Corman to Serve as Acting Lieutenant Governor While Fetterman Undergoes Pacemaker Procedure

State Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Bellefonte, is temporarily assuming the duties of acting lieutenant governor as John Fetterman undergoes a procedure to implant a pacemaker, Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.

Fetterman, who is also the front-running candidate in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, had a stroke on Friday that he said was caused by atrial fibrillation. He added that doctors determined he suffered no cognitive damage and that he expects to make a full recovery.

His senatorial campaign issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon that he was “about to undergo a standard procedure to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator.”

“It should be a short procedure that 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 campaign statement said.

After Wolf was informed of the procedure on Tuesday, per Pennsylvania law, a declaration was sent from a majority of cabinet secretaries and Corman to the General Assembly stating that Fetterman is unable to discharge the duties of his office.

“We continue to wish the lieutenant governor the very best as he continues to focus on his health and recovery,” Wolf said. “However, as the lieutenant governor undergoes a standard procedure, there is a process in place to ensure that our government remains fully operational. This is a short-term transfer of power, and we hope and expect the lieutenant governor to resume his duties very soon.”

Fetterman can return to duties as lieutenant governor four days after a written declaration is sent by his office to the General Assembly stating that no disability exists.

In the Senate race, Fetterman held a commanding lead in a Franklin and Marshall College poll released on May 5, with 53% to U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb’s 14%. State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta trailed in third with 4%, followed by Jenkintown Councilwoman Alex Khalil at 1%.

Corman, meanwhile, is on the ballot in the Republican primary for governor but last week announced he was ending his campaign and throwing his support behind fellow candidate Lou Barletta.

A Bellefonte native, Corman is in his sixth term representing the 34th Senate District, which includes all of Centre County. The 57-year-old chose not to run for a seventh term while focusing on his gubernatorial campaign. Centre County, meanwhile, has since been split into the 35th and 25th Senate Districts, both of which are held by Republican incumbents and are not up for election this year.