Oprah Winfrey backs Fetterman

Oprah Winfrey voiced support on Thursday for Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman over her longtime friend and Republican candidate Mehmet Oz.

“I said it was up to the citizens of Pennsylvania,” Winfrey said at a virtual town hall. “But I would tell y’all this — if I lived in Pennsylvania, I would have already cast my vote for John Fetterman for many reasons.”

Winfrey, who helped launch Oz’s career, had mostly stayed out the tight Pennsylvania Senate race up until this point. However, with just days left until Election Day and the key race in a dead heat, the former television host came out in support of the Democrat.

Fetterman celebrated the news on Twitter, saying “WELCOME TO #TEAMFETTERMAN, @Oprah!!”

Winfrey also backed several other Democratic Senate candidates at Thursday’s event, including North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Cheri Beasley, Florida Rep. Val Demings, Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock.

On the governor’s races, Winfrey put her weight behind two more Democrats — Beto O’Rourke in Texas and Stacey Abrams in Georgia.

“Use your discernment — which seems to be missing in a lot of our country today — use your discernment and choose wisely for the democracy of our country,” Winfrey added.