Front-Runner Gets Pacemaker as He Awaits Results

On the day Pennsylvania Democratic voters going to the polls to decide whether to nominate him for the US Senate, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman had an appointment elsewhere. The front-runner in the primary had a pacemaker with defibrillator installed, Politico reports, days after he suffered a stroke. Fetterman's campaign issued a statement beforehand saying the device "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 procedure was successful, Fetterman's staff said later, and took about 2½ hours.

His campaign said all looks good for a full recovery, and Fetterman said there was no cognitive damage from the stroke. A poll earlier this month showed him leading US Rep. Conor Lamb in the Senate primary, 53%-15%, and the Hill reports the gap has widened since then. State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta also is in the running. It's an open seat; Republican Sen. Pat Toomey is retiring. The GOP primary includes Mehmet Oz, Kathy Barnette, and CEO David McCormick. (More John Fetterman stories.)