As with the Ohio senate race, Texas Senator Cruz picked a candidate, David McCormick, and Donald Trump followed, endorsing TV star, Dr. Oz (after his first choice bowed out).
In recent weeks, the Republican primary field for Pennsylvania’s Senate seat has reset after the Trump-endorsed candidate, Sean Parnell, pulled out of the race amid an ugly custody battle with his estranged wife. . .
“Pennsylvania could very well decide this entire election,” Cruz said. “The Senate is in the balance. I believe if we win in Pennsylvania, we will defeat Chuck Schumer. And if we lose in Pennsylvania, I think in all likelihood, Schumer remains the majority leader.”
Before going over McCormick’s long resume as a Gulf War combat veteran and senior government official, Cruz told the crowd, “Let me tell you something about this guy: He’s a badass.”
McCormick has been leading in the polls. Real Clear Politics shows him in the lead in an average of polls by 3.4%. A Fox poll recently had McCormick ahead by 9%.
Despite the celebrity of Dr. Oz, his claim to fame is just his TV show, which focuses on “alternative” medicine, rather than proven cures, according to Scientific American. Meanwhile, he has no political background at all.
While holding a medical license, Mehmet Oz, widely known as Dr. Oz, has long pushed misleading, science-free and unproven alternative therapies such as homeopathy, as well as fad diets, detoxes and cleanses. Some of these things have been potentially harmful, including hydroxychloroquine, which he once touted would be beneficial in the treatment or prevention of COVID. This assertion has been thoroughly debunked.
What little politics Oz has is not impressive for conservatives. The Wall Street Journal calls the Pennsylvania race, “Hollywood Liberal” (Oz) against “Wallstreet Insider” (McCormick).
Oz’s strongest critic is the first candidate Trump picked in Pennsylvania.
I have enormous respect for President Trump. I was honored to have his endorsement in PA.
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellUSA) April 9, 2022
Twice
But I’m disappointed by this. Oz is the antithesis of everything that made Trump the best president of my lifetime—he’s the farthest thing from America First & he’d be very bad for PA https://t.co/kuTo4pp53U
Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., claimed that Trump had endorsed Oz because the former president is “surrounded himself by staff who are on [Senate Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell’s payroll & hostile to the MAGA agenda. Everybody telling Trump who to endorse in primaries works for The Swamp.”
Conservatives point to specific issues, such as abortion, gun rights, and gender identity.
They reminded conservative voters that Oz has supported abortion rights and taken some stands to which gun rights advocates object. He has spoken favorably of allowing transgender kids to make their own decisions about their gender identity, a position that the far right-wing virulently opposes. . .
Parnell accused Oz of being a liberal in disguise and a carpet-bagger. Oz has lived mainly in New Jersey in recent years, although he went to school in Philadelphia.
“He’s pro-abortion & he’s pro-illegal immigration,” Parnell tweeted. “He’s not even close to conservative or America First.”
Of course, there are also questions about McCormick.
David McCormick, who once championed diversity and inclusion under Ray Dalio, is now trying to out-Trump Dr. Oz in a Pennsylvania race that could become the most expensive Senate primary ever.
As a CEO, McCormick was responsible for corporate response to news of the day. His defense is that he was representing the corporate view, not his own.
Shortly after George Floyd’s murder in May 2020, McCormick penned an open letter that denounced what he called “structural bigotry”. . . “Racism and discrimination more broadly thrive not just in overt actions but also in omissions and willful ignorance. Benefiting from a system that quietly discriminates—without acknowledging it and helping to repair it—only propagates that system,”. . . “With empathy and genuine conviction, we can and must show this solidarity by denouncing and eradicating structural bigotry around us.”. . .
As the Daily Beast first reported, Bridgewater under McCormick also prided itself on its LGBTQ and other diversity initiatives. The firm expanded its healthcare program to fully cover gender-transition surgery during McCormick’s time as CEO.
It appears that Trump feels that celebrity and name recognition are more important than ideals in an election.
The Pennsylvania Republican Senate primary takes place on Tuesday, May 17.