John Fetterman

John Fetterman
Lt. Gov. John Fetterman Portrait (46874790005).jpg
United States Senator-elect
from Pennsylvania
Assuming office
January 3, 2023
SucceedingPat Toomey
34th Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
Assumed office
January 15, 2019
GovernorTom Wolf
Preceded byMike Stack
Mayor of Braddock
In office
January 2, 2006 – January 8, 2019
Preceded byPauline Abdullah
Succeeded byChardaé Jones
Personal details
Born
John Karl Fetterman

(1969-08-15) August 15, 1969 (age 53)
West Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
(m. 2008)
Children3
EducationAlbright College (BA)
University of Connecticut (MBA)
Harvard University (MPP)
WebsiteCampaign website

John Karl Fetterman (born August 15, 1969) is an American politician from Pennsylvania.[1] A member of the Democratic Party, he is a United States Senator-elect and the 34th lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, having served in the latter role since 2019. He previously served as mayor of Braddock from 2006 to 2019.[2]

Beginning his professional career in the insurance industry, Fetterman studied finance at Albright College and earned an MBA from the University of Connecticut. He went on to join AmeriCorps and earned a Master of Public Policy degree from Harvard University. Fetterman's service with AmeriCorps led him to Braddock, where he moved in 2004 and was elected mayor the next year. As mayor, Fetterman sought to revitalize the former steel town through art and youth programs.

Fetterman ran for Pennsylvania's Senate seat in 2016, finishing third in the Democratic primary. He ran for lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania in 2018, defeating a field of candidates that included incumbent Mike Stack in the Democratic primary and winning the election with incumbent Governor Tom Wolf.[3] During his tenure, Fetterman received national attention for his efforts to legalize cannabis statewide and pushing back on President Donald Trump's false claims of election fraud in Pennsylvania.

In 2021, Fetterman announced his candidacy in the 2022 U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania. He won the Democratic nomination with 59% of the vote and won against Republican Mehmet Oz in the general election, becoming the first Democrat to win this seat since 1962.[a] Generally described as a progressive, Fetterman advocates healthcare as a right, criminal justice reform, the abolition of capital punishment, the raising of the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, and the legalization of cannabis.

Early life and education

Fetterman was born in 1969 at Reading Hospital in West Reading, Pennsylvania, to Karl and Susan Fetterman.[4] His parents were married and both 19 years old at the time of his birth.[5] They eventually moved to York, Pennsylvania, where Fetterman grew up and his father became a partner at an insurance firm.[6][7][8] Fetterman grew up in an affluent suburb of York, and his parents were conservative Republicans.[6][9]

Fetterman had a self-described privileged upbringing and has said he "sleepwalked" through his young adulthood, playing four years of football in college and intending to eventually take over as owner of his father's business.[9][10] In 1991, Fetterman graduated from Albright College, also his father's alma mater, with a bachelor's degree in finance, after which he received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Connecticut in 1993.[11][12] For two years, Fetterman worked in Pittsburgh as a risk-management underwriter for Chubb.[13]

While Fetterman was studying at UConn, his best friend died in a car accident, which had a formative effect on Fetterman's life and career.[14] After his friend's death, Fetterman joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, pairing with an eight-year-old boy in New Haven, Connecticut, whose father had died from AIDS and whose mother was slowly dying from the disease.[15] During his time as a Big Brother, 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.[16] In 1995, he joined the recently founded AmeriCorps, and was sent to teach Pittsburgh students pursuing their GEDs.[17] He later attended Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University, graduating in 1999 with a Master of Public Policy degree.[18]

Mayor of Braddock (2006–2019)

Fetterman in 2009

Fetterman, who began his career working at an insurance firm, came to Braddock in 2001 to start an Out-of-School-Youth Program, helping local youth to earn their GED.[19] He moved to Braddock in 2004.[6][20]

Braddock, a former industrial town, known as the site of Andrew Carnegie's first steel mill, was hit hard by the decline of the U.S. steel industry.[21] The town had lost 90% of its population since its peak in the 1920s, and was declared a financially distressed municipality in 1988; it has no supermarkets, gas stations or ATMs.[21] Fetterman was attracted to Braddock by what he called its "malignant beauty."

