Fetterman States Democrats Have Become "Anti-Men," Cautions About Young Male Voter Departure
The senator says the migration of working-class men away from the party started with Trump’s rise in 2016
John Fetterman says Democrats are losing support from young men as the party develops what he called an “anti-men” image.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said Democrats alienated young male voters by increasingly portraying men as “part of the problem” during a wide-ranging discussion with Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, and Donna Brazile about masculinity, parenting and the Democratic Party’s struggles with working-class men.
“Well, without a doubt, though you know there’s part of the Democratic Party became more and more anti-men or describing that they were part of the problem, or they have toxic traits,” Fetterman said during the discussion on “Real Time with Bill Maher.”
“And that’s why there’s been such a big, big migration away from the Democratic Party from young men, and that’s that’s really why, one of the parts why we lost in 2024.”
The conversation began after host Bill Maher asked Fetterman about a statistic showing men are nearly twice as likely as women to still live with their parents in the current economy.
John Fetterman said Democrats lost support among young male voters after increasingly framing men as part of the country’s broader social problems. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
“We’ve lost the vote,” Fetterman later said while discussing traditional union workers and male voters. “You talk to any of the traditional union members that are men. You know, they — we’ve lost them a long time ago.”
Fetterman argued Democrats cannot rebuild support among male voters by blaming them for broader societal problems.
“Now if you identify anyone as the problem or blame them for some things, then you’re going to lose,” Fetterman said.
John Fetterman argued working-class and union men have been drifting away from Democrats for years, warning the party must stop blaming male voters. (Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg)
Brazile acknowledged concerns about young men struggling socially and economically, but argued women historically faced many of the same barriers.
“Look, I’ve been a part-time college professor for 33 years. There is something going on with young men in our country,” Brazile said. “They are reticent, many of them are holding back, and we need to address that.”
“I think they don’t know their place anymore and that’s something that men need to decide and discuss, but as a woman for years, decades, centuries, women had to be overconfident just to appear qualified.”
John Fetterman discussed masculinity, young men and the Democratic Party’s 2024 election struggles during a wide-ranging political panel discussion. (Steven Senne/AP)
Brazile rejected the idea that women were responsible for young men’s frustrations.
“I don’t want men to think that the reason why young men are suffering is because some woman,” Brazile said. “Young men are dealing with what young women had to deal with centuries ago.”
Crenshaw argued cultural and parenting differences also contribute to the divide between political groups and attitudes toward masculinity.
“I’m not a fan of gentle parenting,” Crenshaw said while discussing discipline and household expectations. “It seems to be more acceptable to say that in the Black community than the White community to be able to say, ‘Yes, my parents whooped me.’”
Fetterman said Democrats have been losing working-class male voters for years, dating back to President Donald Trump’s rise in 2016.
“I’ve witnessed that migration away from the Democratic Party starting back in 2016,” Fetterman said. “We really have to find a way to bring them back and make better arguments without blaming them or describing they are the problem.”
On Christmas Morning, One Small Silver Key Turned Our Family Against Itself
"Susan Parker slapped her father's hand away from Emily's open palm hard enough to make the car keys jump.
Elena Marquez tore the silver nameplate off Richard Cole’s coffin with both hands.
"The screws gave with a metallic snap. The polished plate struck the marble floor hard enough to turn every head in the funeral hall, and something smaller skipped after it—a gold cufflink, darkened along one edge with dried blood.
The Morning Vanessa Left, Everyone in the House Chose What They Could Lose
"""Adrian kicked the pink suitcase out of Vanessa’s hand hard enough to split it open against the marble, and before the last of her clothes had stopped sliding across his mother’s foyer, he pointed at her and shouted, “YOU WALK OUT THAT DOOR, YOU WALK OUT WITH NOTHING!”
The Name He Wrote in the Hospital Changed What Emily Could Still Believe
"""The clipboard hit the walnut-paneled wall hard enough to make Emily Carter jerk sideways with her newborn locked against her chest.
Four Boys Were Waiting Upstairs, and Adrian Cole Could Not Outrun What They Carried
""Adrian Cole pushed open the bathroom door and stopped so hard that Claire nearly walked into his back.
When the Marble Stairs Kept the Secret Everyone in the Morgan Family Feared
"""Vanessa Morgan’s palm struck Ava hard enough to turn her face toward the black iron railing, and for half a second the only thing Ava could hear was the thin metallic ringing inside her own skull.
The Boy on the Sidewalk Had Noah’s Face and Claire’s Buried Past
"The gift hit the sidewalk hard enough to crush one corner of the silver box, and Noah Bennett grabbed his mother’s sleeve before she could reach the black SUV.
The Thanksgiving Slap That Made Rachel Question Everything Her Family Had Protected
"Brian’s palm cracked across Rachel’s face before the gravy boat stopped rocking from the argument.
The Box Evelyn Carter Kicked Open Exposed More Than Her Son Ever Feared
"""The box broke open at Daniel Carter’s feet with a sound Evelyn would remember long after she stopped remembering the exact words people shouted afterward.
The Night a Hungry Child Entered the Hale Ballroom and Nothing Stayed Polite
""Victoria Hale kicked the paper bag from Lily Carter’s hands before Lily had managed to say her name.
The Day the Bennett Family Learned What Their Silence Was Worth
""The silver rescue ladder left Evelyn Bennett’s foot with a metallic scream, struck the white stone once, and spun across the rooftop terrace while Claire Bennett hung on the other side of the glass railing with nothing beneath her but eighty feet of bright air and the hard blue square of the...
The Suitcase by the Door Held More Than a Family Could Survive
"Nathan Mercer kicked the silver suitcase so hard it crossed the kitchen on one corner, struck the quartz island, and burst open with a metallic crack.
The Night Rachel Monroe Let Everyone Believe the Worst About Her Until It Mattered
"""The dinner plate exploded against the marble before Rachel Monroe understood that Evan had grabbed her wrist.
The Woman Outside Room 614 Knew Something About Emily’s Newborn No One Had Told Her
""The first impact hit the hospital door hard enough to make the metal handle jump, and Emily Carter crushed her newborn against her chest before she understood that someone was trying to get inside.