Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro won’t ask Fetterman to resign
Ryan King
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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro indicated that he would not ask Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) to resign following his recent hospitalization.
He said he has not felt pressure from his fellow Democrats to nudge Fetterman to step aside. Shapiro insisted in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer that “if I did, I would dismiss it immediately.”
“He’s going to get the help that he needs,” Shapiro said. “[He’ll] do a great job for the people of Pennsylvania as their senator for a long time.”
Fetterman was admitted to a hospital on Feb. 8 for lightheadedness. He was then released briefly but checked himself back in for clinical depression last week. The Pennsylvania Democrat suffered a stroke in May 2022 that left him with speech and auditory issues.
Despite his health woes, Shapiro contended that Fetterman will “come back stronger than ever,” and he stressed that he has been “really inspired” by Fetterman’s courage in confronting his mental health concerns.
Both Fetterman and Shapiro have clashed in the past, particularly during their time on the Board of Pardons, which was led by Fetterman. However, in the time since, the pair appears to have patched things up.
They both ran as key Democrats in critical battleground races. Shapiro ultimately sailed to victory as governor, and Fetterman managed to best celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz in a tight race that further solidified Democrats’ grip on the Senate.
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Given Shapiro’s control of the Pennsylvania governor’s office, he would be responsible for appointing a temporary replacement if Fetterman steps down. There would then be a special election to finish the remainder of his term in the upper chamber.