Sen. John Fetterman has been “doing well” since he checked himself into a Washington, DC hospital earlier this month to receive treatment for clinical depression, the lawmaker’s spokesman said Monday.
Joe Calvello, Fetterman’s director of communications, provided the positive update, but signaled that the freshman Democratic lawmaker won’t be back on the Senate floor anytime soon.
“We don’t have a lot to update folks with since there’s no real news to report except that John is doing well, working with the wonderful doctors, and remains on a path to recovery,” Calvello said in a tweet Monday.
“John is visiting with staff and family daily, and his staff are keeping him updated on Senate business and news,” he added.
Calvello noted that Fetterman’s team has been “moving full speed ahead” despite the senator’s hospitalization, opening a new office in Erie, Pa., last week.
“We understand the intense interest in John’s status and especially appreciate the flood of well-wishes. However, as we have said this will be a weeks-long process and while we will be sure to keep folks updated as it progresses, this is all there is to give by way of an update,” Calvello’s update concluded.
Fetterman’s public health problems began May 13 of last year, when he suffered a stroke during the closing days of Pennsylvania’s Senate primary campaign, leaving him with hearing and other auditory processing issues that dogged him throughout his successful general election campaign against Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz.
Just weeks after being sworn into the Senate, the 53-year-old senator was hospitalized on Feb. 8 after feeling lightheaded during a Democratic Party retreat. He was released from the hospital two days later, and his office said that doctors had ruled out that he had suffered another stroke.
Just days later, Fetterman checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment for depression.
”While John has experienced depression off and on throughout his life, it only became severe in recent weeks,” Fetterman chief of staff Adam Jentleson wrote on Twitter at the time, adding that Capitol attending physician Brian Monahan examined Fetterman as well and “recommended inpatient care.”
“After examining John, the doctors at Walter Reed [National Military Medical Center] told us that John is getting the care he needs, and will soon be back to himself,” Jentleson concluded.
If Fetterman’s health problems render him unfit to serve, Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro would have to appoint a replacement and a special election would be held in 2024 to select a candidate to finish out the remainder of Fetterman’s six-year term.