‘Dr. Oz ‘bet Trump’s endorsement could boost him in Senate race

The Pennsylvania Senate hopes Mehmet Oz won Donald Trump’s primaries by securing the former president’s endorsement over the weekend.

Now, Oz’s Senate campaign says it plans to spend at least $1 million making sure Pennsylvania Republicans know about it – bet that by raising awareness of the endorsement. , the number of his polls may increase.

Starting Tuesday, Oz plans to broadcast New TV commercials boosted endorsements and beat his main GOP rival, David McCormick. Planned ad placement, Oz’s largest campaign to date, could reach $1 million; The advisor did not give an exact number.

While Trump’s endorsement has dictated many Republican primaries, the lesson of 2022 may be that his support can make all the difference – if a candidate pays to do so. Make sure voters know who is their favorite in a race.

“This endorsement by Dr. Oz is a game changer in our primary,” said Corey Lewandowski, former Trump campaign director who was neutral in the Pennsylvania primary. GOP. “Every candidate in the race and races across America wants the endorsement of President Trump.”

Recent polls show McCormick still leading in the seven Republican primaries. And Trump doesn’t have a megaphone to push his endorsement after he’s been removed from Twitter and Facebook, so candidates like Oz make sure primary voters know their party’s de facto leader. household.

About 60% of primary voters in Pennsylvania said they were more likely to support a candidate Trump backs, according to a poll. Emerson College public poll, which reflects private campaign investigations in the state. Pennsylvania’s primary on May 17 will be won by the candidate with a majority, so even a small change in support could decide the winner.

The race to endorse Trump has been tough.

Lewandowski noted that last week McCormick flew to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, to try to fight Oz’s endorsement or take it on his own. McCormick also hired a series of Trump advisers to help with his campaign and sympathize with the former president.

But by the time McCormick appeared on Wednesday, Trump was close to endorsing Oz, two other Trump advisers said, who said Trump was not swayed by the arguments of those close to him, who is supporting McCormick. McCormick’s wife, Dina Powell, is Trump’s deputy national security adviser.

“Donald Trump doesn’t like the idea that if you hire his people, he will approve of you. That’s not how he works,” one of the advisers said, both of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to describe Trump’s thinking.

Oz also made sure to leave no chance. Even before he announced his campaign, Oz made it clear to Trump, and Oz and his wife had dinner “almost every week” with Trump and former first lady Melania Trump, a former first lady. interviewer told NBC News, which reported last month that Oz’s favorite former first lady. Fox news host Sean Hannity – a Trump adviser – also staunchly supports and endorses Oz.

A third Trump adviser said the endorsement has finally gone to the person Trump likes best. And Trump, the former star of “The Apprentice,” only has a better connection with the popular television’s “Dr. Oz.”

“It’s TV,” said the advisor. “Trump knows how this works.”

In his surprise endorsement of Oz on Saturday, Trump noted his long relationship with him and his attempt to quell conservative concerns about Oz’s record, which has waned. from McCormick’s campaign.

“Perhaps most importantly, I believe Mehmet Oz will be the one who is likely to win the General Election against a radical leftist Democrat seeking to do unimaginable harm to the Country. ours,” Trump said in his statement.

Trump’s endorsement was met with contempt and bewilderment However, by conservatives and Trump supporters.

Representative Mo Brooks, an Alabama Senate candidate whose endorsement Trump recently rescinded, throw it in the trash Oz confirmed on Twitter, saying: “This is happening because Trump is surrounded by McConnell staff and is hostile to the MAGA agenda. Everyone told Trump who the primaries endorsed would work for The Swamp. ”

Brooks’ predicament in Alabama was the cause of Oz’s campaign, which notes that Brooks failed to capitalize on Trump’s support.

“We are not Mo Brooks,” said a top Oz adviser, who is reluctant to discuss campaign strategy publicly. “I wouldn’t compare Dr. Oz to Mo Brooks. We’ve done 25 town halls and he’s met thousands of people across the state as he does events every day. ”

The adviser said the campaign plans to replace its new Trump endorsement ads for other 30-second locations it had planned to run statewide. The campaign had budgeted for at least $1 million on advertising, but it could have spent less on it — especially after saturated coverage of Trump’s endorsement over the weekend.

“Of all the things I’m worried about, one of them isn’t whether Pennsylvania Republicans know about Trump’s endorsement,” the adviser said.

In a written statement reflecting the campaign’s ad, Oz spokeswoman Brittany Yanick criticized McCormick nearly as much as she praised Trump for providing “the greatest endorsement in Party politics.” Republic.”

McCormick’s campaign, obscured by Oz’s endorsement, declined to comment but vowed to fight.

at Blogtuan.info – Source: nbcnews.com – Read the original article here