Fetterman served as the part-time mayor of Braddock, and the full-time director of the city's youth program.[22] He also founded a nonprofit organization, Braddock Redux, which he used to acquire and save properties in Braddock.[23]

Fetterman's father helped subsidize Fetterman financially because the position of mayor paid only $150 per month.[6] He received payments of $54,000 from his father in 2015.[13] Fetterman has several tattoos related to the Braddock community. On his left arm are the numbers 15104—Braddock's ZIP Code—and on the right, the dates of nine murders that occurred in the town while he was mayor.[24]

Elections

Fetterman ran for mayor against the incumbent, Pauline Abdullah, in 2005. With backing from the town's young residents, he won the Democratic primary by a single vote.[25][6] Fetterman won the general election;[26] he did not face a Republican opponent.[25]

In the 2009 Democratic primary for mayor of Braddock, Fetterman faced Jayme Cox.[27][28] During the 2009 campaign, Cox attacked Fetterman for failing to build a consensus with the town council.[27] Additionally, Cox criticized Fetterman for abuse of power after Fetterman released non-public records that showed Cox was arrested in 2004.[27] Braddock Solicitor Lawrence Shields agreed that Fetterman's conduct constituted "an abuse of [Fetterman's] mayoral authority" and violated the Pennsylvania Criminal History Record Information Act.[28] Fetterman defeated Cox in the primary by a vote of 294 to 103.[27] Fetterman handily won the Democratic primaries in 2013 and 2017, and was unopposed in the general election.[29]

Tenure

First term

Following his election, one of Fetterman's first acts was to set up a website for Braddock, which highlighted the town's mostly neglected and destroyed buildings.[30] 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 the basement for several months.[31] The church was later turned into the town's community center.[30] Fetterman later purchased an adjacent warehouse for $2,000, placed two shipping containers on the roof for extra living space, and moved in.[22] Other programs included converting vacant lots into parks and gardens, building the town's first public basketball court, and establishing a two-acre organic urban farm, worked by teenagers of the Braddock Youth Project.[32][33] To help fund programs, Fetterman established relationships with local nonprofit organizations, Allegheny County's economic development program, and then-county executive Dan Onorato.[33] For example, Fetterman helped secure a $400,000 grant from the Heinz Foundation toward the building of a green roof, which provided 100 summer construction jobs for local youth.[34]

Fetterman pitched Braddock to people around the country as a place to move due to the town's low real estate prices.[30] The town's renaissance has attracted people from cities such as Chicago and Portland, Oregon, drawn by the potential for development and growth.[30] Inspired by Fetterman's call, a group of Brooklyn residents moved to Braddock and transformed an abandoned church into an art center.[21] But Braddock's redevelopment raised concerns about gentrification.[9][32] Despite Fetterman's attempts to attract new residents to Braddock, the population has continued to hover around 2,000, and despite property being cheap, many of the homes are condemned or are uninhabitable.[35][36]

Typically, the mayor of Braddock holds administrative power over the Braddock Police Department.[34] But during Fetterman's first term, he handed over those powers to the Braddock Police Chief, Frank DeBartolo, believing he could handle administrative duties more efficiently.[34] Fetterman aimed to improve the relationship between Braddock's residents and the police by serving as a mediator during disputes.[34] During his tenure as mayor, Braddock's homicide rate fell substantially, and for a five-year period, there were no gun-related murders in Braddock.[6]

In 2006, Fetterman opposed the expansion of Mon-Fayette Expressway, a partially completed four-lane highway that connects Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.[32] He argued that the planned expansion of the expressway would cut straight through Braddock and destroy the town.[32]

