Dr. Oz announces GOP bid for U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania

Dr. Mehmet Oz, the celebrity cardiac surgeon, announced Tuesday that he will join the Republican primary race for the U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania.

Why it matters: The race to replace Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who is retiring at the end of his term, is expected to be one of the most competitive and could determine control of the Senate in next year's election.

The big picture: Oz had previously expressed interest in running for office and described himself as a "moderate Republican," according to CNN.

• Sean Parnell, who was endorsed by former President Trump, withdrew his Senate bid last week after losing custody of his children to his estranged wife.
• Other GOP candidates include conservative commentator Kathy Barnette and Carla Sands, a former ambassador to Denmark.

What they're saying: "COVID has shown us that our system is broken," Oz said in a video announcing his campaign.

• "We lost too many lives, too many jobs and too many opportunities because Washington got it wrong," he added. "They took away our freedom without making us safer."
• "Pennsylvania needs a conservative who will put America first."