Oz pitched himself to McConnell as the candidate with broad, cross-party appeal — from Black voters to conservative Democrats to DONALD TRUMP. The candidate shared polling data from last fall — before he announced his candidacy as a Republican — showing that his favorability among Black voters was a hair under 50%, while less than 10% had an unfavorable impression of him. (No doubt helpful in that regard: Oz was first introduced to the daytime television audience through OPRAH WINFREY.) The numbers he presented were similarly strong among conservative Democrats…

Some political insiders said Oz’s Jan. 11 meeting with a Trump nemesis was a risky move for the candidate as he competes for the former president’s coveted endorsement. For instance, former hedge funder DAVID MCCORMICK, who’s married to former senior Trump aide DINA POWELL, has flexed his MAGA bona fides by hiring HOPE HICKS, STEPHEN MILLER and CLIFF SIMS, as well as consulting with other former Trump aides.