Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, who is currently the top Democratic Senate candidate heading into Tuesday’s primary in the state, has been hospitalized after suffering a stroke, he said on Sunday. Fetterman, who is 52, stressed that he was feeling better, was expected to make a “full recovery,” and would be able to resume campaigning soon.
Fetterman had conspicuously canceled all of his public appearances over the weekend, which his campaign had attributed to a “health issue.” In a video message and written statement released by his campaign on Sunday, the progressive Democrat explained that he didn’t feel well on Friday and went to the hospital, where doctors discovered and removed a blood clot. “I had a stroke that was caused by a clot from my heart being in an A-fib rhythm for too long,” he said, adding that it was initially his wife who recognized his symptoms and rushed him to the hospital.
Doctors “were able to quickly and completely remove the clot, reversing the stroke,” he said, and “they got my heart under control as well.”
“The doctors tell me I didn’t suffer any cognitive damage. I’m well on my way to making a full recovery,” he added. Fetterman said he was being kept at the hospital for observation, but would be out soon, and that “the doctors have assured me that I’ll be able to get back on the [campaign] trail.”
“Our campaign isn’t slowing down one bit,” the eccentric six-foot-eight former mayor insisted.
The Fetterman campaign released a statement saying that an election night party will be held on Tuesday in Pittsburgh, but the lieutenant governor will not be in attendance and will “remain in the hospital resting and recovering.” Instead, Second Lady Gisele Fetterman and other guests will deliver remarks.
It’s not clear if Fetterman’s medical emergency will have any influence on Pennsylvania voters. Polls have shown him to be the clear front-runner to win Tuesday’s Democratic Senate primary, and Pennsylvania is one of the only states where Democrats seem to have a chance to flip a Senate seat this fall.
