ERIE, Pa. — Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, the Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania Senate, returned to the campaign trail Friday night for his first major public event since suffering a stroke in mid-May.
Mr. Fetterman was by turns emotional and brash as he addressed a capacity crowd, acknowledging the seriousness of the health scare he faced while criticizing his Republican opponent Dr. Mehmet Oz, the celebrity doctor, and vowing to fight back for “every county, every vote.”
“It’s three months ago tomorrow — three months ago my life could have ended,” said Mr. Fetterman, who spoke for about 11 minutes and then greeted some attendees. At another point, his voice seemed to break as he added: “I just became so grateful – and I’m so lucky. So thank you for being here.”
The rally in Erie — in a swing district in what is arguably the nation’s best state — was a pivotal moment in a race that could determine control of the Senate. It was the first official in-person event for Mr. Fetterman’s general election campaign, as he ran against Dr. Oz, who managed to win the Republican primary with the support of former President Donald J. Trump.
Mr. Fetterman’s stroke occurred days before the May Democratic primary, and in early June his doctor said he also had serious heart disease. His wife, Giselle Barretto Fetterman, introduced him Friday as a “stroke survivor.”
In recent weeks, Mr. Fetterman has started making appearances, greeting volunteers, giving several local interviews and attending fundraisers and events, including with senators and other Senate candidates.
Several people who have spoken with him or heard him speak at private events described him as eager to get back on the campaign trail, though some also said it was obvious when he was at a loss for words. He acknowledged that challenge, and it was evident at times on Friday when he started a sentence over or stuttered.
“Sometimes I’ll miss a word, or sometimes I might mix up two words in a conversation, but that’s really the only problem, and it’s getting better and better every day,” Mr. Fetterman recently told KDKA-TV, the station of CBS in Pittsburgh.
But on stage Friday, Mr. Fetterman also appeared very energetic, and his remarks at times took on the feel of a stand-up routine, fueled by a supportive crowd of 1,355, according to an organizer whose information was provided by a campaign.
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“There are a lot of differences between me and Dr. Oz,” Mr. Fetterman said with a laugh as he wondered how many mansions his opponent owned.
Before the event, the line to get into the convention center wound deep into the parking lot, attracting both older voters — including at least two who said they voted for Mr. Trump in 2016 — and a young woman with a glittering sash who said she chose to spend her 19th birthday at his campaign rally. Several attendees of various ages cited abortion rights when discussing their votes in the Senate race after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
“To watch, at my age, it’s being taken away from my great-granddaughters, my granddaughters, my daughters, it’s so heartbreaking that I’m here for Roe v. Wade,” said Judy Passold, 80, who thinks Mr. Fetterman sounds “very good.” “That’s why it’s going to be a Democrat all the way. Probably. Because most of the Republicans have gone the other way, so far the opposite way.
How Times reporters cover politics. We rely on our journalists to be independent observers. So while Times staff members can vote, they are not allowed to endorse or campaign for candidates or political causes. This includes taking part in marches or rallies in support of a movement or giving money or raising money for any political candidate or campaign cause.
Mr. Fetterman’s remarks were light on policy, though he nodded in support of issues including abortion rights, raising the minimum wage and ending filibustering.
Public opinion polls show him with a solid lead over Dr. Oz, and he is far ahead of the GOP candidate in fundraising. External spending on both sides is expected to be significant, however, and many strategists expect a close race in a closely divided country.
Despite his absence from the campaign trail, Mr. Fetterman and his team have insisted on framing Dr. Oz as essentially a thug, casting the Republican as more comfortable in New Jersey — which has long been his primary residence — than in Pennsylvania, where he says , that he now lives in a suburb of Philadelphia. During the event, it was evident that the emphasis on residency had rubbed off on some voters.
“I can’t knowingly vote for Oz — he’s not a resident of this state,” said David Mongera, 70, who said the last Republican he voted for was Mr. Trump in 2016. “It’s political move.”
Dr. Oz, for his part, has faced some challenges in consolidating his base after a bitterly divisive and competitive primary earlier this year, worrying national Republicans.
But he has tried to project an energetic presence, posting photos from diners — he visited the Capitol Diner in Harrisburg, Pa., on Friday, his campaign said — and criticizing Mr. Fetterman for his absence from the campaign trail.
“Dr. Mehmet Oz has been relentless in his campaign across the Commonwealth, listening to and sharing the concerns of the people he meets, and standing up for the people of Pennsylvania,” Brittany Yannick, a spokeswoman for Dr. Oz, said in a statement.
He launched a site calling Mr Fetterman a “basement bum” and challenged his rival to engage in debate. Dr. Oz said Friday that he has committed to five.
“Time for Fetterman to show up,” Dr. Oz tweeted. “Pennsylvanians deserve to hear from their candidates.”
Dr. Oz also sought to connect Mr. Fetterman with President Biden, who was struggling with anemic approval ratings, and with Senator Bernie Sanders, whom Mr. Fetterman supported in the 2016 presidential primary, working for to present the Democratic candidate as too liberal for the state.
Joe Calvello, a spokesman for Mr. Fetterman, would not commit to a specific number of debates, but said Mr. Fetterman plans to debate Dr. Oz.
Pennsylvania Democrats were eager to see Mr. Fetterman return to more public appearances. Mr. Calvello said “the pace will pick up” as the candidate continues to raise money and plan events such as meet-and-greets this month.
Mr. Fetterman opened his event by mocking Dr. Oz’s criticism of him and later challenged him to hold an event of similar magnitude.
“Are we in Erie?” he asked. “Or have I fit 1,400 people in my basement?”
Mr. Fetterman, who has promised to campaign in districts often considered inhospitable to Democrats, also spent considerable time during his speech emphasizing the political importance of Erie, which is closely divided.
“If you can’t win Erie County,” he said, “you can’t win Pennsylvania.”
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