Will One Man’s Stroke Determine Control of the Senate?

John Fetterman’s recovery has become the central issue in Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race.

By
122
John Fetterman (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

YORK, Pa.—When Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman kicked off a Saturday rally in his hometown, he quickly tried to head-off concerns about whether the stroke he suffered in May will affect his ability to serve in the U.S. Senate.

“Dr. Oz, he never lets me forget that I had a stroke, he never—always remembers it,” Fetterman said of his Republican challenger Dr. Mehmet Oz, a former television host competing for retiring GOP Sen. Pat Toomey’s seat. “I can guarantee you there’s probably at least one person here in every event where they’re filming me, looking to have me miss some words.”

Fetterman’s stroke kept him off the campaign trail for months and induced aphasia, a condition that affects his ability to express and interpret language. As a result, Fetterman sometimes jumbles words—as he did several times during his 15-minute speech Saturday—a reality he often acknowledges on the campaign trail. He also uses closed-captioned transcription software during interviews to better interpret questions from reporters. 

His health has added a new wrinkle to a race that could determine which party takes control of the 50-50 Senate. With recent polls showing the race tightening (though with Fetterman still leading), Oz’s campaign has mocked Fetterman’s stroke and portrayed his poor health as disqualifying. “If John Fetterman had ever eaten a vegetable in his life, then maybe he wouldn’t have had a major stroke and wouldn’t be in the position of having to lie about it constantly,” Rachel Tripp, Oz’s senior communications advisor, told Insider in August.

Keep reading with a free account
Create a free Dispatch account to keep reading Get Started ALREADY HAVE AN ACCOUNT? SIGN IN
122
By
Comments (122)
Join The Dispatch to participate in the comments.
 
  1. Pamutility

    The Lt Gov Fetterman is the darling of the left, which is fine, but anyone who watched the primary debates will admit that he is just a bad speaker. I find it amusing that someone who has absolute disdain for the legislative process wants to be a US Senator.

    Collapse
  2. Avatar photo
    Peter S.

    But does Fetterman still know the word "crudités"? Can he use it in an ad like a normal candidate?

    Collapse
  3. Scottjanetsky

    I would rather have an ill tempered chimpanzee sit in the US senate than Oz, a former soldier of a genocidal dictatorship. I don't trust that guy to vote on anything regarding foreign policy.

    Collapse
  4. Natty Bumpo

    The stroke will have no impact on my vote.

    Collapse
  5. Uncooldad1975

    It is all about Policy. That, and not the stroke, should be disqualifying.

    Collapse
  6. Avatar photo
    MatthewRobin

    Fetterman, Walker, Biden....
    Maybe the founders were on to something by not having direct elections for the Senate and the presidency.

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photo
      Richard Maxton

      Yes, the direct election of Senators was a horrible mistake. My "emperor for a day" act would be do undo that amendment.

      No, I am not kidding.

      Collapse
    2. CB76

      Not really. Would you actually feel any better having the idiot cretins the people elect as their state representatives calling the shots? I certainly wouldn't.

      Collapse
      1. Avatar photo
        Manleys

        The idiot cretins the people elect as Senators is better?

        Collapse
        1. Avatar photo
          Jconstantino199

          Yes it is... precisely because you cannot gerrymander a statewide election the way you can gerrymander districts.

          If you do away with directly elected senators, you end up with senators "elected" by state representatives who are in office due to gerrymandering. Therefore you can have both state AND federal House and Senate seats filled by a minority of voters, with the majority of voters in the state forever locked out of having ANY representation at all.

          Collapse
  7. Avatar photo
    Catfishcatlin

    Millions of Americans are disabled. Many use assistive technology. Our Congress cannot represent America if disabled people are considered unqualified.

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photo
      Mackinder

      Disabled people are not considered unqualified in this country, and Congress has for many years represented America with the disabled serving nobly. For reference, see Senators Cleland, Duckworth, Dole, and Inouye, just off of the top of my head in my lifetime. I am sure there are others. The issue with Mr. Fetterman isn’t a disability, it’s potential brain damage that renders him unable cognitively to perform his duties. There is a difference, and we should not conflate the two.

      Collapse
    2. Avatar photo
      Jeff Younger

      He’s more than just disabled, he’s gravely ill. Do you understand what cardiomyopathy is? Or how a-fib exponentially increases your risk for subsequent strokes, and there’s a very high likelihood he wouldn’t survive a 6 year term? Given his past noncompliance issues, I seriously doubt he’s suddenly going to become a model patient, but even if he did, the extent of his cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease and his unwillingness to release his records should disqualify him from holding public office. As someone who suffers from a significant disability, I don’t believe this is “discarding” Mr.Fetterman, just an acceptance of reality.

      The Democrats knew months ago that his health was a major issue, and they chose to go the Biden 2020 route of “hiding in the basement”. Americans deserve better. Not that Oz is any great statesman or the second coming of Barry Goldwater, but he’s at least mentally competent and free of cognitive impairment. Sure I wish the people of PA had better choices, but just as we all suffered through the 2016 and 2020 presidential races with terrible candidates, we have to choose from the options we have, like it or not. We should all push for better candidates at all levels of government, from both major parties.

      Collapse
      1. Andrewchida

        Without his medical records you can’t really conclude he’s gravely ill or not. Afib has risks, but it’s also incredibly common and very manageable. Given the average age of our legislative branch I would be shocked if numerous senators and congressmen do not have afib. Cardiomyopathy is a large umbrella term without indication of severity or prognosis, again unless we have more specific information. I don’t know, I’m very much in favor of presidents releasing their medical records, but I don’t see it as vital for a senator given they are only 1/100 and have significantly less power than the President individually.

        Collapse
  8. Ellisrt1031

    This guy is so soft on crime. He should lose on that basis alone. He isn't qualified to be sheriff.

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photo
      Manleys

      The guy who picks up a shotgun and runs down a random black guy in his neighborhood is soft on crime?

      Collapse
    2. Avatar photo
      Catfishcatlin

      "Soft on crime" is a slogan. What do you mean by that?

      Collapse
  9. Craig Berry

    Is there something I’m missing? Why do Oz and his crew constantly mock Fetterman and make themselves look like complete tools when all they have to do is let this play out? Wouldn’t they look better if they acted like they’re not the type of people to mock a guy who just had a stroke? It seems like the simple, easy play.

    Collapse
    1. CB76

      "Why do Oz and his crew constantly mock Fetterman and make themselves look like complete tools"

      Because they're terrible human beings. It's not complicated.

      Collapse
      1. Avatar photo
        Jeff Younger

        Fetterman is worse. Ask anyone who’s had to deal with him. Just a loudmouth bully who tries to physically intimidate anyone who disagrees with him. And one need not look hard at his record as mayor of Braddock, PA to see his political resume is thin gruel, and his private sector resume is non-existent (collecting an allowance while living in your parents’ basement? Seriously?).

        Collapse
  10. Avatar photo
    Brownmugs

    I think this article glossed over Fetterman issues. I hope he fully recovers. I expected a bit more thorough take on a person that hopes to represent the entire State of PA.

    Collapse
Load More