John Fetterman | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2023 | |
| United States Senator fromPennsylvania | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 Serving with Dave McCormick | |
| Preceded by | Pat Toomey |
| 34thLieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania | |
| In office January 15, 2019 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Governor | Tom Wolf |
| Preceded by | Mike Stack |
| Succeeded by | Kim Ward (acting) |
| Mayor ofBraddock | |
| In office January 2, 2006 – January 8, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Pauline Abdullah |
| Succeeded by | Chardaé Jones |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Karl Fetterman (1969-08-15)August 15, 1969 (age 56) |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Senate website Campaign website |
John Karl Fetterman (/ˈfɛtərmən/FET-ər-mən; born August 15, 1969) is an American politician serving as theseniorUnited States senator fromPennsylvania, a seat he has held since 2023. A member of theDemocratic Party, he served from 2006 to 2019 as the mayor ofBraddock, Pennsylvania, and from 2019 to 2023 as the 34thlieutenant governor of Pennsylvania.
Fetterman studied finance atAlbright College and earned anMBA from theUniversity of Connecticut before beginning a professional career in the insurance industry. He went on to joinAmeriCorps and earned anMPP fromHarvard University. Fetterman's service with AmeriCorps led him to Braddock, where he moved in 2004 and was elected mayor the following year. As mayor, Fetterman sought to revitalize the former steel town through art and youth programs.
Fetterman ran for the U.S. Senate in2016, finishing third in the Democratic primary. He ran for lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania in2018, defeating a field of candidates that included incumbentMike Stack in the Democratic primary and winning the election with incumbent governorTom Wolf. During his tenure, Fetterman received national attention for his efforts to legalizecannabis statewide, and for his opposition to PresidentDonald Trump'sfalse claims of election fraud in Pennsylvania.
In 2021, Fetterman announced his candidacy in the2022 U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania. He won the Democratic nomination and defeatedRepublican nomineeMehmet Oz in the general election with 51% of the vote. In 2025, Fetterman became Pennsylvania's senior senator following thedefeat ofBob Casey Jr.
Fetterman's ancestors werePennsylvania Dutch. They emigrated from Germany and settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th century.[1] Fetterman was born atReading Hospital inWest Reading, Pennsylvania, to Karl and Susan Fetterman,[2] both of whom were 19 years old.[3] Eventually they moved toYork, Pennsylvania, where Fetterman grew up and his father became a partner at an insurance firm.[4][5][6] He grew up in an affluent suburb of York, and his parents were conservative Republicans.[4][7]
Fetterman has said he had a privileged upbringing. He said he "sleepwalked" as a young adult while playing four years offootball in college, intending eventually to take over ownership of his father's business.[7][8] In 1991, Fetterman graduated fromAlbright College, also his father's alma mater, with abachelor's in finance. He also received aMaster of Business Administration (MBA) from theUniversity of Connecticut (UConn) in 1993.[9][10] For two years Fetterman worked in Pittsburgh as a risk-management underwriter forChubb.[11]
While Fetterman was studying at UConn, his best friend died in a car accident.[12] Following the tragedy, Fetterman joinedBig Brothers Big Sisters of America, pairing with an eight-year-old boy inNew Haven, Connecticut, whose father had died fromAIDS and whose mother was slowly dying from the disease.[13] During his time as a mentor, Fetterman says he became "preoccupied with the concept of the random lottery of birth", and promised the boy's mother he would continue to look out for her son after she was gone.[14]
After beginning a corporate career atChubb, an insurance firm, Fetterman joined the recently foundedAmeriCorps in 1995 and was sent to teachPittsburgh students pursuing theirGEDs.[15] He later attendedHarvard Kennedy School atHarvard University, graduating in 1999 with aMaster of Public Policy degree.[16] In 2001, Fetterman led the creation of theBraddock Out-of-School-Youth Program, helping local youth earn theirGEDs.[17] He moved to Braddock in 2004.[4][18]
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Fetterman ran for mayor of Braddock against the incumbent, Pauline Abdullah, in 2005. With backing from the town's young residents, he won the Democratic primary by a single vote.[19][4] Fetterman won the general election;[20] he did not face a Republican opponent.[19]
In the 2009 Democratic primary for mayor of Braddock, Fetterman faced Jayme Cox.[21][22] During the campaign, Cox attacked him for failing to build consensus with the town council.[21] Cox also criticized Fetterman for abuse of power after Fetterman released non-public records that showed Cox was arrested in 2004.[21] Braddock solicitor Lawrence Shields agreed that Fetterman's conduct constituted "an abuse of his mayoral authority" and violated the Pennsylvania Criminal History Record Information Act.[22] Fetterman defeated Cox in the primary by a vote of 294 to 103[21] and was unopposed in the general election. Fetterman handily won the Democratic primaries in 2013 and 2017, and was unopposed in the general elections.[23]
Fetterman served as the part-time mayor of Braddock and the full-time director of the city's youth program.[24] He also founded a nonprofit organization, Braddock Redux, which he used to acquire and save properties in Braddock.[25] Fetterman's father helped subsidize Fetterman financially because the position of mayor paid only $150 per month.[4] He received $54,000 from his father in 2015.[11] Fetterman has several tattoos related to the Braddock community. On his left arm are the numbers 15104—Braddock'sZIP Code—and on the right are the dates of nine murders that occurred in the town while he was mayor.[26]
After his first election, one of Fetterman's first acts was to set up a website for Braddock showing the town's mostly neglected and destroyed buildings.[27] As mayor, Fetterman initiated youth and art programs and worked to develop the town's abandoned buildings and improve the poor economy. With family money, he purchased the town's First Presbyterian Church for $50,000 and lived in its basement for several months.[28] The church was later turned into the town's community center.[27] Fetterman later purchased an adjacent warehouse for $2,000, placed twoshipping containers on the roof for extra living space, and moved in.[24] He worked to convert vacant lots into parks and gardens, build the town's first public basketball court, and establish a two-acre organicurban farm, worked by teenagers of the Braddock Youth Project.[29][30] To help fund programs, Fetterman established relationships with local nonprofit organizations,Allegheny County's economic development program, and then-county executiveDan Onorato.[30] For example, Fetterman helped secure a $400,000 grant from theHeinz Foundation toward the building of a green roof, which provided 100 summer construction jobs for local youth.[31]
Fetterman pitched Braddock to people around the country as a place to move due to the town's low real estate prices.[27] The town has attracted people from cities such as Chicago andPortland, Oregon, drawn by the potential for growth.[27] Inspired by Fetterman's call, a group ofBrooklyn residents moved to Braddock and transformed an abandoned church into an art center.[32] But Braddock's redevelopment raised concerns aboutgentrification.[7][29] Despite Fetterman's attempts to attract new residents to Braddock, the population continued to hover around 2,000, and even though the town's real estate was cheap, many of the homes werecondemned or uninhabitable.[33][34]
