For months, John Fetterman and his associates have been attempting to secure Oprah Winfrey’s support. They succeeded in reaching their goal on Thursday when the superstar said at a virtual get-out-the-vote event that she is backing the Democrat in Pennsylvania’s crucial Senate contest.
When asked why she would vote for John Fetterman if she had lived in Pennsylvania, Winfrey replied, “I said it was up to the folks of Pennsylvania and of course, but I will tell you all this, I would have already cast my ballot for John Fetterman for many reasons.”
The remarks are significant not only because Winfrey enjoys a special place in the hearts of women, Black people, and many other Americans, but also because she played a key role in the rise to fame of Mehmet Oz, the Republican challenger to Fetterman.
Before starting “The Dr. Oz Show,” celebrity doctor Oz frequently appeared as a guest on Winfrey’s talk show.
When Winfrey nodded, Fetterman’s orbit recognized how influential it would be and moved behind the scenes to court her. According to a person familiar with the approach, the Fettterman campaign directly requested a meeting with her staff.
According to the source, Winfrey was pushed to support Fetterman by celebrities and powerful Democrats.
Neil Makhija, a close friend of John Fetterman and the CEO of Indian American Impact, said that John “isn’t one to beg for endorsements.” But Oprah stands out as being very significant for a number of reasons.
It may come down to the race between Fetterman and Oz to determine which party would control the Senate.
“She is a leader on so many issues – fighting for our democracy, implementing commonsense gun control, and guaranteeing racial fairness,” Fetterman said in a statement about her support.
Winfrey added on Thursday that, if she resided in those states, she would support further Democratic candidates for governor and the Senate.
If Oprah’s comments will appear in digital advertisements or other campaign materials is something that the Fetterman campaign has not yet confirmed.
When prompted for response on Thursday, Oz spokesperson Brittany Yanick said, “Doctor Oz loves Oprah and appreciates the reality that their political views are different. He feels that Washington has to be more moderate and less extreme.
Oz earlier claimed that he asked Winfrey to stay out of the contest during the GOP primary.
“I told her to remain outside. At a private gathering in December, he reportedly remarked, “Don’t support me because if you get engaged in any way, you’ll get harmed and I don’t want my friends upset.