While mayor, Fetterman had a contentious relationship with the town council.[6] Some councilpersons viewed him with suspicion—seeing a white man serving as mayor of a majority-black town who pitched himself as the town's savior.[6] Fetterman's tense relations with the town council have also been attributed to the fact that he did not attend many council meetings.[6] In 2009, members of the town council attempted to have Fetterman removed from a town council meeting and arrested after he criticized a political opponent while delivering his mayoral report.[34] The same year, council president Jesse Brown ordered Braddock's code enforcement officer to cite Fetterman for an occupancy permit violation for a building owned by Fetterman's nonprofit. A judge later dismissed the complaint.[37] To avoid the town council's gridlock, Fetterman used his nonprofit to accomplish many of his ideas for Braddock, but that also resulted in less citizen input into the projects.[36]

Second term

In November 2010, Fetterman was arrested and immediately released after refusing to leave the property of the U.S. Steel Tower in Pittsburgh. He was protesting the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center controversial closure of Braddock Hospital, but was met with objections from some in the community for not being more vocal in his opposition earlier.[38][39] The Braddock Hospital, which employed 600 people, was Braddock's largest employer and its closure left the town without any healthcare provider,[21] although an urgent-care unit eventually opened in Braddock.

Also in November 2010, Fetterman took a leading role in trying to close down Club 804, a nightclub he described as a public nuisance to Braddock, after the club was the site of a shooting.[40] During his feud with Club 804, Fetterman changed the lettering on the club's signage from "Closed for renovations—will reopen soon" to "We will not be reopening soon."[40] The club's owner criticized Fetterman, saying, "he had no right to touch our property".[40] Two years later, the club renamed itself "Club Elegance" and Fetterman unsuccessfully sought to have it shut down for violating Braddock's ordinance that bans clubs with strippers from operating "within 300 feet of the property line of any school, church, day care center or community center".[41]

Fetterman cast only one vote during his tenure as mayor. In 2012, he voted to help the borough council choose a president.[42]

Starting in 2013, Fetterman began defying a 1996 Pennsylvania law that banned same-sex marriage and began marrying LGBT couples inside of his home.[43]

In 2013, Fetterman worked with celebrity chef Kevin Sousa to establish a restaurant in Braddock, something the town had lacked.[44] He bought a 3,000-square-foot building that was home to a former car dealership with the intention that it would be the site of the new restaurant, named "Superior Motors".[44] Funds to establish the restaurant were collected via Kickstarter.[44] Fetterman said that Superior Motors would provide jobs for Braddock residents, serve as an economic accelerant for the community, and "help people reimagine a space, a street, and a neighborhood".[44] The restaurant opened in 2017, but closed in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[45] Mayor Chardaé Jones, Fetterman's successor, criticized the restaurant for closing after only a few years and having had received a Paycheck Protection Program loan for $190,000 in 2020.[45]

Shotgun incident

Fetterman was criticized for an incident in North Braddock in January 2013 when he heard a sound he thought was gunfire, and followed an unarmed jogger, whom he detained with a shotgun.[46] The jogger, Chris Miyares, a black American, said that what Fetterman thought were gunshots were actually kids shooting bottle rockets. Fetterman said no debris had been found.[47] Miyares claimed that Fetterman pointed the shotgun at his chest while he loaded the gun and then aimed the gun at his face.[46] Fetterman denies that he pointed the gun at Miyares and says 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."[46] He said he believed he "did the right thing" and has not apologized.[48][46] No charges were brought against either in connection with the incident,[47] and Miyares never filed a formal complaint.[46]

The incident gained new attention during Fetterman's Senate bid, with critics alleging a racial element to the incident.[47][49][48] Fetterman's campaign denied allegations of racism, claiming that Miyares was wearing a black sweatsuit and mask, so Fetterman couldn't have identified his race or gender.[47][49] 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 event's proximity in time to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.[47]

In 2021, Miyares wrote that Fetterman had "lied about everything" that happened during the incident, but had "done far more good than that one bad act" and, "should not be defined by it", and hoped he would win the Senate race.[50] Fetterman's political opponents have questioned Miyares' statement forgiving Fetterman.[48]

Media coverage and criticism

Fetterman's efforts to create youth-oriented programs, revitalize his town, and attract artists and other "creatives" to his community were featured in The New York Times.[36] A 2009 article in The Guardian called him "America's coolest mayor".[51]

Fetterman was the guest on the Colbert Report on February 25, 2009, discussing the economic difficulties his town faced due to a decreasing population, plummeting real estate values, and bankruptcy. He also questioned why funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 could not be used to support projects such as those in Braddock.[30] He appeared again on August 16, 2010, discussing what he had been doing and the town's partnership with Levi Strauss.

