John Fetterman

In November 2020, Fetterman received national press coverage for saying Donald Trump was "no different than any other random internet troll" and that he "can sue a ham sandwich".

Fetterman is in favor of abolishing capital punishment in Pennsylvania, stating that he "wholly support[s] Governor Tom Wolf’s moratorium on the death penalty." He has called the death penalty "inhumane, antiquated, expensive, and [a] flawed system of punishment."

In 2018, Fetterman ran to replace outgoing incumbent lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, Democrat Mike Stack, following scandals which ended his tenure. Fetterman managed to win the open Democratic primary in a field of four other candidates, and ultimately won alongside incumbent governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Wolf, in that year's gubernatorial election.

On November 14, 2017, Fetterman announced that he would run for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, challenging, among others, incumbent Lieutenant Governor Mike Stack. Fetterman was endorsed by Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, Erin McClelland, Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in 2014 and 2016, and former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell. On May 15, Fetterman won the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor. Fetterman was a part of the Democratic ticket along with incumbent Governor Tom Wolf. On November 6, 2018, Wolf and Fetterman defeated the Republican ticket of Scott Wagner and Jeff Bartos in the general election.

Fetterman was a candidate in the United States Senate election in Pennsylvania for 2016 and is running again in 2022.

On September 11, 2015, Fetterman announced that he would run for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat held by Pat Toomey in the 2016 election. His campaign was considered a longshot against two better-known candidates, Katie McGinty and Joe Sestak, the 2010 Democratic nominee for Senate. Fetterman was endorsed by former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, former Pennsylvania Treasurer Barbara Hafer, and the PennLive Editorial Board.

In January 2013, while mayor, Fetterman came under fire for allegedly pointing a shotgun at an unarmed black man in Braddock. After hearing what he thought was gunfire, Fetterman got in his truck and pursued a jogger, Chris Miyares. The two dispute whether Fetterman did or did not aim the shotgun at his chest. Fetterman said he "believed [he] did the right thing". The incident was given renewed attention when Fetterman announced his campaign to replace retiring U.S. Senator Pat Toomey in 2022, with Miyares's race igniting questions over the possible discriminatory nature of the event. In response to an inquiry launched by The New York Times, Fetterman defended himself and claimed Miyares was running in the direction of an elementary school, and that he made the decision to approach him with the firearm due to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting occurring the month prior. Fetterman's campaign also claimed he did not know the jogger's race or gender at the time of the incident due to the dark clothing Miyares was wearing.

On May 7, 2012, Fetterman was featured on A Day in the Life where he discusses his responsibilities and desires for Braddock, as well as his personal history and views.

On November 29, 2010, Fetterman was arrested and immediately released after refusing to leave the property of the U.S. Steel Tower in Pittsburgh. Fetterman was protesting the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center controversial closure of Braddock Hospital, which was met with objections from the community.

In order to help fund programs, Fetterman established relationships with local non-profit organizations, Allegheny County's economic development program, and county executive Dan Onorato. Opposition to Fetterman's activities while mayor came from borough council president Jesse Brown. In March 2009, Brown ordered the borough's code enforcement officer to cite Fetterman for an occupancy permit violation for a building owned by Fetterman's non-profit organization. Brown also asked the judge to move the hearing to before the May mayoral election so that the people could be aware of the situation. The judge later dismissed the complaint.

Fetterman moved to Braddock in 2001 to serve with AmeriCorps, helping local youth who had left school to earn their GED. After living in Braddock for four years, attracted by what he called the town's "malignant beauty", Fetterman ran against the incumbent mayor in 2005 and won by a single vote. As the part-time mayor, Fetterman earned $110.22 a month in 2007. His full-time job, directing the Out-Of-School-Youth program, paid around $30,000 annually. In addition to his work with the program, Fetterman established strong relationships with the 16- to 24-year-old population, helping many in finding employment, and working with them with issues involving family, social agencies, and police. He also founded the 501(c)(3), Braddock Redux.

Following his friend's death, Fetterman joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, pairing with an eight-year-old boy in New Haven, Connecticut, whose father had died from AIDS, and whose mother was battling the disease. During his time as a Big Brother, Fetterman says he became "preoccupied with the concept of the random lottery of birth," and promised the boy's mother he would continue to look out for her son. Afterwards, in 1995, Fetterman joined the recently founded AmeriCorps, and was sent to teach Pittsburgh students pursuing their GEDs. For two years Fetterman worked in Pittsburgh before attending Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, graduating in 1999 with a Master of Public Policy.

Fetterman has described his upbringing as middle class and "privileged," saying he "sleepwalked" through his young adulthood, avidly playing four years of football in college and intending to eventually take over as owner of his father's business. In 1991 Fetterman graduated from Albright College, also his father's alma mater, with a bachelor's degree in finance and was on his way to earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Connecticut. However, his life took a drastic change after his friend died in a car accident on his way to drive Fetterman from the gym.

John Karl Fetterman (born August 15, 1969) is an American politician serving as the 34th and current Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as Mayor of Braddock from 2005 to 2019.

Fetterman's commitment to the community of Braddock is shown with various tattoos. On his left arm are the numbers 15104 - Braddock's ZIP Code, and on the right, the dates of five murders that occurred in the town since he was elected mayor. As mayor, Fetterman drew international attention for trying to revitalize the economy in Braddock, with an article in The New York Times, an appearance on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, as well as a Levi's jeans ad.