Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman on Friday said he “almost died” after he suffered a stroke days before he won the state’s Democratic Senate primary race, and is not yet ready to return to the campaign trail.
“I should have taken my health more seriously,” Fetterman said in a statement released by his campaign Friday afternoon. “The stroke I suffered on May 13 didn’t come out of nowhere. Like so many others, and so many men in particular, I avoided going to the doctor, even though I knew I didn’t feel well.”
“As a result, I almost died,” he said.
Fetterman, 52, vowed to be ready to compete in the general election this November. But he admitted that “it will take some more time to get back on the campaign trail like I was in the lead-up to the primary.”
Doctors have advised Fetterman to rest and focus on his recovery.
“It’s frustrating — all the more so because this is my own fault — but bear with me, I need a little more time,” he said. “I’m not quite back to 100% yet, but I’m getting closer every day.”
“This race is so important for Pennsylvania and for the country. I’m going to be ready for it, and I can’t wait to get back on the trail,” he said.
The campaign also shared a letter from Dr. Ramesh Chandra, who wrote that if Fetterman “takes his medications, eats healthy, and exercises, he’ll be fine” and “should be able to campaign and serve in the U.S. Senate without a problem.”
Chandra also noted that Fetterman was diagnosed in 2017 with an irregular heart rhythm and a “decreased heart pump.”
Fetterman will face off against the eventual winner of a recount in the Pennsylvania Republican Senate primary. The two front-runners in that race are Dr. Mehmet Oz, the celebrity physician backed by former President Donald Trump, and former hedge fund manager Dave McCormick.
That recount must be completed by next Tuesday. Counties must submit their results by noon ET on the following day.
The Democratic primary, in contrast, was blowout victory for Fetterman. He won every county in the state, NBC News projected.
The battle to fill the seat being vacated by GOP Sen. Pat Toomey could prove to be one of the most competitive, and consequential, elections of the midterms. Democrats are trying to keep their narrow grip on the Senate, which is evenly split between 50 Republicans and the 50 senators who caucus with Democrats.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote gives Democrats the slimmest majority control of the chamber.
Fetterman’s campaign said that it raised $1.6 million in just 24 hours after he won the primary. Those donations came just after Fetterman underwent a successful pacemaker surgery on the day of the election.
Fetterman’s statement Friday held up his stroke as a cautionary tale about taking care of one’s health.
“I want to encourage others to not make the same mistake,” he said.
“Back in 2017, I had swollen feet and went to the hospital to get checked out. That’s when I learned I had a heart condition. Then, I didn’t follow up. I thought…
Read More: Fetterman recovering from stroke, promises return to PA Senate