After Stroke, John Fetterman Makes First Return To Campaign Trail

PENNSYLVANIA — Democratic U.S. Senate candidate and current Lt. Gov. John Fetterman has announced his first public campaign event since he suffered a stroke in May, just before the primary election.

The rally will be held on Aug. 12 in Erie, which his campaign described as an electoral bellwether for the state.

"Before the 2020 election, I said that if I could know one single fact about the results, I could tell you who was going to win Pennsylvania," Fetterman said in a statement. "Whoever wins Erie County will win Pennsylvania. I’ve visited Erie dozens and dozens of times in the past, and I am honored and proud to be returning to the campaign trail here."

Fetterman underwent surgery for a pacemaker with a defibrillator to help regulate his heart rhythm after the stroke in May.

The latest polls give Fetterman a sizable lead over Republican Mehmet Oz, who has received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. According to the nonpartisan political action committee Center Street PAC, Fetterman has 52 percent of the vote, compared to 38 percent for Oz. About 10 percent remain undecided in that poll.

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An average of recent polls from RealClearPolitics similarly shows Fetterman with an 8.7 point lead.

Campaigning has intensified on both sides on social media in recent weeks, with Oz's team questioning Fetterman's health, pointing out his absence from the campaign trail, and attempting to pillory his progressive policies as extreme. Fetterman's side has not shied away from pointing out Oz's unfamiliarity with Pennsylvania, his recent residency in New Jersey, and Trump-related inconsistencies in his platform and experience.