John Fetterman Announces First Public Campaign Event Since Stroke

Pennsylvania’s Democratic US Senate candidate has campaigned from the sidelines since mid-May, when he was nearly killed by a blood clot in his brain. He will make his first in-person appearance since then at a public campaign event next week.

Pennsylvania’s Democratic Senate candidate, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, is heading back on the campaign trail, announcing his first public appearance since suffering a stroke in May.

Fetterman will hold a rally August 12 in Erie, according to his campaign website. The return is a significant step for Fetterman, who has only headlined a closed-press fundraiser hosted by Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania in late July, and informal campaign gatherings while recovering.

Fetterman said his recovery is going well and his doctors have cleared him to continue the campaign against Republican candidate and celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz. 

Despite being off the campaign trail for a few months, Fetterman out-fundraised Oz in the second quarter — bringing in $11 million compared with $5.5 million, including $3.2 million in personal loans, for Oz.

Fetterman’s campaign has jumped on every attempt to slam the celebrity surgeon for his ties to New Jersey, enlisting the help of Garden State celebrities like Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band guitarist and “Sopranos” actor Steven Van Zandt, and reality television star Snooki.

Most recently, Fetterman’s campaign put a billboard up on the New Jersey side of the Betsy Ross Bridge that reads “Now leaving New Jersey for Pennsylvania…just like Dr. Oz.”

A recent Fox News poll showed Fetterman holding an 11-point lead over Oz in the race for Republican Pat Toomey’s Senate seat. It’s Fetterman’s largest lead in any poll since June. Fetterman leads Oz 47% to 36%.