Written by Mark Levy and Steve Poplis – The Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania (Associated Press) – Pennsylvania Governor Lieutenant John Fetterman, the leading Democrat in the state’s high-profile Senate contest, suffered a stroke just days before the primary, but was on his way to a “full recovery.” The campaign said on Sunday.
The 52-year-old, who confirmed he was hospitalized over the weekend, insisted the health emergency had not slowed his campaign. But the startling revelation, two days before the Pennsylvania primary, has created a cloud of uncertainty over the Democratic frontrunner’s nomination in what may be one of the party’s best chances of entering the Senate.
In a 16-second video posted by his campaign, seated Fetterman explained, speaking clearly, that he “wasn’t feeling well” on Friday and decided to go to the hospital at the urging of his wife. He described the situation in more detail in a written statement.
“I’ve had a stroke caused by a clot from my heart in a muscle rhythm for a very long time,” Fettermann said. He said doctors were able to remove the clot, “reversing a stroke,” and control his heart.
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“The good news is that I am feeling much better, and the doctors have told me that I have not had any cognitive damage,” he said in the statement.
Questions about Fetterman’s health swirled throughout the weekend after he canceled public appearances scheduled for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. His campaign indicated a health problem but it wasn’t identified as of Sunday.
Fetterman did not say how long he would spend in the hospital.
In the statement, he said, “They are keeping me here for observation now, but I have to get out of here sometime soon. The doctors have assured me that I will be able to get back on track, but first I need to take a minute, get some rest, and recover.”
Thousands of early votes have already been cast in the race, though Pennsylvania Democrats will finalize their general election nominee on Tuesday from a four-person field that includes Fetterman, three-term U.S. Representative Conor Lamb and State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta.
Fetterman is the strong candidate. He has led in polls and fundraising from the start, even as the party establishment rallied around Lamb. Despite this support, Lamb struggled to reach the electorate or even penetrate Fetterman’s standing with the primary electorate.
Lamb tweeted that he was giving a TV interview when he learned of Fettermann’s stroke.
“Hayley and I keep John and his family in our prayers and wish him a full and speedy recovery,” Lamb wrote.
Kenyatta described Fetterman as an “incredible family man”. “My prayers are with him and his family as he recovers from this stroke,” he wrote on Twitter. “I look forward to seeing him again on the campaign trail soon.”
On the Republican side, heart surgeon Mehmet Oz, a Senate candidate, said he has experience treating Fettermann’s condition.
“I’ve taken care of patients with atrial fibrillation and witnessed the miracles of modern medicine in treating strokes, so I’m so grateful you received care so quickly,” Oz said in a tweet. “My whole family is praying for your speedy recovery.”
Fettermann’s heart condition, atrial fibrillation, occurs when the upper chambers of the heart, called the atria, go out of sync with the pumping action of the lower chambers. Patients sometimes feel fluttering or a racing heart, but often are not aware that an attack has occurred.
MS is more 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 annually in the United States
Fetterman, who is 6-foot-8, has been open about his weight-loss endeavors in the past. He weighed more than 400 pounds before losing nearly 150 pounds in 2018.
His imposing stature was a large part of his political appeal.
The former mayor of Western Pennsylvania has tattoos on his arms, a shaven head and a small beard. He curses on social media and wears shorts practically everywhere, even in winter.
He vowed to press ahead on Sunday despite the health setback.
“Our campaign hasn’t slowed down a bit,” he said, “and we’re still on our way to winning this primaries on Tuesday, and overturning that Senate seat in November.” . “
Peoples reported from New York.
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