PHILADELPHIA — John Fetterman, the lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania and the Democratic front-runner for an open Senate seat this fall, said Sunday he had suffered a stroke.
“I had a stroke caused by a clot in my heart being in A-Fib rhythm for too long. Thankfully Gisele spotted the symptoms and got me to the hospital within minutes,” Fetterman, 52, said in a statement. relation to his wife. “The amazing doctors here were able to remove the clot quickly and completely, reverse the stroke, they also got my heart under control.”
The announcement comes two days before the Pennsylvania Senate primary, where polls show Fetterman leading his main rivals, Rep. Conor Lamb and Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, among Democratic primary voters.
Fetterman has not campaigned since Friday, when he said he wasn’t feeling well and had gone to the hospital. He has since canceled numerous events, with his campaign offering few details so far. He said on Sunday from Lancaster General Hospital that he was “feeling a lot better and the doctors told me I had no cognitive damage”.
“I’m on my way to a full recovery” and will need “a minute” to rest, he said, adding that he remained committed to his campaign.
“Our campaign isn’t slowing down at all, and we’re still on track to win that Tuesday primary and flip that Senate seat in November,” Fetterman said in his statement. “Thank you for all the support and please go out and vote.”
Fetterman and his wife Gisele Fetterman posted a video from the hospital on Twitter.
Lamb responded to the news in a tweet on Sunday, wishing Fetterman “a full and speedy recovery.”
Calling Fetterman “an incredible family man,” Kenyatta added, “I look forward to seeing him campaigning again soon.”
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