Dr. Oz is officially running for Senate in Pennsylvania
TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz is officially jumping into the Pennsylvania Senate race.
The host of The Dr. Oz Show announced in the Washington Examiner on Tuesday he's running for Senate to "help fix the problems and to help us heal." The confirmation comes after a report from the Washington Free Beacon that he was hiring staff and eying a run as a Republican, seeking the seat that will be vacated following the retirement of Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.).
Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon, in his announcement criticized government policies during the COVID-19 pandemic that he argued "caused unnecessary suffering," writing, "Elites with yards told those without yards to stay inside, where the virus was more likely to spread. And the arrogant, closed-minded people in charge closed our parks, shuttered our schools, shut down our businesses, and took away our freedom." He also claimed that "dissenting opinions from leading scholars were ridiculed and canceled so their ideas could not be disseminated" during the pandemic and that "many great ideas were squashed."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Oz first rose to fame as a health expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show before getting his own medical program. He has been criticized throughout his career for allegedly "promoting quack treatments and cures in the interest of personal financial gain." He also faced backlash in 2020 for saying on Fox News that reopening schools was an "appetizing opportunity" because it might "only cost us 2 to 3 percent in terms of total mortality." In his op-ed on Tuesday, he asserted that he has "fought the establishment my whole career."
According to the Washington Free Beacon, Oz is registered to vote in New Jersey and owns a mansion there; his spokesperson said he has lived and voted in Pennsylvania, "where he attended school and has deep family ties," since last year.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
The Christmas quiz 2024
From the magazine Test your grasp of current affairs and general knowledge with our quiz
By The Week UK Published
-
People of the year 2024
In the Spotlight Remember the people who hit the headlines this year?
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: December 25, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Putin says Russia isn't weakened by Syria setback
Speed Read Russia had been one of the key backers of Syria's ousted Assad regime
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Georgia DA Fani Willis removed from Trump case
Speed Read Willis had been prosecuting the election interference case against the president-elect
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Democrats blame 'President Musk' for looming shutdown
Speed Read The House of Representatives rejected a spending package that would've funding the government into 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump, Musk sink spending bill, teeing up shutdown
Speed Read House Republicans abandoned the bill at the behest of the two men
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Congress reaches spending deal to avert shutdown
Speed Read The bill would fund the government through March 14, 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Luigi Mangione charged with murder, terrorism
Speed Read Magnione is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about Bidens
Speed Read Alexander Smirnov claimed that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter were involved in a bribery scheme with Ukrainian energy company Burisma
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
South Korea impeaches president, eyes charges
Speed Read Yoon Suk Yeol faces investigations on potential insurrection and abuse of power charges
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published