ICYMI: Oz drops Trump branding in general election shift [Axios]

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Axios: Oz drops Trump branding in general election shift
By Andrew Solender
June 21, 2022

Key Points:

• Mehmet Oz, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, is quietly shifting his campaign messaging away from former President Trump.

• The backdrop: Trump was a heavy staple of Oz’s primary campaign, showing up frequently in his ads run even before the former president endorsed him in mid-April.

• After the endorsement, Trump was a near-ubiquitous fixture in Oz’s spots — even a series of six-second issue ads on guns, abortion and energy began with “endorsed by President Trump.”

• Oz’s Twitter account mentioned Trump more than 70 times between the endorsement on April 9 and primary day, May 17.

• On Google and Facebook, Oz’s campaign bought a barrage of Trump-focused ads during the primary.

• Both his Facebook and Twitter accounts were emblazoned during the primary with a cover photo of Trump and Oz with the words “endorsed by Trump,” and his website had a pop-up to let visitors know he was “Trump-endorsed.”

• State of play: The ad Oz’s campaign ran after winning the Republican nomination didn’t mention or include footage of Trump — a stark departure from the tone of his primary ads.

• Oz’s social media banners now say “Thank you, Pennsylvania,” and feature a solo photo of him without Trump. His website no longer has a pop-up fundraiser appeal touting his Trump endorsement.

• Oz’s Twitter bio no longer advertises him as the “Trump Endorsed Candidate for U.S. Senate,” and he hasn’t tweeted about Trump since May 17.

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