Dr Oz preparing bid to run for US Senate: report

WASHINGTON

Celebrity doctor Dr. Mehmet Oz is preparing to run for Senate in the US state of Pennsylvania as a Republican, according to a report published on Tuesday.

Oz, 61, has already begun hiring staffers, and has reached out to prospective political allies, the Washington Free Beacon conservative website reported, citing anonymous "influential Republicans familiar with his plans."

A spokesman for Oz told the website that Oz has lived and voted in Pennsylvania since 2020, and "has deep family ties" there.

"Dr. Oz has received encouragement to run for the U.S. Senate, but is currently focused on our show and has no announcement at this time," the spokesman, who was not identified by name, said.

Should he formally announce his candidacy, Oz will be vying for the seat of Sen. Pat Toomey who is retiring from the federal legislature in 2022. Pennsylvania is one of the most contested states in congressional and nationwide elections, and Democrats have been eyeing Toomey's looming vacancy as an opportunity to gain leverage in the evenly-split Senate.

There are currently two Republican candidates who have formally announced their bids, establishment Republican Jeff Bartos, and military veteran Sean Parnell, who received former President Donald Trump's endorsement in September.

Oz has a record of donating to both Democrats and Republicans, and would bring celebrity status to the race. But he lacks political experience, and his ties to Pennsylvania may be perceived as weak among voters, according to the Free Beacon.