'Abortion Is Murder' At Any Stage, Dr. Oz Says In New Report

PENNSYLVANIA — With reproductive rights and healthcare at the forefront of policy debates and the national consciousness this election season, candidates on both sides of the aisle in Pennsylvania's major races are making their positions clear.

Recently surfaced audio clarifies the position of celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate who was endorsed by President Donald Trump just before the primary. During this campaign Oz has been decidedly to the right on the issue, taking firm pro-life stances. But he expressed support for Roe v. Wade as recently as 2019, and he has fallen short of going to the extremes of some in the southern states who say abortion is a crime without exeption — even in instances of rape, incest, and severe medical danger.

No longer.

The Daily Beast reported that Oz said during a tele-town hall back in May that "life starts at conception."

"I've said that multiple times," Oz continued, the report states. "If life starts at conception, why do you care what age the heart starts beating at? It’s, you know, it’s still murder, if you were to terminate a child whether their heart’s beating or not."

The hardline stance and move away from his earlier moderation come as his campaign is flagging. He now trails Democratic nominee and lieutenant governor John Fetterman by 7.4 points, according to an average of recent polls from RealClearPolitics. He's also facing discord from within his own party, including Trump who has reportedly expressed "regret" in endorsing Oz.