Dr. Mehmet Oz conceded Pennsylvania's race for U.S. Senate to Lt. Governor John Fetterman on Wednesday morning after a wild campaign that had the Democrat sidelined for months following a stroke, saw crudite become a recurring theme, and drew multiple visits by high-profile surrogates on both sides of the contest.
In a statement, Oz said he "called John Fetterman and congratulated him. I wish him and his family all the best, both personally and as our next United States Senator. Campaigning throughout our great Commonwealth was the honor of a lifetime, and I will cherish the memories and the people I met," Oz explained. "Pennsylvanians showed up with passion and a vision for a bright future that I found inspiring every day. I want to thank my supporters, so many of whom worked tirelessly to spread our message and support me and my family."
Oz continued, noting "we are facing big problems as a country and we need everyone to put down their partisan swords and focus on getting the job done. With bold leadership that brings people together, we can create real change. As a Doctor, I always do my best to help others heal," Oz said. "That's why I ran for Senate. I hope we begin the healing process as a nation soon."
Fetterman's win comes as Decision Desk HQ reports the Democrat sits at roughly 50 percent to Oz's 47 percent with more than 5.1 million votes cast in the contest that flipped a Republican Senate seat blue.
Decision Desk HQ projects John Fetterman (D) wins election to the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania.
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) November 9, 2022
R to D Flip.#DecisionMade: 1:15am EST
Follow more results here: https://t.co/ogd3AkeoyM pic.twitter.com/2Thp4CMMBn
Questions about Fetterman’s fitness to serve, in addition to his radical policy positions on criminal justice and abortion and his lack of remorse for pulling a gun on a unarmed black jogger earlier in his career, didn't prove enough to sink his candidacy.
After trying to avoid having to face Oz on a debate stage for most of the general election campaign — especially during its early weeks when Fetterman was entirely absent from the campaign trail — Fetterman’s campaign caved under pressure from mainstream outlets and criticism from conservatives to just one debate in the final weeks of the campaign. The debate was almost universally viewed as a misstep for Fetterman due to his poor performance and inability to answer for his flip-flopping policy positions, but that too failed to prevent a Democrat win.
In the final weeks of the campaign, and especially after the debate, Oz carried most of the momentum as Fetterman appeared to max out his support among Pennsylvania voters. As Oz’s campaign picked up steam, the Cook Political Report shifted its rating for the U.S. Senate Race in Pennsylvania from “Lean Dem” to “Toss Up” as predictions of a midterm red wave grew. But the surge in support projected by pollsters and race handicappers was not borne out on Election Day.
While Oz had former President Donald Trump visit the Keystone State repeatedly, Fetterman had President Biden, former President Obama, and Vice President Kamala Harris headline his rallies.
Ultimately, Keystone State voters inexplicably decided that Fetterman was the better man to represent them in the world's greatest deliberative body. Despite what late-in-the race polling following the debate suggested, neither questions about Fetterman’s health nor a general disapproval of the direction of the country under Democrat uniparty control of Washington was enough to keep the seat in GOP hands.