Braddock mayors hold administrative power over the Braddock Police Department,[31] but Fetterman delegated that power to Braddock Police Chief Frank DeBartolo for the sake of efficiency.[31] Fetterman aimed to improve the relationship between Braddock's residents and the police by serving as a mediator during disputes.[31] During his tenure as mayor, Braddock's homicide rate fell substantially; for five years, there were no gun-related murders in Braddock.[4] In 2006, Fetterman opposed the expansion ofMon-Fayette Expressway, a partially completed four-lane highway that connects Western Pennsylvania andWest Virginia.[29] He argued that the planned expansion of the expressway would cut straight through Braddock and destroy the town.[29]
While mayor, Fetterman had a contentious relationship with the town council and did not attend many council meetings.[4] In 2009, members of the town council attempted to have him removed from a town council meeting and arrested after he criticized a political opponent while delivering his mayoral report.[31] The same year, council president Jesse Brown ordered Braddock'scode enforcement officer to cite Fetterman for an occupancy permit violation for a building owned by Fetterman's nonprofit. A judge later dismissed the complaint.[35] To avoid the town council's gridlock, Fetterman used his nonprofit to accomplish many of his ideas for Braddock; this approach limited citizens' input into the projects.[34]
In November 2010, Fetterman was arrested and immediately released after refusing to leave the property of theU.S. Steel Tower in Pittsburgh while protesting theUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center's controversial closure ofBraddock Hospital.[36][37] The Braddock Hospital was Braddock's largest employer, and its closure left the town without a healthcare provider.[32] Also in November 2010, Fetterman took a leading role in trying to close down Club 804, a Braddock nightclub he described as a public nuisance after a shooting occurred there.[38] Two years later, the club renamed itself "Club Elegance" and Fetterman unsuccessfully sought to have it shut down for violating Braddock's ordinance regarding acceptable locations for certain sexually oriented businesses.[39]
Fetterman cast only one vote during his tenure as mayor. In 2012, he voted to help the borough council choose a president.[40] Starting in 2013, Fetterman began defying a 1996 Pennsylvania law that bannedsame-sex marriage and began to marry LGBT couples inside his home.[41] In 2013, Fetterman and celebrity chefKevin Sousa established a restaurant in Braddock, something the town had lacked.[42] He bought a 3,000-square-foot (280 m2) former car dealership, intending to make it the site of the new restaurant. The restaurant was named Superior Motors.[42] The restaurant opened in 2017, but closed in 2021 amid theCOVID-19 pandemic.[43] Mayor Chardaé Jones, Fetterman's successor, criticized the restaurant for closing after only a few years and having received aPaycheck Protection Program loan for $190,000 in 2020.[43]
Fetterman was criticized for an incident inNorth Braddock in January 2013 when he heard a sound he thought was gunfire and followed an unarmed jogger, whom he detained with a shotgun.[44] The jogger, Chris Miyares, aBlack American, said that what Fetterman thought were gunshots were kids shootingbottle rockets. Fetterman said no debris had been found.[45] Miyares claimed that Fetterman pointed the shotgun at his chest while he loaded the gun and then aimed the gun at his face.[44] Fetterman denies that he pointed the gun at Miyares and said he only pointed the gun in a way to show that he was armed and that he "didn't even have a round chambered or the safety off".[44] He said he believed he "did the right thing" and has not apologized.[46][44] No charges were brought against either in connection with the incident,[45] and Miyares never filed a formal complaint.[44]
The incident gained new attention during Fetterman'sSenate bid, with critics alleging a racial element to the incident.[45][47][46] Fetterman's campaign denied allegations of racism, claiming that Miyares was wearing a black sweatsuit and mask, so Fetterman could not have identified his race or gender.[45][47] Fetterman also added that Miyares was running in the direction of a school and that he made the decision to approach him with the firearm due to the then recentSandy Hook Elementary School shooting.[45] In 2021, Miyares wrote that Fetterman had "lied about everything" that happened during the incident, but that he had "done far more good than that one bad act" and "should not be defined by it", and that he hoped Fetterman would win the Senate race.[48]
Fetterman's efforts to create youth-oriented programs, revitalize his town, and attract artists and other "creatives" to his community were featured inThe New York Times.[34] A 2009 article inThe Guardian called him "America's coolest mayor".[49] Fetterman appeared on theColbert Report on February 25, 2009, discussing the economic difficulties Braddock faced due to a decreasing population, plummeting real estate values, and bankruptcy. He also questioned why funds from theAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 could not be used to support projects such as those in Braddock.[27]
In 2010,Levi Strauss & Company donated money for Braddock's revitalization and featured the town in an advertising campaign and documentary produced by theSundance Channel.[50][51] During Fetterman's mayoral tenure, several Braddock residents, including the members of thetown council, criticized him for his media appearances that emphasized what they saw as unflattering aspects of the town.[31] Jesse Brown, Braddock's former town council president, said Fetterman "needs to tone down his rhetoric about the community and the bad shape the community is in and the devastation of the housing... If he feels that the community is bankrupt, then he needs to go somewhere where he'd like it."[31] In 2018,Tony Buba, a Braddock-based filmmaker, said Fetterman was "this big presence, and everyone thinks he'sJohn Wayne, [but it is] not that simple."[33] Buba pointed out that while Fetterman was mayor, Braddock's population had stagnated, and while the average income had grown, it was still only $25,000 per household.[33]
On November 14, 2017, Fetterman announced that he would run for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, challenging, among others, incumbent lieutenant governorMike Stack.[52] Stack was seen as a vulnerable incumbent after the Pennsylvania inspector general launched an investigation into Stack regarding allegations that he mistreated his staff and Pennsylvania state troopers.[53] Fetterman was endorsed by Vermont senatorBernie Sanders, Pittsburgh mayorBill Peduto and former Pennsylvania governor and Philadelphia mayorEd Rendell.[33][52][54] On May 15, Fetterman won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor with 38% of the vote.[55] He was a part of the Democratic ticket along with incumbent governorTom Wolf. On November 6, 2018, Wolf and Fetterman defeated theRepublican ticket ofScott Wagner andJeff Bartos in the general election.[56][57][58]
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Fetterman was sworn into office as the lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania on January 15, 2019, replacingMike Stack.[59][60] One of the first tasks Governor Tom Wolf gave him was to look into legalizing marijuana statewide.[59] Fetterman went on a statewide tour, visiting all 67 Pennsylvania counties, and spoke to residents about legalization.[61] After completing his tour, he published a report on his findings.
