Pa. Lt. Gov. Fetterman released from hospital after stroke

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman was released from the hospital on Sunday one week after suffering a stroke — and five days after he cruised to victory in the Democratic primary for US Senate.

“João is headed home – time to rest and recover (and annoy me)!” Fetterman’s wife Gisele tweeted Sunday. “I’m so grateful for the amazing staff at Lancaster General for taking such good care of him from start to finish.”

In a separate statement, Fetterman said he “could not be happier to finally be heading home to be with my family,” according to the Associated Press. 

“I am feeling great, but per my doctor’s orders, and Gisele’s orders, I am going to continue to rest and recover,” he added. “Later this week I will have a follow-up visit with my doctors at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital. I am going to take the time I need now to rest and get to 100% so I can go full speed soon and flip this seat blue.”

Fetterman, 52, had been hospitalized since May 13 after suffering a stroke “caused by a clot from my heart being in an A-fib rhythm for too long,” he told supporters last week. 

On May 17, Fetterman easily defeated Rep. Conor Lamb to win his party’s nomination to run for the seat held by the retiring GOP Sen. Pat Toomey.

“PA — THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING ME AS YOUR DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR U.S. SENATE IN PENNSYLVANIA!!!!!!!!” Fetterman tweeted after he was declared the winner, adding two crying emojis.

Fetterman will face off against the winner of the hotly-contested Republican primary between TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz and ex-hedge fund CEO David McCormick. No winner has yet been declared and with Oz leading McCormick by approximately 1,000 votes as of Monday, the commonwealth’s secretary of state is expected to order a recount this week.

Under Pennsylvania law, counties will have until June 7 to complete the recount and must report the results to the state by the following day. The recount must begin no later than June 1.

Despite the razor-thin margin, former President Donald Trump claimed Oz was the winner of the primary, blasting Pennsylvania for its delay in reporting results. 

“The Club For Growth Candidate [Kathy Barnette], who lost, took many votes away from Oz. Also, early Mail-In Ballots were sent without my having endorsed yet. Despite all of this, Oz won!” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday. 

“Here we go again!” he added. “In Pennsylvania they are unable to count the Mail-In Ballots. It is a BIG MESS. Our Country should go to paper ballots, with same day voting. Just done in France, zero problems. Get Smart America!!!”

The former president later urged Oz to declare victory ahead of a potential recount saying, “It makes it much harder for them to cheat with ballots that they ‘just happened to find.’”