John Fetterman defeats Conor Lamb and wins the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate nomination

According to the Associated Press, Lt. gov. John Fetterman won the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday night, defeating Rep. Conor Lamb and State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, ending a protracted inner-party struggle.

Fetterman, who has been the leader of the race for weeks, now meets the Republican candidate, Who has not yet been called in November.

He won despite a sudden health hazard last weekend. On Sunday, Fetterman announced he had suffered a stroke, was hospitalized and is “feeling much better” with no cognitive damage, according to a Sunday statement.

“Our campaign isn’t slowing down one bit, and we’re still on track to win that Tuesday primary and flip that Senate seat in November,” he wrote in a statement.

On Tuesday, just hours before the election, he underwent surgery to implant a pacemaker and defibrillator.

Pennsylvania is expected to be one of the priciest Senate races nationwide this year as Democrats hope to turn over the seat of retired Sen. Pat Toomey (R). Republicans are equally engaged — with Pennsylvania being viewed as one of their best bets to retake the Senate majority.

Fetterman entered the political arena in the late 2000s as mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, a crumbling steel city. He continued to rise to national prominence during his unsuccessful bid for the Senate in 2016 and his successful run as Lieutenant Governor in 2018, alongside current Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D). His platform prioritizes progressive policies like a $15 minimum wage, legalizing marijuana, eliminating the filibuster, and introducing “universal healthcare.”

However, Fetterman has shied away from calling himself progressive – rejecting ideas like “defund the police” and certain aspects of the Green New Deal. Instead, Fetterman describes himself as a populist.