In interviews, Republicans gave Oz what amounts to a leg up in his nasty primary by saying that they have no concerns about his loyalty and no problems with him receiving classified briefings should he become a U.S. senator.

“That whole line of attack is unsavory to me,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). “I have no doubt that he’s loyal to the United States.”

National Republican Senatorial Chair Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who is neutral in the primary, said “I don’t have a concern about it” and Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said that “it’s a legit issue, but I think he’s answered it well. I don’t have any concerns about it myself.”

Cramer added that Oz’s negative remarks about Turkey’s authoritarian president have helped: “For a guy who has dual citizenship, he’s been critical of [Tayyip] Erdoğan, which I think probably inoculates him further.”