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In a show of support for marijuana legalization and the LGBTQ+ community, Fetterman hung thepride flag and a flag with a marijuana leaf from his office's balcony, which overlooks the state capitol.[62] State employees removed them when an omnibus bill, signed into law by Wolf, banned unauthorized flags on capitol property. Fetterman continued to defy the law by flying the flags outside his office.[62]
AnAssociated Press review of Fetterman's daily schedule during his tenure as lieutenant governor found that he kept a light work schedule and was often absent from official state business.[63] From his inauguration in January 2019 until May 2022, Fetterman's official schedule was blank for one-third of workdays.[63] Additionally, the days that he worked were often short, ranging from four to five hours.[63] He was often absent from presiding over thePennsylvania State Senate, an official duty of the lieutenant governor. In 2020, he attended only half of the Senate's sessions; in 2021, he attended only a third of them.[63]
The lieutenant governor has very little actual power, but does oversee the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons. In this position, Fetterman worked to increase commutations and pardons for those serving jail time in Pennsylvania.[64]The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Fetterman ran the Board of Pardons "with the heart of an activist and, at times, the force of a bully".[64]The Inquirer also reported that he threatened to run against Attorney GeneralJosh Shapiro (who, at the time, was planning a run for governor) unless Shapiro supported more pardons.[64]
While chaired by Fetterman, the Board of Pardons recommended 50 commutations for life sentences, and Governor Wolf granted 47 commutations.[65] As lieutenant governor, Fetterman announced "a coordinated effort for a one-time, large-scale pardoning project for people with select minor, nonviolent marijuana criminal convictions".[65]
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In the 2020 presidential campaign, Fetterman further boosted his profile as a savvy go-to Biden surrogate on national cable TV news shows and in his ownswing state of Pennsylvania.[66] In November 2020, Fetterman saidDonald Trump was "no different than any other random internet troll"[67] and that he "can sue a ham sandwich" in response to Trump threatening to file lawsuits in Pennsylvania alleging voter fraud in the2020 presidential election.[68]
Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election in Pennsylvania, defeating Trump by less than 81,000 votes.[69] Trump's claims of voter fraud led to a challenge of the results, and Texas attorney generalKen Paxton filed suit to overturn the election results in Pennsylvania and other states.[70] Supporting that effort,Texas lieutenant governorDan Patrick offered a reward of $1,000,000 to anyone who could prove a case of fraud in the affected states. Fetterman responded by certifying that Pennsylvania had discovered three cases of voter fraud; two men had cast ballots as their dead mothers (both for Trump), and another had voted on behalf of his son as well as himself (also for Trump). Fetterman said that Patrick should pay $1 million for each of these cases. He said he was proud to announce that Trump "got 100% of the dead mother vote" in Pennsylvania.[71] Fetterman's lampooning of the alleged voting fraud received nationwide publicity.[71][72]
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On September 14, 2015, Fetterman announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat held byPat Toomey in the2016 election.[73] His campaign was considered a long shot against two better-known candidates,Katie McGinty andJoe Sestak, the 2010 Democratic nominee for Senate.[74] Fetterman was endorsed by formerMarylandgovernorMartin O'Malley,[75] former PennsylvaniatreasurerBarbara Hafer,[76] and thePennLive editorial board.[77]
Fetterman's campaign focused on progressive values and building support through grassroots movement, drawing comparisons toBernie Sanders.[78] He was the only statewide Democratic candidate in Pennsylvania to endorse Sanders in the2016 Democratic presidential primaries.[79] He accused the party-endorsed Katie McGinty of taking campaign contributions from theoil and gas industry.[66] Though lacking statewide name recognition, low on campaign funds, and polling as low as 4% a week before the primary,[80] Fetterman garnered 20% of the primary vote. Katie McGinty, who spent $4,312,688 on the primary and was endorsed byBarack Obama and many U.S. senators, finished ahead of former congressman and admiralJoe Sestak, who raised $5,064,849, with Fetterman raising $798,981 and finishing third.[81][82] After the primary, Fetterman campaigned on behalf of McGinty,[83] who lost to Toomey in the general election.
