Why, Yes, We Are Obsessed With Pennsylvania’s Lt. Governor & His Wife — You Should Be, Too

As Joe Biden has now taken the lead in Pennsylvania, Trump and his supporters have only become more enraged and determined to cause a scene, claiming the election is rigged and baselessly declaring victory. But at the forefront of all this is John Fetterman, Pennsylvania’s Lieutenant Governor, who has been tweeting amid the chaos in his state and offering words of hope to constituents. 

Through the purgatory of this week, Fetterman has tweeted memes about himself, championed legalizing marijuana, and more. He also live-tweeted a thread waiting for Georgia and Pennsylvania to turn blue. And the internet seems hooked on his candor and spirit, appearing on multiple major news networks to provide updates on ballot couting.

But Fetterman also boasts an impressive résumé, and is half of what might just be America's most fascinating couple. A democratic socialist who formerly served as mayor of Braddock from 2005 to 2019, he gained international attention for working to revitalize the economy in Braddock, with articles in The New York Times and The Guardian dubbing him the “coolest mayor,” and appearances on The Colbert Report. Though he vied for a U.S. Senate seat in 2016, he ultimately lost. Fetterman is also known for his tattoos, like his Braddock ZIP code on his left arm, and his burly beard — appearing more like a champion wrestler, and defying stereotypes of what a politician is “supposed” to look like.

While in office, racial equity, environmental protection, gay rights, and immigration were major cornerstones for him. Fetterman created a community center, as well as youth and art programs, worked to fix the town’s ruined buildings, and paid special attention to the impacts that policing has on Black people in the community. He was even arrested for protesting in 2010.

Fetterman isn't the only outspoken member of his household, though — his wife is the other half of this fascinating Power Duo. Gisele Barreto Fetterman is a Brazilian-American activist and philanthropist who has focused on eliminating food insecurity in America and used her voice and platform for immigration rights. Together, the couple lives in a former car dealership building with their three kids, refusing to move to the official house the Lt. Governor is meant to live in. 

But social justice isn’t a brand or an afterthought for either of them: the Fettermans are obviously dedicated to a life of organizing and re-working the system for good from within. And it’s clear from this week that Fetterman has never stopped going hard for his state. In an interview with Rachel Maddow on Thursday night, right before Biden took the lead, Fetterman offered encouragement, saying he’s not worried about Pennsylvania. “We just had the largest election in our state’s history. We rolled out vote by mail for the first time in our state’s history. The only irregularity we had was the president’s campaign rolling up in a clown car in downtown Philadelphia,” he told Maddow. 

In Pennsylvania, mass protests and counter-protests have broken out over the last few days. Philadelphia police are even investigating a plot by Trump supporters to attack Pennsylvania Convention Center where ballots are being counted. But even in light of this clearly fascist grab for power, people like Fetterman are standing up for the integrity of the election results.

At the time of publication, Biden is leading in Pennsylvania by nearly 7,000 votes with approximately 95% of the ballots tallied, and there’s a very good chance he’ll be able to win it.