EDITOR’S NOTE: As the election approaches, Broad + Liberty invites all candidates and their supporters to submit opinion pieces for the readers’ consideration. We thank Mr. Hicks for his submission.

With midterm elections coming up, Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz and I met with business owners in Media last week to learn about what challenges they currently face. Overwhelmingly, they cited excessive inflation, supply shortages, high gas prices, and crime — each the result of failed Democrat leadership. In short, there is a real hunger for course correction.

That is precisely why Dr. Oz is on the ballot in November.

It’s no wonder the economy is a top concern for worried Pennsylvanians. Inflation is costing them an extra $592 per month and gas prices are at $4.72 per gallon. And under the failed Democrat leadership of Governor Tom Wolf, the state has consistently maintained one of the worst unemployment rates in the country.

This, of course, is the same Gov. Wolf who forced lockdowns and masks on Pennsylvanians and supported Democrats’ $1.9 trillion “stimulus” that fueled today’s inflation. And it was John Fetterman, Dr. Oz’s current opponent and perhaps the most radical Lieutenant Governor in Pennsylvania’s history, who jetted off to a “premier resort” on the Jersey Shore while families were stuck in Democrats’ vortex of lockdown tyranny.

READ MORE — All Candidates Spotlight Series: Energy

This has implications right now. Clearly, Fetterman is a hypocrite. But how would he vote in the Senate? Radical socialists Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders have endorsed him. Fetterman has himself indicated he supports a government takeover of healthcare, the Green New Deal, and higher taxes. “What Bernie wants to do for the United States, I want to do here in Pennsylvania,” he said.

Maybe even worse, Fetterman has revealed himself to be a soft-on-crime progressive. As Lieutenant Governor, he bragged about releasing a historic number of convicted criminals and called for prison populations to be audited to see who else can be released. If Fetterman were to become Pennsylvania’s senator, this type of policy signaling could have disastrous consequences in crime-ravaged cities like Democrat-run Philadelphia. Recent polling found that 70 percent of Philadelphia’s residents think that crime, drugs, and public safety are the biggest issues in the city. Last year, Philadelphia broke its all-time record for homicides with 562 homicide victims. And compared to last year, armed robberies and commercial burglaries are up. 

I could pile more evidence onto Fetterman’s mountainous record of radicalism, but I’ll save my breath. John Fetterman would without question be a reliable vote for the Democrat agenda in the U.S. Senate. He once said “every Democrat is going to be proud to stand with Joe Biden.” Biden’s approval rating is underwater in Pennsylvania.  

All this should have Pennsylvanians worried and ready to vote in November.

Dr. Oz may be a world-class physician, but his conservative roots get it: it is up to us, not the government, to make our lives what we want it to be.

So let’s get to the good part. Dr. Oz is a true conservative. He is a heart surgeon, extremely successful businessman, and has ideas on how to get Pennsylvania back on track. Most importantly, he loves our country — something Democrats can’t claim as they push critical race theory and other ideological nonsense. That’s why Dr. Oz supports unleashing Pennsylvania’s energy resources and bringing the Keystone State back to its former glory.

Dr. Oz may be a world-class physician, but his conservative roots get it: it is up to us, not the government, to make our lives what we want it to be.

It’s important that Pennsylvanians who are sick and tired of radical Democrats selling them out for the far-left agenda to vote for Dr. Oz in November. He is a strong conservative, proud patriot, and political outsider. As campaign season heats up, let’s get out, knock on doors, and make sure we are ready to send a powerful message when polls open in just four months.

In Pennsylvania, common sense is on the ballot, prosperity is on the line, and the future of the great commonwealth is at stake. Dr. Oz is the candidate to vote for.

Tommy Hicks, Jr. is the co-chairman of the Republican National Committee.