.

McCormick's concession comes three weeks after election day, with days still left in the statewide recount. While the recount hasn't been officially called, the former hedge fund CEO reportedly had so few votes as of Friday that it was extremely unlikely he'd be able to overcome the deficit, according to the New York Times.

In a speech Friday, McCormick thanked his campaign team, his wife, and his supporters.

"We came so close to the goal," he said. "By the slimmest of margins on election night, with thousands of votes outstanding... We spent the last 17 days making sure that every Republican vote was counted in a way that would result in the will of Pennsylvanian voters be fulfilled. That's what it's all about."

"It's now clear to me with the recount largely complete, now we have a nominee," McCormick said, adding that he had called Oz to offer his congratulations.

As of Friday evening, Oz had yet to comment on his victory.

Back on election night, Oz acknowledged that the results were too close to call and would not be ready for some time. But according to local news, he vowed to Trump, "I will make you proud."

Rachel Wisniewski/Bloomberg via Getty Images Dr. Oz on the Senate campaign trail

Oz announced his candidacy in November 2021, intending to replace Republican U.S. Senator Pat Toomey following his retirement.

In recent years, Oz was repeatedly criticized for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic and alleged dissemination of misleading medical advice. When he was announced as a guest host of Jeopardy in the wake of Alex Trebek's death, more than 500 past competitors joined together to call for his removal from the roster.

The collective's statement against Oz read: "Dr. Oz stands in opposition to everything that Jeopardy stands for. Jeopardy is a show that values facts and knowledge. Throughout his nearly two decades on television he has used his authority as a doctor to push harmful ideas onto the American public, in stark contrast with his oath to first do no harm."

The group added that Oz's advocacy for treatments that "do nothing," legitimization of gay conversion therapy, and promotion of hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment were "actively putting his viewers in danger."

Trump endorsed Oz's campaign in Pennsylvania on April 9, with the former president's spokesperson Liz Harrington tweeting a document outlining his support for the candidate.

Brittany Yanick, the communications director for the Oz campaign, recently said, "President Trump endorsed Dr. Mehmet Oz because he's a conservative outsider who will stand up to Joe Biden and the woke Left."

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