Donald Trump pushing Dr. Oz to declare victory in tight PA Senate primary

The close race is likely going to trigger an automatic recount
Dr. Mehmet Oz, Donald Trump, Greensburg, Penn., May 6, 2022
By Madeleine Hubbard

Former President Donald Trump is pushing for Dr. Mehmet Oz to declare victory in the Pennsylvania Republican Senate primary, while the celebrity physician is ahead by fewer than 2,000 votes.

"Dr. Oz should declare victory. It makes it much harder for them to cheat with the ballots that they 'just happened to find,'" Trump posted Tuesday on his social media platform Truth Social.

Former President Trump endorsed Oz in April; his primary race is a test of Trump's influence in the state. 

With just over 96% of ballots counted in the Pennsylvania GOP Senate primary, Dr. Oz is fewer than 2,000 votes ahead of businessman Dave McCormick as of Wednesday afternoon, according to The Associated Press.

The close race will likely trigger an automatic recount, which happens when the margin of victory is 0.5% or less in Pennsylvania.