Republican Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz could not help but boast a surprise endorsement he received from a major newspaper in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, the location of his rival’s hometown, with just one week left in the Senate race.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette announced its endorsement Sunday, noting Fetterman’s “lack of transparency” regarding his health “suggests an impulse to conceal.”
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“We believe Mr. Oz is the better bet for Pennsylvania,” the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s editorial board wrote. “[Fetterman’s] lack of transparency, however, in refusing to release his medical records is troubling. It suggests an impulse to conceal and a mistrust of the people. All candidates for a major elected office should release their medical records, as did Mr. Oz. If you want privacy, don’t run for public office.”
Oz praised the endorsement, telling Fox News’s Sean Hannity that the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was a “fabulous paper,” noting that even “they’ve had enough.” The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette also endorsed Donald Trump for president in 2020. It was the first time the publication endorsed a Republican for president since 1972.
“I think what you witnessed during the debate was that John Fetterman can’t defend his radical views,” Oz said. “I don’t think Barack Obama can either.”
Fetterman, who served as mayor of Braddock, roughly 10 miles outside of Pittsburgh, is recovering from a stroke he suffered in May. In his debate against Oz last week, Fetterman relied on closed captioning to help him understand questions and at times struggled to articulate his answers. He has been open about how the stroke continues to affect his ability to process sound but would not commit to releasing his medical records.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette also cited concerns over Fetterman’s life experience.
“Mr. Fetterman’s life experience and maturity are also concerns. He has lived off his family’s money for much of his life. That has allowed him to do some good things, including mentoring disadvantaged young people,” the board wrote. “Still, Mr. Fetterman, despite his hoodies and shorts, has little experience in holding real jobs or facing the problems of working people.”
The endorsement noted that the heated race has much uncertainty, with neither candidate having served in the Senate before.
“We’re encouraged that Mr. Oz is portraying himself as a unifier who will work with Democrats to get things done for Pennsylvania. It remains to be seen whether he can pull that off, but he has the potential to become an influential, thoughtful and independent senator,” it added.
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Fetterman is leading Oz in the polls by less than 1.5 points, on average. Meanwhile, a New York Times-Siena College poll released Monday put Fetterman 5 points ahead of Oz, with Fetterman at 49% and Oz at 44%. The poll was conducted from Oct. 24 through Oct. 26 among 620 likely voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
In order to gain control of the Senate, the Republican Party needs a net gain of at least one seat. The Pennsylvania Senate race to replace retiring Sen. Pat Toomey (R) is crucial in deciding which party controls the chamber. As of Tuesday, the Republican and Democratic parties are in a dead heat for control over Congress’s upper house, with both parties winning in 50 of the 100 simulated outcomes of the midterm elections, according to FiveThirtyEight.
