It’s Oprah vs. Oz!
Iconic superstar Oprah Winfrey snubbed her TV pal and celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Oz and endorsed his rival John Fetterman in the hotly contested Pennsylvania Senate race.
“If I lived in Pennsylvania, I would have already cast my vote for John Fetterman for many reasons,” Winfrey said.
Speaking at a virtual campaign event for Fetterman, Winfrey said Pennsylvania voters have “clear choices” to make in the contest, which could tip the balance of the entire U.S. Senate.
“(The choices) represent the values we hold dear, the values of inclusion, and the compassion that we all share,” Winfrey said. “So use your discernment and choose wisely for the democracy of our country.”
[ 5 races that could decide the U.S. Senate, from Dr. Oz to Herschel Walker’s abortion scandal ]
Winfrey had previously avoided openly opposing Oz, a friend who appeared as a health expert on her hugely popular TV show for more than five years.
Fetterman cheered the endorsement, calling Winfrey “a leader on so many issues (including) fighting for our democracy, passing common-sense gun reform, and ensuring racial justice.”
Oz did not immediately respond to the announcement.
Fetterman, who is recovering from a stroke he suffered in May, holds a narrow lead in most polls going into the final days of the race against Oz, who once trailed by double digits.
Polls say the much-ballyhooed debate between the two candidates had little impact on the contours of the race, defying predictions that Fetterman’s halting performance might hurt him.
Many political analysts on both sides of the aisle say Pennsylvania’s neck-and-neck race is the single most important contest that could determine control of the Senate for the next two years, although others point to toss-ups in battleground states like Arizona, Nevada and Georgia.
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