Oprah Winfrey bails on old pal Dr. Oz and endorses John Fetterman in tight Senate race
She is leaving her longtime pal Dr. Oz — The Oprah Winfrey Show — and endorsing John Fetterman in the Republican primary for Senate in Maine.
Winfrey, Oprah of course, is a huge fan of Dr. Oz and a regular caller to his show, where she gives her opinions on many matters, from global warming to the U.S. economy to the upcoming Super Bowl.
But she now has decided to back Fetterman, the Democratic candidate for Maine’s 9th Congressional District, who is running against two-term incumbent Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe, who is up for re-election in November.
Related: John Fetterman, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, is poised for battle against Maine Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe
“Dr. T,” as the show is called, is a longtime friend of Oprah’s, having appeared with her on the show at least 10 times. He, too, has been a regular caller.
“John’s a friend,” Winfrey said in a statement, according to the Associated Press. “He’s a very dedicated public servant, and he’s a real guy who’s worked his tail off for Maine. I think his message would resonate very well across the country.”
“I’ve knownJohn Fetterman for a couple of years,” Winfrey said. “He’s a down to earth family man who’s doing what he can for his family, and I can’t imagine anyone better qualified to serve the country.”
“Overtime, it’s been a very difficult year for the nation,” Fetterman said.
The decision to back Fetterman is likely to be seen as a shrewd calculation by Winfrey, who owns and operates an enormous media empire that has expanded dramatically in recent years