In 2010, Levi Strauss & Company donated money towards Braddock's revitalization and featured the town in an advertising campaign and documentary produced by the Sundance Channel.[52][53]

On May 7, 2012, Fetterman was featured on A Day in the Life where he discusses his responsibilities and desires for Braddock, as well as his personal history and views.[54]

Fetterman was a guest on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore on January 14, 2016, to discuss his support for Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary[55] and again on July 19, 2016, discussing the state of the 2016 election and Donald Trump.[56]

During Fetterman's time as mayor in 2009, some Braddock residents, including the members of the town council, criticized Fetterman for his media appearances which emphasize the town's negative aspects.[34] 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."[34] Tony Buba, a Braddock-based filmmaker, said "[Fetterman is] this big presence, and everyone thinks he’s John Wayne, [but it is] not that simple."[35] Buba pointed out that under Fetterman, Braddock's population has stagnated and while the average income has grown, it is still only $25,000 per household.[35]

Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania (2019–present)

Election

On November 14, 2017, Fetterman announced that he would run for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, challenging, among others, incumbent Lieutenant Governor Mike Stack.[57] 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.[58] Fetterman was endorsed by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and former Pennsylvania Governor and Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell.[35][57][59]

On May 15, Fetterman won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor with 38% of the vote.[60] Fetterman was a part of the Democratic ticket along with incumbent Governor Tom Wolf. On November 6, 2018, Wolf and Fetterman defeated the Republican ticket of Scott Wagner and Jeff Bartos in the general election.[61][62]

Tenure

Fetterman as lieutenant governor in 2022

Fetterman was sworn into office as the lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania on January 15, 2019, replacing Mike Stack.[63] One of Fetterman's first tasks from Governor Tom Wolf was to look into legalizing marijuana statewide.[63] Fetterman went on a statewide tour, visiting all 67 counties in Pennsylvania, and spoke to residents about marijuana legalization.[64] After completing his tour, he published a report on his findings.

In a show of support for marijuana legalization and the LGBTQ+ community, Fetterman hung the pride flag and a flag with a marijuana leaf from his office's balcony, which overlooks the state capitol.[65] However, part of an omnibus bill, signed into law by Governor Wolf, banned unauthorized flags on Capitol property and state employees removed the flags.[65] However, Fetterman has continued to defy the law and fly the flags outside of his office.[65]

An Associated 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.[66] From his inauguration in January 2019 until May 2022, Fetterman's official schedule was blank for one-third of workdays.[66] Additionally, the days that he worked were often short ranging from four to five hours.[66] He was often absent from presiding over the Pennsylvania State Senate, an official task of the lieutenant governor. In 2020, he attended only half of the sessions and in 2021, only one-third of the sessions.[66]

Board of Pardons

The role of lieutenant governor has very little actual power, but does oversee the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons. In this position, Fetterman worked to increase the amount of commutations and pardons for those serving jail time in Pennsylvania.[67] 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".[67] The Inquirer also reported that Fetterman threatened to run against Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who at the time was planning a run for governor, unless Shapiro supported more pardons.[67]

While being chaired by Fetterman, the Board of Pardons has recommended 50 commutations for life sentences, and Governor Tom Wolf has granted 47 commutations.[68] As lieutenant governor, Fetterman announced "a coordinated effort for a one-time, large-scale pardoning project for people with select minor, non-violent marijuana criminal convictions..."[68]