In January 2021, Fetterman announced he was launching an exploratory committee for the 2022 U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania.[84][85] On February 4, 2021, Fetterman filed a statement of candidacy with theFederal Election Commission declaring his intention to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Toomey.[86][87] On February 8, 2021, he officially entered the race.[88]
Fetterman's main opponent in the Democratic primary was U.S. representativeConor Lamb.[89] A political action committee supporting Lamb ran ads attacking Fetterman as "a self-described democratic socialist".[89] While the ad cited anNPR article that called Fetterman a socialist,The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote, "Fetterman has never actually described himself that way."[89] Both Lamb and another candidate,Malcolm Kenyatta, criticized Fetterman for an incident where he pulled a loaded shotgun on a black jogger whom he believed had fired a gun.[89]
While leading in many polls, Fetterman received few endorsements in the Democratic primary. State representativeJohn I. Kane said that the lack of endorsements was characteristic of Fetterman's "lone wolf personality".Darisha Parker, a state representative from Philadelphia, argued that his lack of endorsements was because he had "never come and introduced himself to me or any of my colleagues... if a lieutenant governor doesn't take the time to get to talk to somebody like me, then why would we want to send somebody like him to D.C.?"[90] Fetterman vowed that he "will NOT be aJoe Manchin orKyrsten Sinema-type Senator".[91]
Fetterman won the Democratic primary by a landslide with 58.7% of the vote to Lamb's 26.3%. He won every county includingPhiladelphia County, but struggled to win much of the city's black vote—capturing just 18% of the vote in the majority-black precincts.[92] Fetterman's wifeGisele gave a victory speech on her husband's behalf, as he was hospitalized following a stroke.[93]
In the general election, Fetterman faced Republican nomineeMehmet Oz, a celebrity television doctor. According toThe Philadelphia Citizen, Fetterman employed a social media campaign strategy consisting ofshitposting andinternet memes.[94]The Daily Beast reported that Oz'sNew Jersey residency, net worth, and connections toDonald Trump were the focus of many of the memes.[95] Criticizing Oz's previous residency in New Jersey became a particular hallmark of Fetterman's campaign, seeking to label Oz acarpetbagger. Efforts by the campaign to highlight Oz's New Jersey ties included enlisting New Jersey celebritiesSnooki andSteven Van Zandt to record video messages aimed at Oz,[96][97] and having aplane banner fly over theJersey Shore reading "Hey Dr. Oz: Welcome home to N.J.! ❤️ John."[98] Fetterman's health was also a major issue in the campaign because he had suffered a stroke days before his primary victory.[99]
At an August 2022 rally inErie, Fetterman appeared in public for the first time since recovering from his stroke; according toPolitico, he "appeared physically healthy and mostly talked without any issues. At times, however, his speech was somewhat halted."[96] In October 2022, he gave his first in-person interview since the stroke, withDasha Burns, onNBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.[100] As a result of his stroke, Fetterman required closed-captioning technology to read the questions as they were being asked out loud.[100] Burns said that in their uncaptioned conversation before the interview, she was uncertain whether he could understand her.[101] This drew criticism from other reporters, who said Fetterman did not exhibit such difficulty in other interviews.[102]
In September 2022, Oz called on Fetterman to debate him before early voting began in Pennsylvania on September 19.[103] Fetterman agreed to debate Oz in "the middle to end of October" but did not commit to an exact date or to a debate in September.[104] Oz and Toomey criticized Fetterman's approach to the debate.[105]The Washington Post wrote that it "raised questions about whether [Fetterman], still recovering from a serious stroke, is fit to serve in the Senate".[106] On September 15, Oz and Fetterman agreed to a single debate on October 25.[107]
Politico reported that Fetterman struggled during the debate "to effectively communicate—missing words, pausing awkwardly and speaking haltingly",[108][109] whileThe New York Times reported that "he was also fluent enough over the course of the hour to present his Democratic vision for a state that could determine control of the Senate".[110] According to theTimes, Fetterman was an uneven debater even before his stroke.[111] Republicans seized on his appearances and behavior after the stroke to suggest that he was not fit for office; according to medical experts, speech impairment after a stroke does not indicate cognitive impairment.[112] SenatorChris Coons said that the debate "was hard to watch" but that Pennsylvanians would still be attracted to Fetterman's candidacy because of his "record of what he's done in Braddock [and] as lieutenant governor".[113] Although Fetterman led most pre-election polls, his debate performance and concerns about his health helped Oz take a narrow lead before the election.[114][115][116] On November 9, media outlets projected Fetterman as the winner of the election.[117][118][119] Fetterman won the election with 51.3% of the vote to Oz's 46.3%.[120][121]
Fetterman took office on January 3, 2023.[122] At 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m), he is the tallest currently serving senator.[123] According toThe New York Times, Fetterman's adjustment to the Senate was "extraordinarily challenging—even with the accommodations that have been made to help him adapt".[124] To assist with Fetterman's stroke-related speech processing issues, the Senate chamber was outfitted withclosed captioning technology at his desk and the front of the chamber.[125] In February 2023, Fetterman attended his first Agriculture Committee hearing.[126] He asked questions about trade and organic farming, but stumbled slightly over his words.[126]
Fetterman was hospitalized forsyncope (lightheadedness) for two days beginning on February 10, 2023.[127] Two days after his release he was hospitalized again, for a severe case of major depression. For about two months, Fetterman lived and worked at theWalter Reed Army Medical Center.[128] As part of his daily schedule at the hospital, his chief of staff arrived at 10 a.m. on weekdays with newspaper clips, statements for Fetterman to approve, and legislation to review.[128] During his hospitalization, Fetterman co-sponsored a bipartisan rail safety bill, introduced after thederailment of a chemical-carrying train in East Palestine, Ohio, close to the border with Pennsylvania; the regulation aimed to strengthen freight-rail safety regulations to prevent future derailments.[128][129]
On April 17, 2023, Fetterman returned to the Senate to chair theSenate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestrysubcommittee on food and nutrition, specialty crops, organics and research.[130]The Washington Post said that Fetterman's "voice stumbled at times while reading from prepared notes" during the subcommittee hearing, but "he appeared in good spirits" and communicated a message about the importance of fighting hunger.[131] Fetterman was among the five Senate Democrats who voted against final passage of theFiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.[132] He said his vote was motivated by the newSNAP requirements included in the deal, which raised the age of work requirements for able-bodied adults who do not live with any dependent children from under age 50 to under age 54.[133]
