Former hedge fund executive David McCormick surrendered to Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania's Republican Senate primary on Friday, catapulting the former President Trump-backed Oz to a general election standoff against Democrat Lt. Gov. John Fetterman.
The two Republican candidates had been locked in a tight contest for weeks, after Oz's ever-so-slight lead in the race triggered a recount. "It's now clear to me, with the recount largely complete, that we have a nominee," McCormick said Friday. Oz later said he received a "gracious" phone call from McCormick, and is "tremendously grateful for his pledge of support in the fall election."
"Now that our primary is over, we will make sure that this U.S. Senate seat does not fall into the hands of the radical left, led by John Fetterman," Oz continued.
Fetterman, who is currently recovering from a stroke, had an easy time clinching the Democratic nomination against his most notable opponent, U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb. On the Republican side, the closely-watched Senate primary had been viewed as a barometer for Trump's continued influence over the GOP — thus rendering Oz's victory all the more significant.