Donald Trump

In November 2020, Fetterman received national press coverage for saying Donald Trump was "no different than any other random internet troll"[69] and that he "can sue a ham sandwich" in response to Trump threatening to file lawsuits in Pennsylvania alleging voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.[70]

The 2020 presidential election in Pennsylvania was won by Joe Biden, who finished more than 81,000 votes ahead of Trump.[71] Trump's claims of voter fraud led to a challenge of the results and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a suit to overturn the results in Pennsylvania, among other states.[72] Paxton's case was joined by 18 other Republican Attorneys General from other states.[72] Supporting that effort, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan 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 his Texas counterpart needed to pay up, a million for each of these cases. He said he was proud to announce, that Trump "got 100% of the dead mother vote", in Pennsylvania.[73] Fetterman's lampooning of the alleged voting fraud received nationwide publicity.[73][74]

U.S. Senate campaigns

2016

Fetterman campaigning in Pittsburgh in 2016

On September 14, 2015, Fetterman announced that he would run for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat held by Pat Toomey in the 2016 election.[75] His campaign was considered a longshot against two better-known candidates, Katie McGinty and Joe Sestak, the 2010 Democratic nominee for Senate.[76] Fetterman was endorsed by former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley,[77] former Pennsylvania Treasurer Barbara Hafer,[78] and the PennLive editorial board.[79]

Fetterman's campaign focused on progressive values and building support through grassroots movement, drawing comparisons to Bernie Sanders.[80] Fetterman was the only statewide Democratic candidate in Pennsylvania to endorse Sanders.[81] Though lacking statewide name recognition, having low campaign funds, and polling as low as 4% a week before the primary,[82] Fetterman was able to garner 20% of the primary vote. Katie McGinty, who spent $4,312,688 on the primary and who was endorsed by Barack Obama and many U.S. senators, finished ahead of former congressman and admiral Joe Sestak, who raised $5,064,849, with Fetterman raising $798,981 and finishing third.[83][84] After the primary, Fetterman campaigned on behalf of McGinty,[85] although Toomey ultimately defeated her, winning reelection.

2022

Fetterman's 2022 U.S. Senate campaign logo

In January 2021, Fetterman announced he was launching an exploratory committee for the 2022 U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania.[86][87] On February 4, 2021, Fetterman filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission declaring his intention to run for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Pat Toomey.[88][89] On February 8, 2021, he officially entered the U.S. Senate race.[90]

Democratic primary

Fetterman's main opponent in the Democratic primary for Senate was incumbent U.S. Representative Conor Lamb.[91] A political action committee supporting Lamb ran ads attacking Fetterman for being "a self-described democratic socialist".[91] While the ad cited an NPR article, which described Fetterman as a socialist, The Philadelphia Inquirer commented that "Fetterman has never actually described himself that way."[91] Both Lamb and another candidate, Malcolm Kenyatta, criticized Fetterman for the incident where he pulled a loaded shotgun on a black jogger whom he believed had fired a gun.[91]

Despite leading in many polls, Fetterman received few endorsements in the Democratic primary. State Representative John I. Kane said that the lack of endorsements is part of Fetterman's "lone wolf personality". Darisha Parker, a state representative from Philadelphia, argued that Fetterman's lack of endorsements is due to the fact "[Fetterman has] never come and introduced himself to me or any of my colleagues. So 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.?"[92]

Fetterman won the Democratic primary with 58.7% of the vote, defeating his closest rival, Lamb, by 32.4% of the vote. Fetterman won every county, including Philadelphia County, but he struggled to win much of the city's black vote—capturing just 18% of the vote in the city's majority black precincts.[93][94] Fetterman's wife Gisele gave a victory speech on her husband's behalf, as he was hospitalized after suffering a stroke (see § Health).[95]

