Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, Pa. Democrat running for Senate, suffered stroke
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate, has suffered a stroke but is on his way to a "full recovery."
That's according to a statement from the campaign on Sunday. The campaign said Fetterman wasn't feeling well Friday and went to the hospital.
But in the statement, Fetterman says "the good news is I'm feeling much better, and the doctors tell me I didn't suffer any cognitive damage." The news comes just days ahead of Tuesday's primary, where Fetterman is considered the leading candidate in the four-person Democratic field.
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Fetterman is the frontrunner in the Democratic primary for his party's nomination for Senate.
A Franklin and Marshall poll estimates that Fetterman jumped 12 points since April with 53% of voters saying they would cast a ballot for the lieutenant governor if they voted this month. Fetterman’s closest challenger, Congressman Conor Lamb, dropped a few points this month with just 14% support among voters compared to 17% in April, according to the poll released last month.
State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, of Philadelphia and Jenkintown Borough Council member Alex Khalil are also running for the nomination Tuesday.
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In his statement Sunday, Fetterman said his stroke was "caused by a clot from my heart being in an A-fib rhythm for too long." He was treated at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital on Sunday.
"Fortunately, Gisele (his wife) spotted the symptoms and got me to the hospital within minutes. The amazing doctors here were able to quickly and completely remove the clot, reversing the stroke, they got my heart under control as well. It's a good reminder to listen to your body and be aware of the signs," he said.
Fetterman said his campaign will continue.
“But our campaign isn’t slowing down one bit, and we are still on track to win this primary on Tuesday, and flip this Senate seat in November. Thanks for all the support, and please get out there and vote.”
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Questions about Fetterman health swirled throughout the weekend after he canceled scheduled public appearances Friday, Saturday and Sunday. His campaign cited a health issue, but was not specific until Sunday.
One of those canceled appearances was in Warminster, Bucks County.
While thousands of early votes have already been cast, Pennsylvania Democrats on Tuesday will pick their general election nominee from a four-person field that features Fetterman, three-term Rep. Conor Lamb and state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta.
Fetterman is the strong favorite. He has led polls and fundraising from the start, even as the party’s establishment rallied around Lamb. Despite such support, Lamb struggled to reach voters or even pierce Fetterman’s rock-solid standing with primary voters.
Fetterman, who is 6-foot-8, has been open about his push to lose weight in the past. He weighed in at over 400 pounds before losing nearly 150 pounds in 2018.
His imposing stature has been a big part of his political appeal.
The former western Pennsylvania mayor has tattoos down his arms, a clean-shaven head and a goatee. He cusses on social media and wears shorts practically everywhere, even in the winter.