Senate candidate John Fetterman is discharged from hospital after suffering a stroke as his Pennsylvania Democratic counterpart, Josh Shapiro, says he would “welcome” Joe Biden’s help in November’s election — despite the president’s plummeting popularity
- Fetterman suffered a stroke on May 13 and had to have a pacemaker implanted on Election Day – when he won the Senate with 59% of the vote
- The progressive populist said he is not yet back on the campaign trail
- “I’m feeling great, but as per my doctor’s orders, and [his wife] Gisele’s orders, I will continue to rest and recover,” Fetterman said in a statement
- Meanwhile, another top Pennsylvania Democrat, gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro, seemed receptive to Biden running for him
- That’s despite Shapiro missing an event with Biden in Pennsylvania earlier this year without giving an explanation
Pennsylvania Senate Democratic candidate John Fetterman was discharged from the hospital on Sunday after suffering a stroke just days before his successful primary.
The progressive populist was hospitalized last Friday and had to have a pacemaker implanted on Election Day – meaning he was absent from his victory party on Tuesday night over moderate Rep. Conor Lamb.
Meanwhile, another Democrat vying for Commonwealth office, Attorney General Josh Shapiro, said Sunday that he would “welcome” President Joe Biden’s help in the campaign ahead of November’s gubernatorial election.
Shapiro will face Pennsylvania State Senator Doug Mastriano, who is endorsed by Donald Trump.
Biden narrowly won the battleground state over Trump in the 2020 presidential election, though multiple crises, including rising crime and record inflation, have caused the president’s popularity to plummet to record lows during his first term.
It serves to alienate several politicians within Biden’s own party, such as Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke, who has previously said he has “no interest” in national figures like the president supporting her campaigns.
But when asked about the prospect of CNN’s State of the Union, Shapiro seemed open to the possibility.
“Well, look, he’s from Pennsylvania, and I’m going to welcome him here,” Shapiro told host Dana Bash.
“But my focus is racing here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and listening to the people of Washington County, not Washington, DC.”
Fetterman’s wife Gisele posted a short clip of the Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor leaving the hospital after suffering a stroke just over a week earlier
Earlier this year, Shapiro was absent from an event Biden was holding in Pennsylvania to promote his infrastructure contract.
At the time, he gave no indication as to why he missed the President’s visit, but wrote on Twitter, “I look forward to traveling with POTUS in his home state over the coming months as we fight to move PA forward.”
Fetterman was also expected not to attend, but later appeared with Biden in his signature basketball shorts and hoodie at the site of a bridge that collapsed just hours before the president’s arrival.
The Pennsylvania lieutenant governor’s victory in the Senate primary was widely seen as voters’ reprimand for the Democratic Party’s brand of dovish politics usually associated with Biden.
He won Tuesday night’s state primary with nearly 59 percent of the vote, compared with just over 26 percent for Lamb — who was broadly backed by the Democratic establishment.
It’s not yet clear who Fetterman will face in November. The GOP primary is still too close to call nearly a week after the election, with front runners David McCormick and Trump-backed Dr. Mehmet Oz were separated by about 1,000 ballots as of Sunday afternoon.
Meanwhile, fellow Pennsylvania Democrat Josh Shapiro is already being asked to weigh up whether he would like Biden’s help to face a Trump-backed opponent for the state’s gubernatorial race in November
But it’s clear that Fetterman will be back on the campaign trail — though it’s unclear how soon.
His wife posted a video on Twitter Sunday afternoon of Fetterman leaving the hospital.
“João is on his way home” to “rest and recover,” wrote Gisele Fetterman, using the Portuguese translation of his first name.
“I am so grateful to the amazing staff at Lancaster General for looking after him so well from start to finish.”
The candidate released his own statement thanking the medical team who took care of him and his supporters.
“I couldn’t be happier to finally be going home to my family,” Fetterman said during his campaign.
“I’m feeling great, but following the advice of my doctor and Giseles, I will continue to rest and recover.”
He added that he will have a follow-up visit to doctors “later this week” for his recovery.
“I’m going to now take whatever time I need to rest and get to 100% so I can go full throttle and turn that seat blue soon.”
Fetterman is fighting to have the Senate seat vacated by Republican Sen. Pat Toomey.