John Fetterman Promoted from Small Town Mayor to Pennsylvania Senator | 2022 US Midterm Elections
Arguably, it was Donald Trump who launched John Fetterman’s political career. pennsylvania Democrats who won the state’s Senate seat in Tuesday’s election.
Days after the 2020 presidential election, the former US president infamously claimed there had been widespread election fraud, including in Pennsylvania, where Fetterman was lieutenant governor.
Fetterman objected.
‘President is no different than any other random internet troll,’ says Democrat Said In an interview with MSNBC, he made comments that pleased Trump opponents both in the United States and abroad.
When Trump later said he intended to sue Pennsylvania about alleged but non-existent voter misconduct, Fetterman’s response was similarly brief.
“The president can sue a ham sandwich,” he said.
Biden was only declared the winner as Americans remained glued to their screens waiting for the results of the 2020 election. 4 days after Election Dayafter states, including Pennsylvania, had painstakingly counted the votes, Fetterman’s televised satire of Trump’s increasingly steadfast claims earned him a national profile, which he channeled into the Senate race. rice field.
It probably didn’t hurt, either, that Fetterman was instantly recognizable. Grown Fetterman can be easily spotted in the crowd.
His looks and his long career as mayor of the small steel mill town of Braddock, Pennsylvania lends itself well to his public persona. for the usual man.
Fetterman who brought that aura and popularity to his Senate electionand in the Democratic primary, the 53-year-old led the polls by 20% throughout most of the campaign as his progressive stance on raising the minimum wage, abortion rights, health care and health care. Did. marijuana It received widespread support.
Everything seemed to be going perfectly until May 13, when Fetterman had a stroke. won the election. four days laterbut it was a long recovery.
Fetterman said he “almost died” from a stroke, and although he stayed away from campaigning for months before returning to limited public appearances in August, he was unable to speak or speak to others. I continue to find it difficult to process.
During the October debate with Republican candidate Mehmet Oz, two 70-inch screens were set up in front of the candidates to transcribe the moderator’s questions and Oz’s answers.
“Sometimes I hear things in ways that aren’t entirely clear. That’s why I use captions so I can see what you’re saying,” Fetterman said in an interview. Told. with NBC in October. “And sometimes I miss a word. Or sometimes I mumble two words together.
When Fetterman appeared at the debate, he stumbled on his own phrasing and struggled to come up with a counterargument to Oz’s own argument. Democratic Party Worried, the polls tightened just days before the vote.
“Let’s talk about the elephant in the room, too,” Fetterman said during the debate, trying to anticipate the criticism.
“I had a stroke. He never let me forget it.”
Fetterman was referring to the Oz campaign. launched a nasty attackalong with Oz’s aide Rachel Tripp, argued that Fetterman might not have had a stroke “if he had ever eaten vegetables in his life.”
For his part, during the campaign, Fetterman and his team channeled the outspoken and playful personality he displayed in the wake of the 2020 election, skewering Oz about everything from Republican tone-deaf complaints. made it The price of “crudités” to Oz lack of connectivity to Pennsylvania. (Oz lived in New Jersey for several decades before moving to Pennsylvania, which is owned by his wife’s family, in October 2020. He announced his candidacy for Senate two months after Did.)
Fetterman’s image as a naive, working-class hero allows him to position himself in contrast to the elitist, rich atmosphere of Oz, and the broad Pennsylvanian, though the truth is not so simple. I was able to appeal to
The Democrat has an MBA from the University of Connecticut and a master’s degree from Harvard, and admits to growing up in a “comfy” environment made possible by his father’s successful insurance business.Fetterman said funded Until he became lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania in 2019, Braddock was paid only $150 a month by his parents for nearly all of his 13 years as mayor.
But little seems dishonest about Fetterman, who elected not to move into the lieutenant governor’s mansion and chose to stay in Braddock, where he lives. Opposite the steel millHis passion for his town is evident on his right forearm. nine tattoos Marks the date people were killed “by violence” in Braddock when he was mayor.
Having spent most of his political career in charge of a town of 2,000, Fetterman now represents Pennsylvania’s population of about 13 million. As he addressed the crowd early Wednesday, it looked like a challenge he was ready for.
“This campaign has always fought for those who have been beaten back. This race is for the future of every community across Pennsylvania, every small town and people who have ever felt left out. It’s a thing,” Fetterman said.
“We bet on the people of Pennsylvania and you will never let us down.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/nov/10/john-fetterman-pennsylvania-senator-elect John Fetterman Promoted from Small Town Mayor to Pennsylvania Senator | 2022 US Midterm Elections