The closely watched Democrat U.S. Senate Primary looked like it would be a relatively tame affair compared to the Republican race.
That is until a health crisis involving the runaway frontrunner threw a last-minute curveball.
Crispin Havener joins us live from Pittsburgh with the latest on the health of John Fetterman and its impacts on the race.
The expectation was that Lt. Gov. John Fetterman would come here to Pittsburgh to take a victory lap Tonight, as the most recent poll in this race showed him nearly 40 points ahead.
But a last-minute twist that sent a shockwave through the political world this weekend means that Fetterman instead will be spending this Primary Night in a hospital bed.
Fetterman’s campaign saying Today that he is having a surgical procedure done Today to have a pacemaker implanted, after he had suffered a stroke caused by a blood clot in his heart Friday.
Fetterman says doctors were able to remove the clot reverse the stroke…and get his heart under control.
Fetterman says he was feeling much better and doctors have told him he has suffered no cognitive damage and is on the way to a full recovery.
His campaign says the pacemaker will treat the underlying condition that caused the stroke. In his absence Tonight in Pittsburgh for his campaign’s election night event, his Wife Giselle and some “special guests” will be here
instead.
While the health scare certainly raises questions about his viability going forward, short term Democrats that I’ve talked to say they don’t expect any monumental changes that would alter Fetterman’s wide polling lead over his top rivals Pittsburgh area Congressman Connor Lamb
Who will also be in the Pittsburgh area tonight watching returns with supporters and Philadelphia area State Representative Malcolm Kenyata.
That’s because of both the big advantage and the fact that hundreds of thousands of Democratic voters have already cast ballots by mail.
By the way, Fetterman’s campaign said he filled out an emergency absentee ballot Today.
We’ll be heading to the Fetterman campaign party later Tonight to cover this race as results come in.
