Dr. Mehmet Oz, the celebrity heart surgeon, plans to run for Pennsylvania’s open U.S. Senate seat as a Republican, according to The Associated Press.

Oz, a longtime New Jersey resident, may make the announcement Tuesday night on Fox News. Sean Hannity alluded to the appearance on Monday, saying Oz “has a huge announcement. Hint: think midterm election.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer provides key context:

Oz, 61, whose climb to fame began when Oprah Winfrey introduced him to her massive audience more than a decade ago, would enter the contest with heavy name recognition — and enormous wealth that he is said to be willing to pour into the contest, but with little known about his political beliefs. The TV star appears to have been planning, or at least considering, a run for some time, though: He lived in New Jersey for years but switched to vote in Montgomery County last December, at his in-laws’ home in Bryn Athyn.

The race to replace Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican who isn’t seeking reelection, could have far-reaching consequences. It’s one of a handful of contests likely to decide control of the Senate.

“I don’t know a single politically involved person in Pennsylvania who’s not being paid who wants to be involved in this effort,” said a Pennsylvania Republican strategist to POLITICO earlier this month, adding that the “pretty much universal response has been ‘LOL.’”

Sean Parnell, a military veteran and conservative commentator who received Donald Trump’s endorsement for the open seat, was widely considered the GOP frontrunner. But he recently lost a child custody battle with his ex-wife and suspended his campaign, explaining “my focus right now is 100 percent on my children.”

Deadline reports that that it’s unclear how a Senate run would impact The Dr. Oz Show, which has been a hit since its launch in 2009.

In a March 2021 article, USA Today outlines Oz’s dubious track record:

In past years, the TV doctor has come under scrutiny for peddling controversial medical advice to his fans and was scolded by a Senate panel in 2014 for hyping dubious weight-loss products. In 2015 a group of doctors sent a letter to Columbia University asking for his dismissal from the medical school’s faculty. And in April 2020, after the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oz said he “misspoke” after saying on Fox News that “the opening of schools may only cost us 2% to 3%, in terms of total mortality” which “might be a trade-off some folks would consider.”