Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman, legalization champion, suffers a mild stroke days before elementary school

HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania Lt. gov. John Fetterman, the leading Democrat in the state’s top-flight Senate contest, suffered a stroke just days before the primary, but was on the road to a “full recovery,” his campaign staff said on Sunday.

“The good news is that I’m feeling better and the doctors are telling me that I haven’t suffered any cognitive damage.”

– Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman

Fetterman, 52, who confirmed he had been in hospital all weekend, insisted the health emergency was not slowing his campaign. But the startling revelation, two days before the Pennsylvania primary, created a cloud of uncertainty over the Democratic lead nominee’s candidacy for what may be the party’s best opportunity for a seat in the Senate.

In a 16-second video released by his campaign, a seated Fetterman explained in plain language that he “just wasn’t feeling very well” on Friday and decided to go to the hospital at his wife’s urging. He further explained the situation in a written statement.

“I had a stroke caused by a clot in my heart that was in an A-Fib rhythm for too long,” Fetterman said. He said doctors were able to remove the clot, “reverse the stroke” and get his heart under control.

“The good news is that I’m feeling much better and doctors are telling me that I haven’t suffered any cognitive damage,” he said in the statement.

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In the past two years, Fetterman has emerged as one of America’s leading advocates for cannabis legalization. He has come under fire from political opponents for flying a cannabis flag from the Lieutenant Governor’s Office in the State Capitol Building in Harrisburg. Fetterman celebrated April 20 in 2021 by appearing on the steps of the Statehouse at a rally to legalize adult use.

Events canceled over the weekend

Questions about Fetterman’s health swirled throughout the weekend after he canceled scheduled public appearances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. His campaign cited a health issue but wasn’t specific until Sunday.

Fetterman didn’t say how much longer he would stay in the hospital.

“They’re keeping me here on observation for now, but I should be out of here soon,” he said in the statement. “The doctors have assured me that I can get back on track, but first I need to take a minute, rest and recover.”

Thousands of early votes have already been cast in the race, though the Pennsylvania Democrats will pick their general election candidate Tuesday from a four-man field that includes Fetterman, three-year U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb and state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta.

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Fetterman leads in the Senate primary

Fetterman is the strong favorite. He has been a leader in polls and fundraising from the start, even as the party’s establishment rallied around Lamb. Despite this support, Lamb has struggled to reach voters or even penetrate Fetterman’s standing with primary voters.

Lamb tweeted that he was doing a television interview when he found out about Fetterman’s stroke.

“Hayley and I will keep John and his family in our prayers and wish him a full and speedy recovery,” Lamb wrote.

Kenyatta called Fetterman “an incredible family man.” “My prayers are with him and his family as he recovers from this stroke,” he tweeted. “I look forward to seeing him campaigning again soon.”

And on the Republican side, Senate GOP hopeful Mehmet Oz, a heart surgeon, said he has experience treating Fetterman’s condition.

“I’ve cared for patients with atrial fibrillation and witnessed the wonders of modern medicine treating strokes so I’m grateful you were treated so quickly,” Oz tweeted. “My entire family is praying for your speedy recovery.”

Heart disease brought under control

Fetterman’s heart condition, atrial fibrillation, occurs when the upper chambers of the heart, called the atria, get out of sync with the pumping action of the lower chambers. Sometimes patients feel a flutter or palpitations, but often they are unaware of an episode.

A-Fib is most common in older adults, and other risks include high blood pressure or a family history of arrhythmias. It causes 130,000 deaths and 750,000 hospitalizations per year in the United States

Fetterman, who is 6-foot-8, has been candid in the past about trying to lose weight. He weighed over 400 pounds before losing nearly 150 pounds in 2018.

His imposing stature was a big part of his political appeal.

The former mayor of western Pennsylvania has tattoos on his arms, a clean-shaven head and a goatee. He rants on social media and wears shorts pretty much everywhere, even in the winter.

He vowed to continue on Sunday despite the health setback.

“Our campaign isn’t slowing down one bit, and we’re still on track to win that primary on Tuesday and flip that Senate seat in November,” he said. “Thanks for all the support and please go out and vote.”

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