An Ad Replaying Oz’s Terrible Abortion Comments Will Air During the World Series

The Philadelphia Phillies will face the Houston Astros tonight in Game 1 of the World Series, and Pennsylvania Democrats are taking the opportunity to air an ad highlighting quack TV doctor and Republican Senate candidate Mehmet Oz’s suggestion earlier this week that “local political leaders” should get a say in whether pregnant people can access abortion.

Oz made the comment, which immediately went viral (and not in the fun way), during a debate against his Democratic opponent, John Fetterman, the lieutenant governor. Fetterman’s campaign immediately pointed out that in Pennsylvania, “local leaders” could include Republican gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano, who supports banning abortion at six weeks and charging people who get abortions with murder.

Senate Majority PAC is paying about $100,000 to run the ad during Philly’s Fox29 World Series broadcast, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Here is the ad, which does not mention Fetterman:

“For once, Dr. Oz is telling the truth,” a narrator says. “Oz thinks abortion decisions belong to politicians, like Doug Mastriano, who could ban abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest…If you want to keep your right to choose, remember what Oz said about who decides, and what that means for you.”

The ad concludes with a banner reading, “Mehmet Oz is too extreme for Pennsylvania.”

Oz’s full quote in the Tuesday debate was:

As a physician, I’ve been in the room when there’s some difficult conversations happening. I don’t want the federal government involved with that at all. I want women, doctors, local political leaders, letting the democracy that’s always allowed our nation to thrive to put the best ideas forward so states can decide for themselves.

Fetterman raised $2 million in less than 24 hours following the debate, and his campaign released an ad featuring Oz’s comments on Wednesday morning:

After the Phillies’ victory in the National League Championship on Sunday, Fetterman staffers handed out “Phillies fans for Fetterman” posters to fans on Broad Street.

The state’s two NFL teams, the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers, play each other on Sunday—no word yet about whether abortion ads will run during that game.