UPDATE: May 18, 3:11 p.m.
Lt. Gov. John Fetterman officially declared Wednesday that he is able to resume duties for his office.
One day after doctors installed a pacemaker with a defibrillator in his heart following a stroke last weekend, he wrote a declaration letter to the Pennsylvania General Assembly that he is fit to "discharge the powers and duties of the office of lieutenant governor," according to a statement.
Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman took over the role of acting lieutenant governor in Fetterman's absence.
By state law, Fetterman can take over the role after four days, which means he will return on Monday.
Original story follows.
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Lt. Gov. and Democratic U.S. Senate primary election winner John Fetterman underwent what was described as a successful standard procedure as he recovers from the stroke he suffered this past weekend. Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman will be temporarily taking over the duties of acting lieutenant governor.
Both Fetterman and his wife Gisele tweeted Tuesday that the procedure went well, hours before he won the primary on Tuesday.
The Wolf administration announced the move to make Corman the temporarily lieutenant governor Tuesday evening, one which follows the line of succession in the state.
Fetterman cast his vote from a Lancaster hospital, but will be unable to act upon his duties due to the procedure until Saturday at the earliest.
"We continue to wish the lieutenant governor the very best as he continues to focus on his health and recovery. However, as the lieutenant governor undergoes a standard procedure, there is a process in place to ensure that our government remains fully operational," Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement.
"This is a short-term transfer of power, and we hope and expect the lieutenant governor to resume his duties very soon."
Per state law, Fetterman can return to his role four days after his office writes and sends a written declaration to the General Assembly that he can again take on the lieutenant governor’s duties.
Fetterman voted Tuesday by an emergency absentee ballot, according to his campaign. His wife, who has been by his side at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital, voted at a polling place in Braddock.
In a video shared on social media, the 52-year-old said he wasn’t feeling well on Friday and decided to get checked out.
"I made you get checked out," Gisele quipped at Fetterman in the video.
"Because I was right. As always."
Doctors told him he suffered a stroke caused by a clot from his heart being in an atrial fibrillation rhythm. Fortunately, he said, doctors were able to remove the clot and reverse the stroke.
"The lieutenant governor having his wife there was most valuable part," said KYW Newsradio Medical Editor Dr. Brian McDonough. "You want to make sure everyone in the home knows those signs and symptoms [of stroke.]"
Some warning signs of stroke include numbness or weakness concentrated to one side of the body, blurred vision, garbled speech, dizziness or coordination problems.
Fetterman's campaign released a statement on Tuesday saying that doctors would implant a pacemaker:
"John Fetterman is about to undergo a standard procedure to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator. It should be a short procedure that will help protect his heart and address the underlying cause of his stroke, atrial fibrillation (A-fib), by regulating his heart rate and rhythm."
The lieutenant governor said he had no cognitive damage and is “well on his way to a full recovery.”
Related
Fetterman is reportedly leading the state’s Democratic U.S. Senate race. Polls are open until 8 p.m.
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