Small Town Mayor Looks To Stand Tall Among Candidates In Pa. Senate Race
By Justin Udo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The race for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania is starting to heat up.
One of the latest candidates looking for the Democratic nomination to run against Republican Pat Toomey in 2016 is a larger than life mayor from a small western Pennsylvania town.
Standing at 6 feet, 8 inches tall, weighing more than 300 pounds and sporting tattoos up and down his arms, John Fetterman does not look like you stereotypical politician, and during a campaign event Monday at Bob and Barbara's Bar in Center City, he was there to tell people what he's all about.
"My looks are like an old professional wrestler, whatever appearance," Fetterman said, "but at the end of the day, if that what helps get the story out and that's what helps give me a platform to speak about these issues, whether it's inequality, the environment, drugs, gay rights, then I'm certainly going to take it."
Fetterman's work and prance has garnered him some national attention. He's been featured in the Atlantic, New York Times Magazine and Rolling Stone.
"The whole issue, whether it's running for mayor of Braddock or whether it's running for US Senate, is about this inequality that we have," Fetterman said, "whether it's at a very local level in my community or it's inequality across the entire commonwealth, inequality in education, healthcare."
For the last ten years, the Harvard educated Fetterman has served as the mayor of Braddock, a small suburb of Pittsburgh.
"It's the same game," he said. "We're just looking to play it in a different stadium."
Fetterman joins a primary field that already includes former Congressman and Navy Vice Admiral Joe Sestak and Katie McGinty, who has held high-level posts in state and federal government.