By CBS NEWS — Democratic Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman‘s campaign released an updated letter from his doctor on Wednesday, five months after he suffered a stroke only days before the state primary and as he faces ongoing questions about his health from Republican opponent Mehmet Oz.
The letter is dated Oct. 15, one day after the campaign says Fetterman had a follow-up visit with his primary care physician. It states overall that the Senate candidate is recovering well from his stroke and his health continues to improve, according to Dr. Clifford Chen of UPMC.
Since returning to the campaign trail this summer – Fetterman has been using a closed captioning device to read questions during interviews as he continues to struggle with auditory processing challenges during his recovery.
The letter said his communication has significantly improved compared to his first visit. The candidate has been attending speech therapy on a regular basis since the stroke. According to the letter, Fetterman’s physical exam was normal with blood pressure 116/82. He also had a regular heart rate and his lung exam was clear.
According to FEC filings, Chen has donated to Fetterman’s campaign in the past and the Democratic party.
Fetterman continues to address his stroke on the stump, crediting his wife Gisele for saving his life.
Fetterman’s health has become a political target of his Republican opponent Mehmet Oz, who has accused him of a lack of transparency. Several newspaper editorial boards have also called on Fetterman to release his medical records.
Fetterman’s campaign has accused Oz of rooting against his recovery.
“It’s not easy recovering from a stroke in public — let alone doing it while running in the top Senate race in the country — but John has worked hard to get here, and it shows,” Fetterman campaign senior adviser Rebecca Katz said in a statement.
