Neither the glow of TV lights nor the backing of Donald Trump were apparently able to secure victory for the highest-profile TV figure seeking elected office in the midterms.
While control of the House and Senate, somewhat surprisingly, still hung in the balance Wednesday morning (November 9), Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a Democrat, had been declared the winner by multiple news outlets for the open Senate seat against Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Republican candidate.
The race had been essentially a dead heat in the polls, but with Oz appearing to gain momentum toward the end of the race.
Oprah Winfrey, whose talk show launched Oz's own syndicated show, wound up endorsing Fetterman.
In Arizona, Democrat Katie Hobbs was leading former KSAZ Phoenix news anchor and current Trump cheerleader Kari Lake, who has branded her former profession fake news pushing "lies and propaganda," but the election was still too close to call.
In New Mexico, incumbent Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was re-elected, defeating another Republican candidate formerly of the TV news ranks, former KRQE Albuquerque meteorologist Mark Ronchetti.
One former broadcaster who fared better was incumbent Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar. Salazar, whose media career included stints at MegaTV, CNN Latino, Telemundo and WDFL Miami, retained her seat, defeating state Sen. Annette Taddeo. ■
