Dr. Oz’s Gaffe-Filled Senate Campaign: How to Self-Destruct in 7 Easy Steps

Mehmet Oz’s bid for Senate is not going well.

The TV doctor-turned-MAGA diehard is trailing his Democratic opponent, John Fetterman, in the polls by double digits. Former President Donald Trump, whose endorsement propelled Oz to a narrow victory in the Republican primary, even appears to be souring on the congressional hopeful, saying privately that he’s primed to “fucking lose” unless something dramatic happens down the home stretch of the race.

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Trump announced on Friday that he will travel to Pennsylvania on Sept. 3 in an attempt to resurrect Oz’s chances and to help buoy, as Trump’s team put it, the rest of the “Pennsylvania Trump ticket.” It will likely take more than two hours of the former president whining about the Deep State to change the narrative surrounding Oz’s fledgling campaign, though.

Oz’s troubles are due in part to the complete absence of anything resembling relevant experience, of course, but also an abundance of embarrassing missteps suggesting he is a phony, out-of-touch millionaire disconnected from the state he’s seeking to represent in Congress. Fetterman’s campaign has deftly — and gleefully — capitalized on Oz’s many gaffes, which has only made matters worse for Oprah’s former on-air medical guru. Here’s a brief rundown:

1. He’s not really from Pennsylvania 

The primary criticism of Oz’s campaign to represent Pennsylvanians in the Senate is that he has little connection to Pennsylvania and its people. While he did attend medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, Oz spent more than three decades of his life and celebrity career in New Jersey.

Critics have accused Oz of “carpetbagging,” a term that describes politicians who run for office in areas to which they have no connection. In 2021, Oz used his in-laws’ address to register to vote in Pennsylvania. Oz purchased a $3.1 million house in Montgomery county in Feb. 2022, a few months after announcing his candidacy.

While Oz has taken steps to legally establish himself in Pennsylvania, his social media indicates he has spent plenty of time in New York and New Jersey throughout the campaign.

2. Crudite

Oz inadvertently gave Twitter users a laugh and dusted off some fusty terminology when he posted a video of himself on a shopping trip to “Wegners” to buy some “crudite” (raw veggies for the normies who don’t own 10 “properties”) and tequila for his wife.

In a bit intended to blame President Joe Biden for rising grocery costs, Oz not only got the name of the grocery store wrong, ostensibly confusing the Redner’s he was in with a Wegmans, but had extremely questionable choices of raw snacking vegetable. He began with a relatively safe choice of broccoli, a bunch of asparagus (which is out of season), then full-sized carrots, as well as some pre-packaged guac and salsa. The grand total? $20, without the tequila.

Users lambasted Oz, whose net worth could be as high as $500 million, for being both an ineffective shopper and coming off as out of touch with Pennsylvanians who can’t afford a vanity run for Senate.

For his part, Fetterman says his campaign raised more than $500,000 in the day after the video went viral, including through the sale of “Let Them Eat Crudite” stickers.

3. Cheesesteak-gate

Nothing says “I am a tourist in Philly” like heading down to Pat and Ginos on Cheesesteak Corner in South Philadelphia, so that is exactly where Oz headed for a July campaign stop. Pat’s made it abundantly clear they wanted nothing to do with Oz, so instead went to Gino’s which for years taped a sign to its order window instructing customers that, “ This is America. When ordering please “SPEAK ENGLISH.””

Philadelphians and Pennsylvanians alike mocked Oz for coming off more like a tourist acting out a “Top 10 Things To Do In Philly” list than a potential senator.

4. He won’t stop claiming John Fetterman won’t leave his home 

John Fetterman suffered a stroke in May, and was unable to partake in rigorous campaign travel for much of the past three months. Oz’s response was to mock Fetterman as a recluse who was afraid to face the opposition.

Fetterman returned to the campaign trail last week, telling audiences that he was “grateful” to be back.

This didn’t stop Oz from telling Fox News’ Sean Hannity that Fetterman “doesn’t want to leave his home” … while the network played tape of Fetterman speaking in Erie, Pennsylvania.

5. He has 10 houses, just like any other hardworking Pennsylvanian

Oz is rich. Extremely rich. So rich that the thought of limiting oneself to having only one home is practically an insult. After the candidate claimed to only own two houses, an investigation by The Daily Beast found that the TV doctor-turned-Senate hopeful in fact owned 10 “properties,” most of them residential.

According to the Beast, Oz’s properties include “a 9,000-square-foot mansion in New Jersey, a 7,000-square-foot country house in Pennsylvania, a condo in New Jersey, a piece of residential real estate in Sariyer, Turkey, another piece of residential real estate in Sariyer, Turkey, a Manhattan condo, another Manhattan condo, an oceanside mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, a cattle farm in Okeechobee, Florida, and a piece of residential property in Konya, Turkey, which appears to be used as a student dormitory.”

“I’ve never spoken to a PA resident who doesn’t know how many houses they have… let alone be off by 8,” Fetterman tweeted in response. “I can’t tell if he’s trying + failing to sound like a regular person (with ONLY TWO mansions) or if he genuinely has no idea.”

They’re not houses Oz attempted to clarify, they’re “properties.”

6. He was brutally trolled by Snookie 

Fetterman recruited Jersey Shore star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi to record a Cameo mocking Oz for moving from New Jersey to Pennsylvania to “look for a new job.” The viral video played on accusations that Oz is carpetbagging.

“Don’t worry,” Snookie said, “you’ll be back home in Jersey soon, this is only temporary.”

Oz responded to the video by arguing that he could have celebrities in his campaign if he wanted to.

7. He’s really bad at posting

What in the world is this?

…or this? What does it mean?

Oz’s campaign has struggled to match the viral antics of his opponent, who has seized on Oz’s bungled attempts at social media dunks as opportunities for mockery.

It’s likely going to take more than his campaign burnishing its graphic design skills to get Oz back into the race.

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