The most interesting politician in America is nearly 7 feet tall and campaigns in dive bars

John Fetterman doesn't need to explain to anyone why he's not a typical candidate.

The nearly 7-foot tall, tattooed, bald man with a bristly beard doesn't only stand out among a crowd of suit-and-tie politicians — he just stands out, period.

But the Harvard-educated mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, has similar aspirations to many in that suit-and-tie crowd. He wants to win a Senate seat in 2016.

And it could happen.

"As anyone knows, looks can be deceiving," he told INSIDER.

Fetterman, a Democrat, has been mayor of Braddock — a former steel-making town of 2,000 near Pittsburgh — since 2005. He's taking on former Congressman Joe Sestak and Katie McGinty, the former chief of staff to Pennsylvania Gov.Tom Wolf. Although he only announced his campaign in September, Fetterman's already favored by 14% in recent polls. Plus, he trails by just 7% in a recent head-to-head poll against incumbent Sen. Pat Toomey (R) conducted by Public Policy Polling.

He's at a fundraising disadvantage at the moment. It's the biggest obstacle to his campaign. His competitors have raised millions of dollars, while the September Federal Election Commission report showed he has brought in about $170,000 in donations. Granted, that was within two weeks.

"This is a television state; it's a big media state. He needs a minimum of $5 million and probably closer to $10 (million)," Terry Madonna, director for Franklin & Marshall College's Center for Politics and Public Affairs, told The Hill.

Facebook/John Fetterman

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