General election

In the general election, Fetterman faced off against Republican nominee, Mehmet Oz, a celebrity television doctor. According to The Philadelphia Citizen, Fetterman employed a social media campaign strategy consisting of shitposting and internet memes.[96] The Daily Beast reported that Oz's New Jersey residency, net worth, and connections to Donald Trump were the focus of many of the memes.[97] Criticizing Oz's previous residency in New Jersey became a particular hallmark of Fetterman's campaign while at the same time promoting his own Pennsylvania roots, seeking to label Oz as a carpetbagger. Efforts by the campaign to highlight Oz's New Jersey ties included enlisting New Jersey celebrities Snooki and Steven Van Zandt to record video messages aimed at Oz,[98][99] and having a plane banner fly over the Jersey Shore reading "Hey Dr. Oz: Welcome home to N.J.! ❤️ John."[100]

At an August 2022 rally in Erie, Fetterman appeared in public for the first time since recovering from his pre-primary election stroke; according to Politico, he "appeared physically healthy and mostly talked without any issues. At times, however, his speech was somewhat halted."[98] In October 2022, Fetterman conducted his first in-person interview, with Dasha Burns, on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.[101] As a result of his stroke, Fetterman required closed-captioning technology to read the questions as they were being asked out loud.[101] Burns said that in their uncaptioned conversation before the interview, she was uncertain whether he could understand her.[102] This drew criticism from other reporters, who said Fetterman did not exhibit such difficulty in other interviews.[103]

In September 2022, Oz called on Fetterman to debate him before early voting began in Pennsylvania on September 19.[104] Fetterman agreed to debate Oz in "the middle to end of October" but would not commit to an exact date or to a debate in September.[105] Oz and Toomey criticized Fetterman's approach to the debate.[106] The Washington Post wrote that it "raised questions about whether [Fetterman], still recovering from a serious stroke, is fit to serve in the Senate".[107] On September 15, Oz and Fetterman agreed to a single debate, which was held on October 25.[108]

Politico reported that during the debate Fetterman struggled "to effectively communicate—missing words, pausing awkwardly and speaking haltingly",[109][110] while The 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".[111] According to The New York Times, Fetterman was an uneven debater even before his stroke.[112] Republicans seized on Fetterman's appearances and his behavior after the stroke to suggest that he is not fit for office; according to medical experts, speech impairment after a stroke does not indicate cognitive impairment.[113] Senator Chris 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".[114] After the debate, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editorial board critiqued Fetterman and endorsed Oz, citing Fetterman's immaturity and lack of transparency about his medical records.[115]

On November 9, Fetterman was projected as the winner of the election by media outlets.[116][117][118]

Political positions

Fetterman delivering his inaugural address as lieutenant governor in 2019

Fetterman is often described as a social and fiscal progressive, including by himself.[6][119] When running for Senate in 2022, Fetterman said that he is not a progressive and is "just a Democrat", explaining that many parts of his platform that were once considered progressive are now mainstream beliefs of the party.[120] In 2022, The New York Times characterized Fetterman as "left-leaning".[121]

Abortion

In a Democratic primary debate in May 2022, Fetterman said regarding abortion: "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."[122] Later that month, Fetterman reiterated his position opposing any legal restrictions on abortion, including in the third trimester.[123]

During his debate with Oz, Fetterman said he supported the framework in Roe v. Wade, which allows the state to restrict abortions after the first trimester.[124]

Congressional stock ownership

Fetterman supports barring members of Congress and their immediate families from trading or holding stocks.[125]

Criminal justice reform

Prison reform is one of Fetterman's signature issues, advocating for more rehabilitation action as well as clemency for model prisoners. A part of his role as lieutenant governor, he serves 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.[126]

Fetterman is in favor of abolishing capital punishment in Pennsylvania, stating that 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".[127]

Fetterman supports the elimination of mandatory sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole for second 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.[128][129][130] His Senate race opponent, Mehmet Oz, has claimed that Fetterman supports "eliminat[ing] life sentences for murderers", which PolitiFact and other fact-checking outlets called a distortion of Fetterman's position.[131][129]

