In the day since Donald Trump endorsed celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz for Senate in Pennsylvania Saturday evening, many supporters of the former president criticized the move.
Even Sean Parnell, the Pittsburgh-area Army veteran who had Trump’s endorsement in the Republican primary until dropping out last November, expressed disappointment with the erstwhile chief executive via Twitter on Sunday.
“I have enormous respect for President Trump,” Parnell wrote. “I was honored to have his endorsement in PA. Twice[.] But I’m disappointed by this. Oz is the antithesis of everything that made Trump the best president of my lifetime – he’s the farthest thing from America First & he’d be very bad for PA.”
In particular, pro-Trump voices have noted the many left-wing positions that Oz took prior to announcing his run. In a 2019 interview on the Breakfast Club radio program, he defended abortion and the Roe v. Wade court decision legalizing it. Also that year, on his own show, he said “red-flag laws,” state statutes allowing temporarily seizure of firearms from individuals who judges suspect could be dangerous, “may help protect you and your family.”
The heart surgeon and broadcaster also used to speak glowingly of Obamacare and produced favorable coverage of transgender surgery and hormone therapy for children.
“Why are I and many others pissed off about the Dr. Oz endorsement?” tweeted John Cardillo. Well, putting aside his history of pro-abortion, pro-“trans kids,” pro-open borders, and anti-gun positions, I’m positive beyond positive that he would have joined [Sen. Mitt] Romney [R-UT] and voted to confirm [Judge Ketanji] Brown-Jackson,” who Biden nominated to the Supreme Court. (Oz has insisted publicly that he would not have voted to confirm her.)
Human Events senior editor and Pennsylvania native Jack Posobiec registered his disappointment on Twitter Sunday morning especially regarding the transgender issue.
“Dr. Oz did a whole episode promoting transgender children – including surgery,” Posobiec wrote. “He tried to cover [the online video] up, but it was archived.”
Townhall.com columnist Kurt Schlichter and Substack blogger Scott Greer sparred online over the endorsement, with Greer defending the ex-chief executive’s decision and Schlichter treating it as a dispiriting misstep.
“Trump’s Oz endorsement makes sense,” Greer tweeted. “Oz is Trump’s friend and defended him during the 2016 campaign when it was very risky for a TV host to do so. Oz will likely push for MAGA [Make America Great Again] policies in office.”
“No,” Schlichter replied. “This is a dumb move and Trump needs to hear it when he screws up.”
Overall, hardline Trump pundits largely appeared to agree with Schlichter.
“Why did Trump endorse Dr Oz??” wrote the Hodgetwins comic duo. “He’s Romney 2.0.”
Shortly after the 45th president made his endorsement, reports emerged that former Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) will be endorsing former hedge fund chief executive David McCormick’s senate campaign.
Both Oz and McCormick have been heavily scrutinized for only recently moving to Pennsylvania. Oz grew up in Delaware and lived for many years in New Jersey, voting there as recently as autumn of 2020. Although McCormick is a Pennsylvania native, he recently lived in Connecticut before coming back to the Keystone State.
If elected, the eventual Republican nominee will replace retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey. The GOP primary will be held on May 17. Candidates for the nomination besides Oz and McCormick include veteran and political commentator Kathy Barnette, real-estate developer Jeff Bartos and former ambassador Carla Sands.
Whoever the Republicans nominate will go on to face either Lt. Governor John Fetterman (D) or U.S. Representative Conor Lamb (D-PA-17) on Nov. 8.
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Bradley Vasoli is managing editor of The Pennsylvania Daily Star. Follow Brad on Twitter at @BVasoli. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Donald Trump” by GPA Photo Archive. Photo “Dr. Mehmet Oz” by Dr. Mehmet Oz. Background Photo “U.S. Capitol” by Andrew Van Huss. CC BY-SA 4.0.
