Originally Published: 22 MAY 22 12:54 ET

By Dan Merica, CNN

(CNN) -- Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, the Democratic nominee for the commonwealth's open Senate seat, was released from a hospital Sunday nine days after he checked in and was found to have suffered a stroke.

Fetterman won his Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday while in the hospital in Lancaster and underwent a nearly three-hour surgery the same day to implant a defibrillator.

Fetterman said in a statement that he is headed back to his home in Braddock in Western Pennsylvania to rest and recover.

"I am feeling great, but per my doctor's orders, and Gisele's orders, I am going to continue to rest and recover," he said, referring to his wife, Gisele Barreto Fetterman. "Later this week I will have a follow-up visit with my doctors at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital."

He added: "I am going to take the time I need now to rest and get to 100% so I can go full speed soon and flip this seat blue."

Fetterman checked into the hospital on May 13 as he was on his way to a campaign event. He said in a May 15 statement that the stroke "was caused by a clot from my heart being in an A-fib rhythm for too long."

"I'm feeling much better, and the doctors tell me I didn't suffer any cognitive damage. I'm well on my way to a full recovery," the lieutenant governor said at the time.

On Tuesday, Fetterman -- surrounded by his dad, brother and his campaign manager -- watched the results come in from his hospital, while his supporters gathered in Pittsburgh to cheer his win, look toward the general election and listen to a speech from the candidate's wife.

Fetterman, who was elected to his current role in 2018 after a failed US Senate primary bid in 2016, is an advocate for legal cannabis and lower prison sentences. He campaigned for former US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders but has touted his support for President Joe Biden on the campaign trail this year.