PA Lt. Gov. John Fetterman Seeking Money For U.S. Senate Bid

PITTSBURGH, PA — Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman's journey as an elected official began as the mayor of Braddock, the small mill town on the outskirts of Pittsburgh. He now hopes that journey takes him to the U.S. Senate.

Fetterman stated on his campaign website Friday that he said he is taking a "hard look" at running for the Senate seat that will be vacated by retiring Republican Pat Toomey at the end of 2022.

"Pennsylvania will be the most important Senate race in 2022," he stated. "I'm confident we can win if we go for it. But before we announce a campaign, I want to get an idea of just how many of you would be with us."

Fetterman, 51, ran for the Democratic Senate nomination in 2016, but lost to Democrat Katie McGinty. She then lost to Toomey. Fetterman was elected lieutenant governor in 2018.

"You already know exactly where I stand," Fetterman told supporters in an email on Friday. "I haven't had to 'evolve' on key issues, because I've always said what I believe is true and have been saying the same things for 20 years."

Fetterman widely was thought to be considering either a run for the Senate or to succeed Gov. Tom Wolf, whose is barred by law from seeking a third term next year.

U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb and state Attorney General Josh Shapiro are prominent Democrats whose names have surfaced as potential candidates for both Wolf and Toomey's seats. Potential Republican candidates for those offices include U.S. representatives Mike Kelly, Guy Reschenthaler and state Sen. Camera Bartolotta.

Fetterman was part of the state Senate blowup that generated national headlines this week. A Republican Senate majority removed him as the Senate's presiding officer after he insisted Democratic state Sen. Jim Brewster be sworn in for a fourth term.

Republicans blocked Brewster's swearing in because his narrow victory in the November election is being disputed in federal court by his GOP challenger, Nicole Ziccarelli.