Freshman Sen. John Fetterman, who insists he's both physically and mentally capable of carrying out his duties in Washington, D.C., is tying his recent struggle and hospitalization for depression not only to his stroke but to the brutal 2022 campaign for his seat.
"It was after the brutality of the campaign," the Pennsylvania Democrat told Pittsburgh CBS affiliate KDKA-TV this week. "Some people believe that it was one of the most vicious political campaigns."
Fetterman, a former Pennsylvania lieutenant governor, didn't blame his Republican challenger, Dr. Mehmet Oz, for the struggle with depression, which led him to check himself into Walter Reed Medical Center in February for treatment. He returned to the Senate weeks later after being released from the hospital on March 31.
Just days before Fetterman won his primary election in May 2022, he suffered a stroke. Even though his supporters said he was still fit to serve, the stroke left Fetterman with speech impairments and auditory processing issues.
Oz and other Republicans argued that Fetterman's illness left him unable to serve, reported the New York Post.
"I don't think there's closed captioning on the floor of the Senate, and maybe he doesn't need closed captioning when he's actually moving around," Oz, a heart surgeon and celebrity, told Fox Business Network's Maria Bartiromo that October. "But maybe he does. Again, lots of question marks, and voters deserve better."
But Fetterman told KDKA that after he won against Oz, he soon realized he was not acting like himself.
"I wasn't being the kind of senator Pennsylvania deserved," he said. "I wasn't being the kind of husband Gisele deserved, I wasn't being the kind of father my children deserved."
But now, even though he was away from the Senate for weeks, Fetterman says he is capable of carrying out his duties as an elected official.
"Hell, yes, and that's why I'm doing it," he said. "Just the way any Pennsylvanians are working, you take it a day and a day and work hard, and that's exactly what I am doing here."
Fetterman said his treatment for depression restored his health mentally, but he will still need support through captioning equipment and hearing aids while he continues to recover from his stroke.
If he does end up proving unable to serve, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, will have to appoint a replacement, followed by a special election next year for the seat.