Lt. Gov. John Fetterman
BRADDOCK — Literally the biggest thing in Pennsylvania politics — 6-foot-8 Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, made it official Monday, formally announcing his run for U.S. Senate in 2022. The seat will be open with the retirement of U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R).
Fetterman, gifted in his use of social media, had started an exploratory committee before filing formal campaign paperwork late last week. He made use of Twitter — and a video — to announce his run.
“Thank you to all 35,000 of the folks who chipped in a few dollars and encouraged me to run for Senate, today I am excited to announce that I am running, and I am glad to have the support of people in all 67 of Pennsylvania’s counties,” Fetterman said in his announcement.
In a two minute video announcing his candidacy, Fetterman addresses the communities across Pennsylvania that have been left behind – both in Pennsylvania’s cities and small rural towns. He also talks about his dedication to supporting these communities in the roles he has held and his commitment to continue to advocate for them in the Senate.
Here is the video:
Thank you to the 37,000 grassroots donors who stepped up.
Now, it's my turn.
Let's get to work https://t.co/6ZiSPrhnpS pic.twitter.com/rvjKE6z0Y3
— John Fetterman (@JohnFetterman) February 8, 2021
Fetterman, who previously served as Mayor of Braddock and unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in 2016, detailed his reasons for running.
“I’m running for the United States Senate for the same reason I ran for Lieutenant Governor in 2018 and Mayor of Braddock 16 years ago, because I believe in a set of core truths,” Fetterman said in his announcement. “I believe in the dignity of work and the dignity of a paycheck. I believe the union way of life is sacred. I believe in healthcare as a fundamental, basic human right. I believe in environmental justice, I believe our criminal justice system needs a significant overhaul. I believe that the war on drugs needs to stop and we need to legalize marijuana across this country. I believe that the LGBTQIA community deserves the same rights and protections that the rest of us enjoy in this country. I believe that every community and every county in Pennsylvania is worth fighting for. As a member of the United States Senate, I will never stop fighting for these core values and these communities, just as I have for the last 20 years.”
Fetterman’s U.S. Senate run comes after what his campaign describes as decades of service fighting for Pennsylvania families. For the past two years, Fetterman has served as Lieutenant Governor after handily winning the statewide race in 2018. Following an overwhelming win in the statewide primary against incumbent Mike Stack, Fetterman went on to dominate in the general election on a ticket alongside Gov. Tom Wolf, beating the Republican ticket by more than 17%.
Prior to serving as Lieutenant Governor, Fetterman spent 14 years as mayor of Braddock, a small former steel town located just east of Pittsburgh. Fetterman has been a vocal champion for workers and the forgotten towns and communities across the state. His campaign suggests he is the rare Democrat who can appeal to voters across Pennsylvania – from people in Pennsylvania’s major cities to rural voters who often feel ignored by the Democratic Party.
While there are no immediate indications of other Democrats seeking to run, a number of Republican candidates appear to be positioning themselves for a run, with formal announcements expected in the coming weeks.
