What happens if John Fetterman resigns? Gisele Fetterman comes under fire in wake of clinical depression diagnosis

Democratic U.S. Senator John Fetterman reportedly checked himself into the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to receive medical help for severe depression. The news was announced in an official statement from his office and shared on social media by his wife, Gisele Fetterman.

The statement mentioned that John suffered from depression “off and on throughout his life” but the condition became “severe” in recent weeks. The Pennsylvania lawmaker was evaluated by Dr. Brian P. Monahan, Attending Physician of the U.S. Congress, on Monday and was recommended inpatient care.

The senator reportedly agreed to receive treatment “on a voluntary basis.” Doctors at Walter Reed reportedly examined John and said he is receiving the necessary care and will soon be “back to himself.”

John Fetterman first suffered a stroke in May 2022 and underwent nearly three hours of surgery, spending nine days in the hospital. The politician later returned to the campaign trail in Pennsylvania and successfully defeated Republican opponent Dr. Mehmet Oz in the senate race.

However, his health came under major scrutiny as he continued to suffer from speech impairments and had auditory difficulties in the wake of the stroke. On February 8, John was admitted to George Washington University Hospital once again after “feeling lightheaded” during a Senate Democratic retreat.

Although he was released from the hospital two days later and the possibility of a second stroke was ruled out, John remained absent from a hearing of the Senate Agriculture Committee to discuss nutrition programs on Thursday.

A senior aide who worked on John Fetterman's campaign told the Washington Post that the senator had reportedly withdrawn since arriving in Washington:

“It's tough being away from home, he's someone who isn't the most patient guy, and it's been tough going to DC when he's still dealing with auditory processing issues.”

John's chief of staff, Adam Gentleson, also told The New York Times that the former was “forced to do as much as possible” and had to make a quick return to the campaign trail instead of taking time to recover.

While it remains unknown if his severe depression is related to his initial stroke, doctors have allegedly said that his experience is often seen among stroke survivors.

If the senator’s health complications prompt him to resign from office, a special process would have to be organized in Pennsylvania as Governor Josh Shapiro would be required to appoint a replacement, as per the Washington Examiner. However, as Shapiro would likely choose a Democrat member, the party might not have to be concerned about a shift in power balance in the upper chamber.

Whether or not John resigns, Shapiro will select a replacement who will be tasked to serve in the Senate seat until the next scheduled statewide election. Voters would then participate in a special election to choose the candidate who will take over the remainder of John Fetterman’s term.

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Gisele Fetterman comes under scrutiny after John Fetterman’s depression diagnosis

As U.S. Senator John Fetterman checked into a medical center to get professional help following a severe depression diagnosis, his wife Gisele took to Twitter to praise her husband for his decision to undergo treatment.

Gisele said that she is proud of John for “asking help” and “getting the care he needs”:

“After what he's been through in the past year, there's probably no-one who wanted to talk about his own health less than John.”

However, some social media users scrutinized Gisele’s actions and accused her of not providing John with the required medical help earlier instead of “pushing” him for a senate race after his stroke.

Meanwhile, others were left confused by the backlash towards Gisele and questioned the criticism on social media:

As reactions continue to pour in online, it remains to be seen if Gisele Fetterman will address the ongoing scrutiny and respond to her critics in the days to come. It also remains unknown how long Senator John will remain in the hospital at the time of writing.

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How will John Fetterman be replaced if he resigns before ending his term?

If John Fetterman resigns from his role, Governor Josh Shapiro would be required to appoint a replacement (Image via Getty Images)

U.S. Senator John Fetterman has been hospitalized after being diagnosed with severe depression. However, he has not announced or hinted towards a possible resignation.

If his consistent health issues compel him to resign from his role, Governor Josh Shapiro will have to appoint a replacement before the next statewide election.

Although there is no universal rule on the process of filling senate seats in case of resignation, the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution (1913) sheds light on the situation:

“If a vacancy occurs due to a senator’s death, resignation, or expulsion, the Seventeenth Amendment allows state legislatures to empower the governor to appoint a replacement to complete the term or to hold office until a special election can take place.”

Reports suggest that Pennsylvania is one of the 37 U.S. states that allow the governor to appoint a replacement, while the remaining 13 states require a special election to fill the vacancy.

Out of the 13 states, eight allow the governor to appoint a replacement in the interim, but the other four require the seat to remain empty until the special election.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, a replacement senator can fill their role only until the results of the next regularly scheduled general election. If the resigning senator's term expires the same year, the general election winner will be allowed to begin a full six-year term.

Otherwise, the next senator is only permitted to serve the remainder of the unexpired term of the person they are replacing. John Fetterman is only one month into his six-year term so far.