In October 2023, after federal prosecutors accused New Jersey SenatorBob Menendez of taking bribes, Fetterman was the first senator to call for him to be expelled.[134] On November 5, 2024, Fetterman disruptedJon Stewart's live election special onThe Daily Show by canceling an interview 30 seconds before it was scheduled to air.[135][136] After Donald Trump won the2024 United States presidential election, Fetterman expressed willingness to vote to confirm some of Trump'scabinet appointees, includingMarco Rubio forSecretary of State,Pete Hegseth forSecretary of Defense, andElise Stefanik forUnited States ambassador to the United Nations.[137][138][139] He visited Trump'sMar-a-Lago complex and worked with Republicans on theLaken Riley Act.[140][141] Fetterman was the only Democrat who voted to confirm Trump's nomineePam Bondi asUnited States Attorney General.[142][143] In December 2024, Fetterman asked Democrats to "chill out" after Trump won, saying, "If you're rooting against the president, you are rooting against the nation, and I'm not ever going to be where I want a president to fail. So country first."[144][145]
Fetterman expressed hesitation to condemnTrump's pardons of January 6 rioters, saying, "some people are very deserving of a second chance and get a pardon".[140][146] He called on New York GovernorKathy Hochul to pardon Trump in his New Yorkhush money case, which he said was politically motivated "bullshit" and compared to theHunter Biden case. There were rumors that he might become a Republican or anIndependent, which Fetterman called "amateur-hour shit".[140][147] Trump has since praised Fetterman as "a fascinating man".[141][148][149] Since Trump's November victory, Fetterman has become a harsh critic of his own party, calling its brand "toxic", and has indicated that he is receptive to some Trump administration policies.[149][141]
Fetterman supported Trump's decision to pull $400 million in federal funding fromColumbia University over a perceived failure to crack down onpro-Palestinian protests that theTrump administration characterized as antisemitic.[150] He has also supported Trump's crackdown on college student protesters. He has hosted no town-hall-style events since Trump's inauguration.[151] Fetterman has criticized the support of some Senate Democrats forMahmoud Khalil over his opposition to theGaza war, calling Columbia "kind of ground zero of that monoculture run amok [where the administration] allowed antisemitism to take to take over".[152]
By March 2025, Fetterman had missed moreroll-call votes than any other U.S. senator for the year: 18.4%. Eleven of his then 18 missed votes were on Thursdays. He had missed the fourth-most votes—over 21%—in the previous session of Congress.[153] Fetterman explained that on Thursdays he often checked in with his father, who was recovering from a heart attack, and preferred spending Mondays with his children instead of attending procedural votes. He also criticized hearings as largely a waste of time for low-seniority senators, quit the Democratic Caucus group chat, and does not attend its weekly lunch.[154]
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Before running for the U.S. Senate, Fetterman was described as a social and fiscalprogressive, including by himself, and was endorsed byBernie Sanders.[4][156] When running for Senate in 2022, Fetterman said he was not a progressive, "just a Democrat", saying that many parts of his platform that were once considered progressive are now mainstream beliefs of the party.[157] In 2022,The New York Times characterized Fetterman as "left-leaning".[158]Fordham University political science professor Christina Greer described Fetterman, alongside New York City MayorEric Adams, as "simultaneously progressive, moderate and conservative".[159] After Fetterman rejected the progressive label again in 2023,NBC News called his ideology an "unorthodox brand ofblue-collar liberalism, with a dash of outsiderpopulism."[160][161][162][163] In 2024, Fetterman said in an interview withBill Maher that his stroke gave him the freedom to leave progressivism, and called it "very liberating".[164][165]
In 2024, a number of commentators said that Fetterman's views on Israel had shifted to the right and were more in line with those ofRepublicans.[166][167] By mid-2025, Fetterman had made a number of moves that were characterized as becoming closer to Trump while repeatedly criticizing Democrats.[168][141][147][169][170][171]The New York Times reported that he had grown "more conservative, mostly on Israel, but also on a range of other issues."[172] Trump has since praised Fetterman, calling him the "most sensible" Democratic senator, which Fetterman said made his Republican family "proud".[173][174][175]
In a 2025 interview with theFinancial Times, Fetterman said that progressives had won the2024 election for Trump and are "intent" on doing it again, adding, "Some of the most extreme voices now are coming from the far-blue places that are removed from the real fight—and that's down in the important states that decide who's going to win the White House."[176]
In a Democratic primary debate in May 2022, Fetterman said regardingabortion: "That is between a woman and her physician". To the question if any exceptions exist, he said: "It's certainly not between me or any politician. We settled this decades ago, and the fact that these states are trying to repeal it... we have to push back on that."[177] Later that month, Fetterman reiterated his position opposing any legal restrictions on abortion, including in the third trimester.[178]
Fetterman has expressed support for barring members of Congress and their immediate families from trading or holding stocks,[179] though he has traded corporate bonds on his dependent children's behalf while in office.[180]
Prison reform is one of Fetterman's signature issues, advocating for morerehabilitation action as well asclemency for model prisoners. As part of his role as lieutenant governor, he served as the chair of Pennsylvania's Board of Pardons, which processes clemency requests and forwards them to the governor. Fetterman urged the board to process requests more quickly.[181] Fetterman is in favor of abolishingcapital punishment in Pennsylvania, having said he "wholly support[s] Governor Tom Wolf's moratorium on the death penalty". He has called the death penalty "inhumane, antiquated, expensive, and [a] flawed system of punishment".[182]
Fetterman supports the elimination ofmandatory sentences oflife in prison without the possibility of parole forsecond degree murder, in which someone commits a felony resulting in death, but is not directly responsible for the killing. He does not support eliminating life without parole as a sentence.[183][184][185] His Senate race opponent,Mehmet Oz, claimed that Fetterman supports "eliminat[ing] life sentences for murderers", whichPolitiFact and otherfact-checking outlets called a distortion of Fetterman's position.[186][184]
Fetterman has called for a balance betweendecarbonization efforts and creating fossil fuel industry jobs. He has a mixed record onfracking. He once called the practice "an environmental abomination."[187] While running for lieutenant governor, Fetterman both supported establishing two new fracking wells[33] and said he did not support fracking and never would.[188] He later said that he supports permitting fracking but advocates stricter environmental regulations.[181] In 2021, Fetterman said that he supports moving towards a "de facto moratorium [on fracking] because the transition is going to be toward green and renewable energy".[189] In February 2021, he told MSNBC, "I'm embracing what the green ideal considers a priority... the Green New Deal isn't a specific piece of legislation. What I am in support of is acknowledging that the climate crisis is absolutely real."[190]
Fetterman supports ending thefilibuster in the United States Senate.[191] He has also said that Democrats need to be more ruthless, like Republicans, in order to pass legislative priorities.[192] He was one of nine Senate Democrats to vote for cloture for a Republican-led stopgap funding bill to avoid a federal government shutdown in March 2025.[193] Fetterman criticized his fellow Democrats and said it was "absolutely absurd" to pander to "extreme voices" in the Democratic Party in the face of the ground reality of theGaza war and Israel by shutting down the government rather than vote for the Republican funding bill.[152]
