Democratic Senate hopeful Fetterman suffers a stroke
HARRISBURG, PA. >> Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, the leading Democrat in the state's high-profile Senate contest, suffered a stroke just days before the primary election but was on his way to a “full recovery,” his campaign said on Sunday.
The 52-year-old Fetterman, who confirmed that he had been hospitalized all weekend, insisted the health emergency wasn't slowing his campaign. But the stunning revelation, two days before Pennsylvania's primary, created a cloud of uncertainty over the Democratic front-runner's candidacy in what may be one of the party's best Senate pickup opportunities.
“Feeling good, all things considered,” Fetterman said in a text message to The Associated Press.
In a 16-second video released by his campaign, a seated Fetterman, speaking clearly, explained that he “just wasn't feeling very well” on Friday and decided to go to the hospital at the urging of his wife. He detailed the situation further in a written statement.
“I had a stroke that was caused by a clot from my heart being in an A-fib rhythm for too long,” Fetterman said. He said the doctors were able to remove the clot, “reversing the stroke,” and got his heart under control.
“The good news is I'm feeling much better, and the doctors tell me I didn't suffer any cognitive damage,” he said in the statement.
Fetterman did not say how much longer he would be in the hospital.
“They're keeping me here for now for observation, but I should be out of here sometime soon,” he said in the statement.
Democrats see the race to replace Pennsylvania's retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey as one of their best opportunities pick up a Senate seat this fall. Voters will decide the general election nominees for both parties on Tuesday.
The GOP primary features celebrity heart surgeon Mehmet Oz, former hedge fund executive David McCormick and conservative commentator Kathy Barnette, among others. Democrats are picking from a four-person field that includes Fetterman, three-term U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb and state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta.