Dem
47
GOP
53
When Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) first won his Senate seat in 2022, many Democrats were proclaiming him to be the great white hope who could win over working-class white men. Now they are worried that their (former) hero might decide to switch sides and become a Republican, because sometimes he doesn't vote the party line. The junior senator from Pennsylvania, Dave McCormick (R-PA), has been actively trying to lure Fetterman to join the red team.
Fetterman apparently had enough of these stories and the Republicans' trying to get him to switch, so he wrote an op-ed and had it published in The Washington Post.
The piece discusses Fetterman's goals. Fundamentally, he says he wants to do what is good for the country and doesn't care whose idea it was. He noted that his job is to serve all Pennsylvanians, not just the ones who voted for him. He rejects the idea that he should oppose everything Donald Trump says or does as a general principle. He said that if Trump came out in favor of ice cream and lazy Sundays, Democrats would immediately denounce them. Fetterman wouldn't do that automatically. He said his refusal to denounce Trump on everything all the time does not make him a Republican. He gives many examples. One issue that clearly separates him from progressive Democrats is his stand on Israel, which he strongly supports.
The Senator notes several examples where he has worked with Republicans. He worked with Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) to protect kids' mental health. He worked with Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) on a bill to help older Americans stay in their homes. He worked with Sen. Jim Justice (R-WV) on the "Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act," which would allow people to use their SNAP benefits to buy hot rotisserie chicken (which some Republicans feel is wasteful). Many Democrats reject the concept of working with Republicans on anything. Fetterman says he doesn't buy into that idea.
As to switching parties, in the op-ed he noted that he is "strongly pro-choice, pro-weed, pro-LGBT, pro-SNAP, pro-labor," even if he is pro-rib-eye over bio slop. He ends with: "Plus, I'd be a terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats." After writing this piece, it seems very unlikely that he will switch teams. More likely is that he will decline to run for reelection in 2028. He doesn't really like being in the Senate. (V)