Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman is headed to the U.S. Senate after a campaign filled with personal health debates and a battle for control of one of the nation’s battleground states. He defeated Trump-backed celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz.
The Senate seat was vacated by retiring GOP Sen. Pat Toomey, creating the first open Senate seat in Pennsylvania in a dozen years. Fetterman’s victory helps Democrats as they seek to secure a large margin on Capitol Hill.
Currently, Democrats hold a narrow majority in the House, and the Senate is split 50-50, with Vice President Harris holding the tie-breaking vote.
Fetterman’s health was questioned when he suffered a stroke the day before the primary; He had to undergo a pacemaker implantation procedure. He did not return to the election campaign for two months and appeared only in videos.
Fetterman went back on the road and used closed captioning for some interviews.
Oz, best known for appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, announced his bid for Senate last year based on his opposition to the federal government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Oz has promoted hydroxychloroquine as a COVID treatment, previously been criticized for other health recommendations, and testified at a Senate hearing on misleading advertising for dietary supplements.