Environmental issues

Previously, Fetterman opposed fracking, calling the practice "an environmental abomination".[132] He has since shifted his stance on the issue, saying that he supports permitting fracking, although he advocates for stricter environmental regulations.[126] Fetterman says there needs to be a balance between decarbonization efforts and creating jobs in the fossil fuel industry. While running for lieutenant governor, he supported establishing two new fracking wells.[35] 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".[133] In February 2021, he told MSNBC, "I'm embracing what the green ideal considers a priority. Like, you know, 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."[134]

Filibuster

Fetterman supports ending the filibuster in the United States Senate.[135] He has also said that Democrats need to be more ruthless, like Republicans, in order to pass legislative priorities.[136]

Foreign policy

In 2015, The Patriot-News described Fetterman as a "skeptic of free trade", given his opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and a non-interventionist. Fetterman has said that the United States should not "be considered the world's police officers".[9]

Gun policy

Fetterman supports greater restrictions on gun purchases.[137]

Healthcare

Fetterman has described himself as a supporter of Medicare for All, saying that healthcare is a "fundamental human need and right".[119] Fetterman's website states that "Healthcare is a fundamental human right,"[138] and that he would "support whatever path" is necessary to expand healthcare accessibility including the expansion of Obamacare.[139] In debate, he reaffirmed he would vote for Medicare for All.[140]

Israel

Fetterman is a strong supporter of Israel–United States relations and said if he is elected as a U.S. senator, he will "lean in" on the "relationship between the United States and Israel". He said 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". He supports United States foreign aid to Israel, including Iron Dome funding. Fetterman criticized Congressional Democrats who voted against Iron Dome funding, calling them "fringe" and "extreme". Fetterman has said he supports the right of Israel to defend itself and is "passionate" in his opposition to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. He supported a law signed into law by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf that barred Pennsylvania from entering into contracts with companies that boycott Israel. He supports a two-state solution and the expansion of the Abraham Accords, the Arab-Israeli agreements brokered under the Trump administration.[141]

Marijuana

Fetterman is a proponent of legalizing 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 conservative South Dakota voters were willing to approve a ballot measure legalizing recreational marijuana, Pennsylvania should legalize it too.[142] He also supports expunging criminal convictions related to marijuana.[143]

Minimum wage

Fetterman supports raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour.[119]

Policing

Fetterman has described himself as "pro-policing", including pro-community policing. He opposes defunding the police, calling the movement "absurd",[132] but supports the Black Lives Matter movement.[144][145] After Derek Chauvin, a police officer who 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."[146]

As lieutenant governor, Fetterman supported legislation that would allow the police to use deadly force only in situations where officers or others nearby face imminent threat of death or serious injury.[147]

Taxation

Fetterman supports implementing a wealth tax in the United States.[148] He has stated "you know it when you see it..." and has said those "who have yachts" could be used as a potential benchmark.[149]

Unions

Fetterman is a supporter of labor unions, saying "The union way of life is sacred".[150]

Personal life

Fetterman and his wife Gisele Barreto Fetterman in 2019

Fetterman is married to Gisele Barreto Fetterman (née Almeida), a Brazilian-American activist. Almeida, who was once an undocumented immigrant and a resident of Newark, New Jersey, heard about Fetterman's work as mayor of Braddock and wrote him a letter in 2007.[35] Fetterman invited Almeida to visit Braddock and a year later they were married.[35] The couple has three children and live in a converted car dealership with their rescue dogs, Levi and Artie. The family has chosen to not live in State House, the official residence for Pennsylvania's lieutenant governor.[151] The couple has three children, two sons and one daughter.[152]

In autumn 2020, Gisele Fetterman shared a photo of the family's home while John was being interviewed. Levi's humorous facial expression resulted in the photograph going viral. The next day, an unconnected fan of Levi created a Twitter account in his name, the person subsequently made friends with Gisele Fetterman but remains anonymous.[153] Levi and Artie have their own Twitter account with more than 25,000 followers.[154] Mixed-breed Levi[153] was also featured in the CW's television special "Dogs of the Year 2021".[155] In July 2021, the York Daily Record reported that Levi was an advocate for the increase of the state license fee for dog owners to fund the Pennsylvania bureau tasked with canine law enforcement, such as dealing with dangerous dogs and exposing puppy mills.[156]

