Fetterman, 52, suffered a stroke which he attributed to atrial fibrillation, days before the May 17 primaries in which he won his party’s nomination for the Senate. Despite his campaign’s assurances that he would recover quickly, he has not been able to campaign since, raising concerns in some Democratic circles about his fitness to continue running.
In an emailed statement on Friday, Mr. Fetterman revealed that he was diagnosed with a heart problem five years ago but was soon taken off prescribed blood thinners. He said he ignored the warning signs that preceded the stroke.
“Like so many others, and so many men in particular, I lived to go to the doctor, even though I knew I wasn’t feeling well,” he said. “As a result, I nearly died.”
Pennsylvania is seen as a major battleground in the upcoming midterm elections, with Republicans seeking to retain the seat vacated by retiring Senator Pat Toomey. A Democratic victory for Fetterman would be essential to thwart Republican hopes of taking control of the Senate.
The Republican candidate remains undecided, with candidates David McCormick and Mehmet Oz in the midst of a state-mandated recount. Oz was ahead of McCormick by less than 1,000 votes.
In his statement, Fetterman said he would continue to rest and would soon be able to resume his campaign.
“I’m not 100% back yet, but I’m getting closer every day,” he said.
The statement included a letter from Fetterman’s cardiologist, Ramesh Chandra, who said that if Fetterman follows his recovery instructions, he “should be able to campaign and serve in the United States Senate without issue.”