In 2015,The Patriot-News described Fetterman as anon-interventionist. Fetterman has said that the U.S. should not "be considered the world's police officers".[194]
When asked what the greatest foreign threat to the U.S. is, Fetterman responded, "I believe China is not our friend."[195] He has also said that the Chinese government should not be allowed to own agricultural land in the U.S.[196]
In January 2025, Fetterman said he was open to Trump'sproposed United States acquisition of Greenland, and later joked he wanted to be appointed "Pope of Greenland".[197][198] He said it was a "responsible conservation", including "buying it out" likeAlaska or theLouisiana Purchase.[199]
In 2025, Fetterman took a hardline stance onIran’s nuclear program, telling theWashington Free Beacon, "Waste that shit", and calling for its destruction. He argued there is no negotiating with a regime that has destabilized the region for decades and said the U.S. has "an incredible window... to strike and destroy Iran's nuclear facilities." Fetterman added, "The negotiations should be comprised of 30,000-pound bombs and the IDF", and later posted on X that Iran's nuclear program's only purpose is to create weapons, urging full U.S. military support in assisting Israel to eliminate it.[200][201]
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Fetterman strongly supportsIsrael and theIsrael–United States relationship.[202][203][204] During his campaign, he said that as a U.S. senator he would "lean in" on the "relationship between the United States and Israel",[205] adding that the U.S.–Israel relationship "is a special one that needs to be safeguarded, protected, supported and nurtured through legislation and all available diplomatic efforts in the region".[205] He supportsUnited States military aid to Israel, includingIron Dome funding.[205] Fetterman criticized congressional Democrats who voted against Iron Dome funding, calling them "fringe" and "extreme".[205] He has said he supports "Israel's right to defend itself" and is "passionate" in his opposition to theBoycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.[205] He supported ananti-BDS law signed by Pennsylvania governorTom Wolf that barred Pennsylvania from entering into contracts with companies that boycott Israel.[205] He supported atwo-state solution and the expansion of theAbraham Accords, the Arab-Israeli agreements brokered during thefirst Trump administration.[205] By 2025, Fetterman opposed a two-state solution, saying in a meeting withJ Street PresidentJeremy Ben-Ami "You can't reform a carton of sour milk" in reference to the Palestinians and that he had never met an Arab person who would condemn Hamas. Notes from the meeting read: "Correction, Only a single Arab he has met with that staff was present for wouldn't outright condemn Hamas."[206]
During theGaza war, Fetterman continued his steadfast support for Israel, placing blame for the conflict entirely onHamas.[207] He has notably broken from Democrats with his ardent support for Israel in the Gaza war.[208] Commentators have said that his views on Israel have shifted to the right since the conflict's inception and become more in line with those ofRepublicans.[166][167] When confronted by pro-Palestine protesters outside the U.S. Capitol, he waved anIsraeli flag.[209][210] In a separate incident, Fetterman told a pro-Palestine activist she should "be protesting Hamas" instead of Israel.[209] He has blamedTikTok for creating "warped" perceptions of the conflict and widening divisions.[207] When Biden threatened to withhold some arms supplies to Israel, Fetterman called the threat "deeply disappointing".[211][212] In June 2024, Fetterman visited Israel and met with PresidentIsaac Herzog and Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu said "Israel has had no better friend" than Fetterman.[213] Fetterman has supportedNetanyahu's position against any permanent ceasefire that allows Hamas to remain functional.[214] On March 26, 2024, Fetterman and RepresentativeJosh Gottheimer denounced the Biden administration for not voting against aU.N. Security Councilresolution that "demands an immediate ceasefire for the month ofRamadan respected by all parties leading to a permanent sustainable ceasefire, and also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages".[215][216]New York magazine reported that Fetterman opposed a ceasefire and instead said "let's get back to killing". He also said Israel should "kill them all". Fetterman's office toldNew York that these statements were in regard to Hamas, not Palestinian civilians.[206]
Fetterman calledSouth Africa's genocide case against Israel "appalling" and said South Africa "ought to sit this one out".[217] In January 2025, he was the only Democratic senator to vote with all Republicans for cloture on a bill to sanction theInternational Criminal Court in response to itswarrants against Netanyahu and Israeli defense ministerYoav Gallant.[218] In February 2025, Fetterman said he would "fully support" U.S. troops in Gaza after President Trump made hisGaza Strip ownership proposal. He called the proposal "provocative" but did not dismiss it, saying it was part of the conversation.[219][220][147]
In 2023, Fetterman voted against an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would have clarified that Article 5 of the NATO treaty does not obviate the need for Congress to declare war.[221][222] Fetterman voted forTim Kaine's amendment, which prohibits the president of the United States from withdrawing from NATO without congressional approval.[223][224]
Fetterman supportsmilitary aid to Ukraine in theRusso-Ukrainian War. He has said, "If you can't support Ukraine right now, that's un-American and you're not standing up for democracy."[225]
Fetterman was the sole Democratic senator to vote against awar powers resolution to prevent President Trump from launching further strikes on Iran after the June 2025attacks on Iranian nuclear sites.[226] He was the only Democratic senator to vote with all Republican senators to vote against a war powers resolution to prevent Trump from launching further strikes in the Caribbean afterattacks on Venezuelan boats in September 2025.[227][228]
Fetterman supports greater restrictions on gun purchases.[229]
Fetterman has described himself as a supporter ofMedicare for All, saying that healthcare is a "fundamental human need and right".[156] In 2022, he said he would "support whatever path" is necessary to expand healthcare accessibility, including the expansion of theAffordable Care Act.[230]
Fetterman has called himself "perhaps the most pro-immigration member of the Senate" and has criticized the House Republican majority of the118th United States Congress for what he perceives as unwillingness to compromise on border policy.[231] He has called the issue "very personal" and important to him, connecting his views to his wife's status as a"DREAMer".[232] But Fetterman has repeatedly expressed concern about theMexico–United States border crisis, viewing the scale as unsustainable and calling for a bipartisan "reset" on border policy. This comment earned him criticism from progressives, causing many commentators to characterize it as an ideological break from his party.[233][234] In a December 2023 interview, Fetterman said "I'm not a progressive" in regard to immigration.[235]
