February 09, 2023
Sen. John Fetterman was hospitalized in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night after feeling lightheaded while attending a Senate Democratic retreat, according to his office.
Fetterman, the Pennsylvania who began his first term in January, spent the night in George Washington University Hospital for testing and observation, the Associated Press reported. Initial testing did not show signs of a stroke. He had suffered one last May while on the campaign trail. It's unclear how long Fetterman will be out of office.
"He is in good spirits and talking with his staff and family," Joe Calvello, Fetterman's communications director, said in a statement. "We will provide more information when we have it."
Fetterman, 53, was sworn in as senator in January, succeeding Republican Pat Toomey and flipping a seat that was key to Democrats holding Senate majority.
His stroke last spring put his health on center stage in a tough Senate race against Republican and former celebrity surgeon Mehmet Oz. Fetterman's cardiologist provided insight into the stroke at the time, noting the Democrat suffers from atrial fibrillation and cardiomyopathy.
Despite lingering effects from the stroke, including an auditory processing disorder that caused concern during the fall campaign's only debate, Fetterman edged Oz by 5 percentage points in November.
Pennsylvania's senior senator, Democrat Bob Casey, will miss some time from the Senate in the coming months to undergo surgery for prostate cancer.
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