Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. and Senate nominee John Fetterman (D) is doubling down on his push to tie his GOP general election opponent, celebrity physician Mehmet Oz, to neighboring New Jersey, encouraging supporters to sign Oz up to be added to the New Jersey Hall of Fame.
“We all know Dr. Oz is soooooo proud to be Jersey Strong,” Fetterman’s campaign wrote this week.
“He’s a huge New Jersey celebrity who’s lived there for three decades. The dude is even registered to vote in NJ and voted there as recently as 2020,” the petition continues.
Fetterman also posted a video to his Twitter account, amping up his supporters to sign the petition.
The Hill has reached out to Oz’s campaign for comment.
In 2019, Oz implied that he would like to be inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame, noting that he’d like to see athletes from New Jersey inducted, as well as “great surgeons.”
Earlier in the month, Fetterman’s campaign commissioned a video from former “Jersey Shore” star Nicole “Snooki” LaVelle taking shots at Oz’s New Jersey residency.
“I heard that you moved from New Jersey to Pennsylvania to look for a new job, and personally, I don’t know why anyone would want to leave Jersey, because it’s like the best place ever, and we’re all hot messes,” LaValle tells the former “Dr. Oz” host.
“But I want to say best of luck to you. I know you’re away from home and you’re in a new place, but Jersey will not forget you. I just want to let you know, I will not forget you,” she adds.
“And don’t worry, you’ll be back in New Jersey soon. This is only temporary.”
Fetterman’s Senate campaign recently announced that it had raised $11 million in the second fundraising quarter of 2022.
An AARP poll released last month showed Fetterman holding a 6 percentage point lead over Republican challenger Oz in what is considered one of the most competitive Senate races in this year’s midterm elections.