John Fetterman is a brand new member of the United States Senate from Pennsylvania. A Democrat, Fetterman won his seat last year in one of the most closely-watched races in the country. He succeeded retiring Republican Senator Pat Toomey. Toomey was also the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
His health would become a point of focus during the campaign. In the midst of it, he suffered from what the Chicago Sun-Times describes as a near-fatal stroke. Fetterman is now apparently addressing another health issue.
Hospitalized in Washington, D.C.
John Fetterman was admitted to George Washington University Hospital on February 8, 2023. Whatever it is that has been ailing him remains unclear. As of the next day, tests were still ongoing. But the BBC reports that Fetterman had not had another stroke. He also apparently had not suffered a seizure.
Fetterman began to feel "lightheaded" while attending a retreat for Democrats. Reaching the point where he sought medical treatment. According to his office, Fetterman has been "in good spirits and talking with his staff and family."
Shortly before the 2022 Pennsylvania United States Senate primary, Fetterman had a significant stroke. At least in large part because of heart issues.
For which he would have a pacemaker with a defibrillator surgically implanted.
Fetterman would spend several days in the hospital afterward. It didn't necessarily seem to have much of an impact on the results in the primary. As had been expected, Fetterman emerged as the winner.
But the aftermath of the stroke would impact the general election campaign.
Fetterman's campaign events were much more limited than what would be the norm. He is expected to recover fully. But for an indeterminate amount of time, he will likely have some issues with language and word processing.
In the general election, Fetterman defeated the Republican nominee, controversial television host, and physician Mehmet Oz.
Closed captioning equipment was made available to him in the Senate chamber to assist with his health issues. He serves as a member of five Congressional Committees.
Fetterman had previously run for the 2016 Democratic U.S. Senate nomination in Pennsylvania. He finished in a distant third place. Behind winner Katie McGinty, former U.S. Representative, and U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Joe Sestak. McGinty later lost the general election to Toomey.
He is a former lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania
In 2018, Fetterman won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania. Others in the Democratic primary field included incumbent Lieutenant Governor Mike Stack. Fetterman came out on top, Stack finished in fourth place.
Democratic incumbent Governor Tom Wolf won re-election, which also, in turn, made Fetterman the new lieutenant governor. In his new role, he quickly received positive and negative attention for his unconventional political style. Such as very rarely wearing the traditional suit-and-tie outfit.
Previously, Fetterman was elected to four terms as mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. He began his career in Braddock, working at a youth program.
Fetterman is a native of West Reading in the Philadelphia region. His family later moved to York in southern Pennsylvania. He would graduate from Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania. He was followed by the University of Connecticut and the Harvard Kennedy School.