Fetterman opposesabolishing ICE. In 2026, he criticizedOperation Metro Surge and ICE's tactics after ICE agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens inMinneapolis. He also called forHomeland Security SecretaryKristi Noem to be fired. Despite calls from the rest of Pennsylvania's Democratic congressional congregation, Fetterman said that, in order to avoid agovernment shutdown, he would not vote against a bill funding theDepartment of Homeland Security (DHS) and by extension ICE.[236] He voted against the initial funding bill,[237] but later supported a compromise bill that diminished DHS funding but maintained funding for other agencies.[238] Fetterman supports ICE agents wearing masks, arguing that it protects them fromdoxing.[239]
Fetterman opposeslab-grown meat and has supported governors signing state bans, saying he "stands with our American ranchers and farmers".[240][241]
In March 2025, Fetterman joined every other Senate Democrat in voting against a bill that would ban trans girls and women from women's sports, saying, "The small handful of trans athletes in PA in a political maelstrom deserve an ally and I am one."[242]
Fetterman is a proponent oflegalizing marijuana, calling the issue a "political bazooka" and that leaving the issue alone is giving an opportunity for another party to gain political support for a pro–marijuana legalization agenda. He argued that if conservativeSouth Dakota voters were willing to approve aballot measure legalizing recreational marijuana, Pennsylvania should legalize it too.[243] He also supports expunging criminal convictions related to marijuana.[244]
Fetterman supports raising the minimum wage to$15 an hour.[156]
In March 2025, Fetterman asked Democrats to talk like "regular" people instead of ranting about "oligarchy", saying that many people do not understand what an "oligarch" is. He expressed concern about "unlimited money" in politics, saying it harms democracy and can be mitigated by reducing financial influence.[245]
Fetterman has described himself as "pro-policing", including pro-community policing. He opposesdefunding the police, calling the movement "absurd",[187] but supports theBlack Lives Matter movement.[246][247] AfterDerek Chauvin, a police officerwho murdered an unarmed black man,George Floyd, was convicted of second-degree murder, Fetterman tweeted his support for the verdict, stating that Chauvin was "clearly guilty".[248] As lieutenant governor, Fetterman supported legislation that would allow police to use deadly force only when officers or others nearby face imminent threat of death or serious injury.[249]
In January 2025, Fetterman co-sponsored theKids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA), which was introduced by SenatorBrian Schatz,Chris Murphy,Ted Cruz, andKatie Britt. SenatorsTed Budd,Peter Welch,John Curtis,Angus King, andMark Warner also co-sponsored the Act, which would set a minimum age of 13 to use social media platforms and prevent social media companies from feeding "algorithmically targeted" content to users under 17.[250]
In 2015,The Patriot-News called Fetterman a "skeptic of free trade", given his opposition to theTrans-Pacific Partnership.[7] Fetterman agreed with President Trump that tariffs could bring back manufacturing jobs but criticized Trump for focusing on Canada and Mexico rather than America's "real enemies".[251]
Fetterman supports implementing awealth tax in the United States.[252] He has said those "who have yachts" could be used as a potential benchmark.[253]
Fetterman is a supporter of labor unions, saying "The union way of life is sacred". He is a supporter of thePRO Act.[254]
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Fetterman is married toGisele Barreto Fetterman (née Almeida), a Brazilian-American activist. Almeida was once an undocumented immigrant and a resident ofNewark, New Jersey. They met when she heard about Fetterman's work as mayor of Braddock and wrote him a letter in 2007.[33] Fetterman invited Almeida to visit Braddock, and a year later they were married.[33] The couple has three children and they live in a converted car dealership[255] with their rescue dogs, Levi and Artie. The family chose not to live inState House, the official residence for Pennsylvania's lieutenant governor.[256] In 2008, Allegheny County sued Fetterman and his nonprofit Braddock Redux for unpaid taxes. Atax lien was placed against Fetterman and his nonprofit for $25,000. In 2012, Fetterman paid off the unpaid taxes.[257]
Fetterman is known for his casual style of dress. He often wears a sweatshirt and shorts[4] and for a long time owned only one suit, which he wore when presiding over thePennsylvania Senate, where there is a dress code.[4] Fetterman purchased a new suit for his swearing-in as a U.S. senator.[258] He wore a hoodie and shorts duringPresident Trump's second inauguration,[259][260] and a suit and tie when Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu visited the United States in 2024.[261]
In September 2023, Senate majority leaderChuck Schumer relaxed the unofficial Senate dress code, which was widely seen as a reaction to Fetterman, allowing him to vote in his usual outfit.[262][263] In late September, the Senate reversed its decision, unanimously passing the "SHORTS Act" (S.Res. 376,short for "SHow [sic] Our Respect To the Senate Act"), referencing Fetterman's trademark outfit and establishing the Senate's first official dress code.[264][265] The reversal came after a week of intense criticism by Republicans, some Democrats, andFox News.[262]The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Fetterman has a net worth between $717,000 and $1.58 million.[11] Fetterman's memoir,Unfettered, was released on November 11, 2025.[266]
According to Fetterman's chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, Fetterman has struggled withdepression throughout his life.[267] In 2017, Fetterman's feet suddenly began to swell and he was hospitalized for testing.[268] At that time,cardiologist Ramesh Chandra diagnosed Fetterman with "atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm, along with a decreased heart pump", although this diagnosis was not known publicly until Fetterman's stroke in May 2022.[269] In 2018, Fetterman spoke publicly about his substantial weight loss. Fetterman, who is 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) tall, had weighed more than 400 pounds (180 kg) before losing approximately 150 pounds (70 kg).[268][270][271] On June 4, 2019,The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Fetterman "collapsed" while presiding over theState Senate; he became wobbly and grabbed the lectern to prevent himself from falling over, and a member of the Capitol's nursing staff came to examine him.[272][273] Afterward, Fetterman's spokesperson said he had become overheated and was "back to normal".[273]
On May 13, 2022, Fetterman had anischemic stroke and was hospitalized. The stroke was induced by a clot caused byatrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm). Because Fetterman also hadcardiomyopathy, his doctors implanted apacemaker anddefibrillator. He was discharged from the hospital on May 22, 2022.[274][275][276] In an early June 2022 letter, Chandra wrote that Fetterman was "well compensated and stable" and that "If he takes his medications, eats healthy and exercises, he'll be fine."[277] His doctors reported that Fetterman did not sustain cognitive damage, and that they expected a full recovery.[276][278] Fetterman expressed regret for having ignored his health; after the 2017 diagnosis with atrial fibrillation, he did not see a doctor for five years and did not continue medications.[277][279][280]
In an October 2022 letter providing a medical update, Fetterman'sprimary care physician said that he "spoke intelligently withoutcognitive deficits" during examination and had significantly improved communication compared to his first visit with the doctor.[281][282] Fetterman's stroke left him with symptoms of anauditory processing disorder, and he usesclosed captioning as anaid to read speech in real time.[283][284][285] The physician noted that Fetterman regularly attendsspeech therapy, routinely exercises, takes appropriate heart medications, and "has no work restrictions and can work full duty in public office."[281][282]
