Oprah Winfrey has announced her support for John Fetterman, the Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate seat, as he runs against Republican candidate Dr. Mehment Oz.
“I will tell y’all this: If I lived in Pennsylvania, I would’ve already cast my vote for John Fetterman for many reasons,” Winfrey said during an online conversation she hosted about voting Thursday.
Oprah: I will tell you all this, if I lived in Pennsylvania, I would've already cast my vote for John Fetterman, for many reasons. pic.twitter.com/oFTNpKRCyo
— Acyn (@Acyn) November 4, 2022
The endorsement is particularly significant as Winfrey is largely responsible for Fetterman’s Trump-endorsed opponent’s rise to fame. After frequent appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Oz launched his own syndicated daytime series, The Dr. Oz Show, which was produced by Winfrey’s Harpo Productions.
Winfrey had previously attempted to stay neutral on the Pennsylvania race, even as Oz reportedly touted her support in private.
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“One of the great things about our democracy is that every citizen can decide to run for public office. Mehmet Oz has made that decision. And now it’s up to the residents of Pennsylvania to decide who will represent them,” Winfrey told New York Magazine in a statement last December.
Following Winfrey’s endorsement, Fetterman tweeted, “WELCOME TO #TEAMFETTERMAN, @Oprah!!”
WELCOME TO #TEAMFETTERMAN, @Oprah!! 🥰 https://t.co/ZSYnEiNTZz
— John Fetterman (@JohnFetterman) November 4, 2022
“It is an honor and privilege to have Oprah’s support in this race,” Fetterman said in a statement. “She is a leader on so many issues — fighting for our democracy, passing common-sense gun reform, and ensuring racial justice. I’m grateful for Oprah’s support and trust on the issues that matter to people across the country and Pennsylvania as we close out this campaign.”
Real Clear Politics’ polling average currently shows Fetterman leading Oz by a razor thin 0.2 points in the race for Pennsylvania’s Senate seat.