After spending a couple days on the campaign trail in the Keystone State with Dr. Oz, I was reminded of something I learned my senior year in medical school: The best physicians are good listeners and communicators. They take complex issues, life experiences, and compassionately make wise conclusions and recommendations. It was clear after our first event why Dr. Oz was a successful physician, a successful television host, and the winner of a very tough primary. Indeed, he is an exceptional, compassionate communicator.  

After serving almost two years in the U.S. Senate, I found the same skill sets that Dr. Oz and I learned in medical school are required to be a successful senator. For me, these first two years have been very much like going to medical school. There are numerous, complex issues we’re confronted with every day. We must be able to listen, understand, and respond to folks from back home while, at the same time, dealing with strategic national security issues. On any given morning, we might be discussing issues ranging from agriculture, the environment and energy, healthcare, or complicated tax issues. Then, in the next moment, we must be ready to communicate rationally and coherently with the media and the American people on entirely different topics. 

Make no mistake about it, Dr. Oz’s experience as a physician gives him the ability to be an especially successful U.S. Senator for Pennsylvania. He is running an incredible campaign that is laser focused on the issues that matter to Pennsylvania families like crime, inflation, gas prices, and supporting law enforcement. Like any good physician, Dr. Oz brings real world solutions to these challenging problems.

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As a career politician and leftist activist, John Fetterman lacks the experience to solve the major issues Pennsylvanians are facing. Average gas prices in the state are back to over $4 but he will go along with President Biden’s war on our domestic oil and gas industry. Crime in Pennsylvania’s largest city, Philadelphia, has been raging. After last year’s record-high murder rate, the city has reported more than 400 murders in 2022, outpacing New York City, which holds six times as many residents. Despite these tragic numbers, Mr. Fetterman supports Philadelphia’s far-left District Attorney Larry Krasner, who currently faces impeachment for “dereliction of duty.” He has also previously stated he opposes “tough on crime” policies. John Fetterman will be a vote against any legislation to curb violent crime in the U.S. Senate.

Additionally, to my surprise, at several of our stops in Pennsylvania, I was approached with questions like, “What do you think of the health of Dr. Oz’s opponent?” It is fair for Pennsylvanians to question any candidates’ fitness for office. Of course, I have not examined John Fetterman, and I am hesitant to give a diagnosis or prognosis. However, I do know that serving in the U.S. Senate requires rigor, coherent communication, and the ability to comprehend, process, and then formulate solutions over very complex issues. Pennsylvania deserves a U.S. Senator who is capable of dedicating all of their energy to fighting each day to confront the challenges we face head on and delivering solutions for hardworking families.

Every state deserves two U.S. Senators who can give them a voice, understand complex issues, and fight for their state every waking hour.

With less than a week to Election Day, Pennsylvanians, unfortunately have more questions than answers as the Democratic nominee has overwhelmingly avoided public events and only addresses voters for short amounts of time. Dr. Oz’s opponent must show respect for the electorate he hopes to represent by making information about his condition and recovery fully available to voters — not hide behind statements from his doctor, who is a donor, that further conceal his condition. 

The stakes in this year’s election are too high for candidates to hide information — especially regarding a potential senator’s health — from voters. Pennsylvania could very well determine who controls the majority in the U.S. Senate. That majority will shape the direction of inflation, the safety and security of your families, and much more. 

Certainly, anyone can show up in a hoodie and vote yes or no from the doorway of the U.S. Senate floor or be a rubber stamp vote for Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden in Washington. But every state deserves two U.S. Senators who can give them a voice, understand complex issues, and fight for their state every waking hour. If elected, Dr. Oz will be that voice and he will help get our country back.

Sen. Roger Marshall, M.D., represents Kansas in the United States Senate.