(Fwrd Axis) — Celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz was declared the winner of the GOP Pennsylvania Senate primary on Friday after GOP candidate David McCormick conceded the race, which was one of the closely watched primaries in the country.
“We came so close, we came so close to the gold, by the slimmest of margins on election night with thousands of votes outstanding,” McCormick said to his supporters. “It’s now clear to me with the recount largely complete that we have a nominee. Today, I called Mehmet Oz to congratulate him on his victory.”
Oz, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, will face Democratic nominee John Fetterman in November in the general election.
The celebrity television doctor thanked McCormick in a tweet, saying the two men “share the goal of a brighter future for Pennsylvania”. Oz declared victory in a video message on social media last week.
I received a gracious phone call from David McCormick and am tremendously grateful for his pledge of support in the fall election. We share the goal of a brighter future for Pennsylvania & America.
— Dr. Mehmet Oz (@DrOz) June 3, 2022
“I received a gracious phone call from David McCormick and am tremendously grateful for his pledge of support in the fall election,” Oz said. “We share the goal of a brighter future for Pennsylvania & America.”
The concession came days after McCormick’s campaign said it would seek hand recounts of selected precincts in 12 Pennsylvania counties, citing what they called “several abnormalities”.
“Every Republican vote was counted in a way that would result in the will of Pennsylvanian voters being fulfilled,” McCormick told his supporters Friday in a brief speech.
The news comes just hours after Oz’s opponent, John Fetterman, said he should have taken his health “more seriously” after suffering a stroke last month.
“Like so many others, and so many men in particular, I avoided going to the doctor, even though I knew I didn’t feel well,” Fetterman said in a statement. “As a result, I almost died. I want to encourage others to not make the same mistake.”
“Doctors have told me I need to continue to rest, eat healthy, exercise, and focus on my recovery, and that’s exactly what I’m doing,” he added. “I’m not quite back to 100% yet, but I’m getting closer every day.”