Fetterman is known for his casual style of dress. He is often seen wearing a sweatshirt and shorts.[6] He owns only one suit, which he wears when presiding over the Pennsylvania Senate, where there is a dress code.[6]

In 2008, Allegheny County sued both Fetterman and his non-profit Braddock Redux for unpaid taxes. A tax lien was placed against Fetterman and his non-profit for $25,000. In 2012, Fetterman paid off the unpaid taxes.[157]

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Fetterman has a net worth between $717,000 and $1.58 million.[13]

Health

In 2017, Fetterman's feet suddenly began to swell and he was subsequently hospitalized for testing.[158] At that time, he was diagnosed by cardiologist Ramesh Chandra 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.[159]

In 2018, Fetterman spoke publicly about his substantial weight loss. Fetterman, who is 6 feet 9 inches tall (2.06 m), had weighed more than 400 pounds (180 kg) before losing approximately 150 pounds (70 kg).[158][160][161]

On May 13, 2022, Fetterman suffered an ischemic stroke and was hospitalized. The stroke was caused by a clot caused by atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm). Because Fetterman also had cardiomyopathy, his doctors implanted a pacemaker and defibrillator. He was discharged from the hospital on May 22, 2022.[162][163][164]

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."[165] His doctors reported that Fetterman did not suffer cognitive damage, and that they expected a full recovery.[164][166] 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.[165][167][168]

In an October 2022 letter providing a medical update, Fetterman's primary care physician stated that during examination "He spoke intelligently without cognitive deficits", and as having significantly improved communication compared to his first visit with the doctor.[169][170] Fetterman's stroke left him with symptoms of an auditory processing disorder, and he uses closed captioning as an aid to read speech in real time.[171][172][173] The physician noted that Fetterman regularly attends speech therapy, routinely exercises, takes appropriate heart medications, and "has no work restrictions and can work full duty in public office."[169][170]

Electoral history

Braddock mayoral election, 2005 Democratic primary[174]
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%
Braddock mayoral election, 2005 general election[175]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Fetterman 288 100.00%
Total votes 288 100.0%
Democratic hold
Braddock mayoral election, 2009 Democratic primary[176]
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%
Braddock mayoral election, 2009 general election[177]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Fetterman (incumbent) 229 100.00%
Total votes 229 100.0%
Democratic hold
Braddock mayoral election, 2013 Democratic primary[178]
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%
Braddock mayoral election, 2013 general election[179]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Fetterman (incumbent) 186 86.51%
Write-in 29 13.49%
Total votes 215 100.0%
Democratic hold
Braddock mayoral election, 2017 Democratic primary[180]
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%
Braddock mayoral election, 2017 general election[181]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Fetterman (incumbent) 243 97.98%
Write-in 5 2.02%
Total votes 248 100.0%
Democratic hold
U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania Democratic primary, 2016[182]
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%
Pennsylvania Lieutenant Gubernatorial Democratic primary, 2018[183]
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%
Pennsylvania Gubernatorial general election, 2018[184]
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
Democratic hold
United States Senate election, 2022 Democratic primary election[93]
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

Notes

  1. ^ Arlen Specter, although elected as a Republican, changed his party affiliation back to Democrat in 2009. He ran for re-election in 2010, but lost in the Democratic primary to Joe Sestak.

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External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Pauline Abdullah
Mayor of Braddock
2005–2019
Succeeded by
Chardaé Jones
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
2019–present
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by
Mike Stack
Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
2018
Succeeded by
Preceded by Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania
(Class 3)

2022
Most recent
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Pennsylvania
Taking office 2023
Elect

Information

Article John Fetterman in English Wikipedia took following places in local popularity ranking:

Presented content of the Wikipedia article was extracted in 2022-11-18 based on https://en.wikipedia.org/?curid=5303368