With polling perhaps still too close to call, there have been no hesitations to widen the gap and discredit opponents, as voters finally make their pick.

In one such move, Fetterman’s campaign suggested that their opponent has an illiberal attitude toward gay marriage.

The Claim

A Facebook post, published on 6 November, 2022, by John Fetterman’s campaign claimed that “There’s only ONE candidate in this race who will fight to…Protect marriage equality. Hint: It’s not Dr.Oz.”

The Facts

Fetterman’s message is nestled in between other (broadly accurate) claims about the minimum wage and expanding access to healthcare, a line of attack he’s maintained against Oz throughout his campaign.

However, suggesting that Oz would not fight to protect marriage equality does not accurately reflect his opponent’s public record on this topic.

In September, Oz endorsed a push by 47 Republicans to pass the Respect for Marriage Act in the House, a bill which if passed will require the federal government to codify same-sex marriages.

Oz tweeted on September 12, 2022, “I’m proud to join this effort with fellow Republicans. I believe that same-sex couples should have the same freedom to get married as straight couples.”

Some fear the bill may not pass the Senate, particularly if the results of the midterms swing in the favor of more conservative Republicans taking the upper house.

Oz, too, received pushback from some fellow Republicans for his comments and vote. Carla Sands, a former ambassador to Denmark under the Trump administration, wrote in response to Oz’s tweet:

“The problem with this law is that it requires all states to recognize what any state does regarding liberalizing marriage,

“I believe that it will infringe on religious liberty and could open the door to polygamy and child marriage. A doctors [sic] oath is ‘first do no harm’.”

The Pennsylvania GOP candidate does not have a glittering record for championing all LGBTQIA+ rights, however, with accusations that he previously legitimized “gay conversion therapy.”

Last month it was reported that The Dr. Oz Show’s website had removed content that, arguably in part, helped advocate the practice, which was banned in Pennsylvania in August 2022.

An archived blog post by Dr. Oz said “I felt that we needed to include all parties who have considered reparative therapy to hear the stories of people who have tried these treatments,

“Although some viewers may disagree with this tactic, if we want to reach everyone who might benefit from understanding the risks of this therapy, you have to present multiple perspectives.”

Oz later stated in the same post that there was not enough “published data [that supports] positive results with gay reparative therapy.”

He has also spoken out in support of anti-trans commentators such as J.K. Rowling and argued that transgender female athletes shouldn’t be able to compete in women’s sports teams.

Furthermore, the former TV personality was criticized last week for campaigning at a venue that bans same-sex marriages. Oz held the event at the Stone Gables Estate, a venue that only hosts weddings between a man and woman.

This (which perhaps was the basis for Fetterman’s Facebook post) was seized upon by the Fetterman campaign, quoted by Jezebel saying, “Oz is currently on TV lying to the people of Pennsylvania that he is a moderate, but now he is holding a campaign event at a venue that bans same-sex couples, has January 6th marchers on his staff, and is rallying with Trump and Mastriano this weekend,”

“How are you going to ‘reject extremism’ in DC if you won’t reject it right here in PA?”

Nonetheless, the Fetterman campaign is wrong to suggest that Dr. Oz does not support equal marriage rights, particularly as he has endorsed legislation to codify marriage rights under federal law, unlike some of his other Republican colleagues.

Newsweek has contacted Dr. Oz and John Fetterman for comment.

The Ruling

False.

Dr. Oz has publicly and recently stated his support for same-sex marriages. While Oz’s support for wider LGBTQIA+ rights is more varied, Fetterman is wrong to claim his opponent does not support marriage diversity.

FACT CHECK BY Newsweek’s Fact Check team