On February 8, 2023, Fetterman was hospitalized overnight after feeling lightheaded during a U.S. Senate retreat earlier that day. His office reported that he was in "good spirits and talking with his staff and family", and that his hospitalization was unrelated to his stroke.[286] On February 16, 2023, Fetterman checked himself intoWalter Reed Hospital due toclinical depression.[267] A senior aide later said Fetterman would remain hospitalized for "likely less than two months" while he underwent treatment.[287] Fetterman was discharged from Walter Reed on March 31.[288] He returned to the Senate on April 17 and chaired anAgriculture Committee subcommittee to discuss Pennsylvania's farm issues.[130]
In May 2024, Fetterman chief of staffAdam Jentleson wrote Walter Reed Hospital director David Williamson a letter expressing concern over Fetterman's mental health and alleged erratic behavior. Jentleson said that Fetterman engaged in "conspiratorial thinking", "megalomania", rambling monologues, reckless driving, and obvious lies, and was avoiding regular checkups with doctors and pushing away people responsible for helping him with his recovery plan.[289] On June 9, 2024, Fetterman and his wife were involved in a two-car crash in Maryland. They were hospitalized, but quickly released.[290] Fetterman was found to be at fault for the crash after rear-ending another vehicle while speeding.[291]
While walking in Braddock on November 13, 2025, Fetterman suffered aventricular fibrillation episode that made him dizzy, causing him to fall on his face and sustain minor injuries.[292] The injuries to his face required 20 stitches.[293] Ventricular fibrillation is a life-threatening heart rhythm that results incardiac arrest; standard medical treatment requires immediate defibrillation to terminate the arrhythmia.[294] A physician interviewed by NBC said that an implanted cardioverter-defibrillator, like the one Fetterman received in 2022, can detect ventricular fibrillation and deliver a shock to restore normal rhythm, although a person may collapse in the moment before the shock occurs.[295]
Fetterman made acameo appearance in the 2022 filmThe Pale Blue Eye. In December 2022, he posted a photo of himself and his wife alongside actorChristian Bale on the set of the film. Fetterman also worked with Bale and the film's director,Scott Cooper, in 2013, when they filmedOut of the Furnace in Braddock.[296] Fetterman is the subject of a 2025diss track byRXKNephew,[297] commissioned byChapo Trap House.[298]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Fetterman | 149 | 35.06% | |
| Democratic | Virginia Bunn | 148 | 34.82% | |
| Democratic | Pauline Abdullah (incumbent) | 128 | 30.12% | |
| Total votes | 425 | 100.0% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Fetterman | 288 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 288 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Fetterman (incumbent) | 304 | 65.38% | |
| Democratic | Jayme J. Cox | 160 | 34.41% | |
| Write-in | 1 | 0.22% | ||
| Total votes | 465 | 100.0% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Fetterman (incumbent) | 229 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 229 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Fetterman (incumbent) | 186 | 75.30% | |
| Democratic | William David Speece | 60 | 24.29% | |
| Write-in | 1 | 0.40% | ||
| Total votes | 247 | 100.0% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Fetterman (incumbent) | 186 | 86.51% | |
| Write-in | 29 | 13.49% | ||
| Total votes | 215 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Fetterman (incumbent) | 165 | 70.82% | |
| Democratic | William David Speece | 67 | 28.76% | |
| Write-in | 1 | 0.43% | ||
| Total votes | 233 | 100.0% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Fetterman (incumbent) | 243 | 97.98% | |
| Write-in | 5 | 2.02% | ||
| Total votes | 248 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Katie McGinty | 669,774 | 42.50% | |
| Democratic | Joe Sestak | 513,221 | 32.57% | |
| Democratic | John Fetterman | 307,090 | 19.49% | |
| Democratic | Joseph Vodvarka | 85,837 | 5.45% | |
| Total votes | 1,575,922 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Fetterman | 290,719 | 37.48% | |
| Democratic | Nina Ahmad | 184,429 | 23.78% | |
| Democratic | Kathi Cozzone | 143,849 | 18.55% | |
| Democratic | Mike Stack (incumbent) | 128,931 | 16.62% | |
| Democratic | Ray Sosa | 27,732 | 3.58% | |
| Total votes | 775,660 | 100.0% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Wolf (incumbent)/John Fetterman | 2,895,652 | 57.77% | +2.84% | |
| Republican | Scott Wagner/Jeff Bartos | 2,039,882 | 40.70% | −4.37% | |
| Libertarian | Ken Krawchuk/Kathleen Smith | 49,229 | 0.98% | N/A | |
| Green | Paul Glover/Jocolyn Bowser-Bostick | 27,792 | 0.55% | N/A | |
| Total votes | 5,012,555 | 100.0% | N/A | ||
| Democratichold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Fetterman | 752,402 | 58.6 | |
| Democratic | Conor Lamb | 336,933 | 26.3 | |
| Democratic | Malcolm Kenyatta | 139,260 | 10.9 | |
| Democratic | Alexandria Khalil | 54,351 | 4.2 | |
| Total votes | 1,282,946 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Fetterman | 2,751,012 | 51.25% | +3.91% | |
| Republican | Mehmet Oz | 2,487,260 | 46.33% | −2.44% | |
| Libertarian | Erik Gerhardt | 72,887 | 1.36% | −2.53% | |
| Green | Richard L. Weiss | 30,434 | 0.57% | N/A | |
| Keystone | Dan Wassmer | 26,428 | 0.49% | N/A | |
| Total votes | 5,368,021 | 100.0% | N/A | ||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | |||||
John K. Fetterman '93 MBA has been sworn in as Pennsylvania's lieutenant governor by Superior Court Judge Deborah Kunselman at the State Capitol in Harrisburg.
widely seen as shots at Lamb, Fetterman has spent months ... vowing that he 'will NOT be a Joe Manchin or Kyrsten Sinema-type senator'[dead link]
John Fetterman says the party's left wing won the election for Trump and is intent on repeating its mistakes
Fetterman, acknowledging the challenges he still faces, added: "But it gets much, much better where I take in a lot. But to be precise, I use captioning, so that's really the maijing — that's the major challenge. And every now and then I'll miss a word. Every now and then. Or sometimes I'll maybe mush two words together. But as long as I have captioning, I'm able to understand exactly what's being asked."
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Texts from Wikisource
Data from Wikidata| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Pauline Abdullah | Mayor ofBraddock 2005–2019 | Succeeded by Chardaé Jones |
| Preceded by | Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania 2019–2023 | Succeeded by Kim Ward Acting |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Mike Stack | Democratic nominee forLieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania 2018 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forU.S. Senator fromPennsylvania (Class 3) 2022 | Most recent |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Pennsylvania 2023–present Served alongside:Bob Casey Jr.,David McCormick | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | Order of precedence of the United States as United States Senator | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | United States senators by seniority 83rd | Succeeded by |
Statewide political officials ofPennsylvania | ||
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| U.S. senators |  | |
| State government | ||
| Senate |
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| House |
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| Supreme Court |
| |
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| ||
| Class 1 | | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 3 | ||
| Notes | † Never officially seated | |
| Vice-presidents (1777–1790) |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant governors (since 1875) | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| People | |
