Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman Announces Decision to Remain a Democrat
“Plus, I’d be a terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats,” he added, noting that his party has left him on issues it used to support such as siding with Israel and keeping the government fully funded and open.
Although Fetterman votes with Democrats most of the time, he has publicly broken with party leaders on several high-profile issues, including government shutdown disputes, the Iran conflict, immigration enforcement, and even Trump’s proposal for a White House ballroom. He has also supported Trump’s Cabinet nominees and criticized some Democrats for what he described as “Trump derangement syndrome,” a phrase commonly used by Republicans.
While many Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, have voiced support for Israel, Fetterman has been especially outspoken in criticizing the party’s far-left wing over its backing of the Palestinian cause.
In Pennsylvania, John Fetterman has recently polled significantly higher among Republicans than Democrats. A February survey found 73% of Republicans approved of his job performance, compared with 22% of Democrats.
Left-wing groups that once backed Fetterman have increasingly protested outside his office, and his staff has seen notable turnover, with some former aides publicly voicing opposition or raising concerns about his health.
Fetterman has also highlighted his bipartisan relationships, including with Sen. Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania and Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, both Republicans he has collaborated with on legislation.
He has also been spending more time socializing with Republican colleagues on Capitol Hill, according to reports cited by the Philadelphia Inquirer.
That has led to increased criticism from members of Fetterman’s party, including Shapiro, who has had a chilly relationship with the former Pennsylvania lieutenant governor. Shapiro said during a CNN interview this week Fetterman should “honor” the fact that he was elected as a Democrat.
“I don’t know what Sen. Fetterman is going to do,” Shapiro told CNN host Jake Tapper. “I know that Pennsylvanians voted for a Democrat to represent them in the United States Senate, and so I think he needs to honor that and continue with his service to Pennsylvania and hopefully get back to what he was elected to do and reflect the will of the people.”
The Inquirer noted further: “Attacks on Fetterman will likely ramp up from his own party as potential contenders gear up for the 2028 election. U.S. Reps. Brendan Boyle (D, Philadelphia), Chris Deluzio (D., Allegheny), and former U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, a Western Pennsylvania Democrat who lost the Senate primary to Fetterman, have all been floated as options.”
The Bloodied Coin That Turned an Admiral’s Fury Into a Choice He Couldn’t Undo
""Admiral Jonathan Mercer slapped Captain Claire Voss hard enough to turn her face toward the ocean, and for one ugly second every person on the wet flight deck forgot the helicopter beating the air above them.
By Sundown, Emma Hayes Would Know Who Had Been Watching Her Family
"""Robert Hayes slapped his son hard enough to turn Daniel’s face toward the bright blue water slides, and before anyone at the café could decide whether they had actually seen it, he shoved a small red-framed mirror against Daniel’s wet chest.
The Eight-Year-Old Who Stopped a Powerful Man From Taking One Fatal Drink
"Emily Carter slapped the photograph onto the table hard enough to make Vincent Hale’s whiskey jump in its crystal glass.
At His Daughter’s Funeral, Nathan’s Dog Chose One Man No One Could Ignore
"""Bruno hit the side of Sophie’s coffin hard enough to make one of the brass handles ring, planted both front paws against the ivory wood, and turned his head toward Ryan Mercer with a growl Nathan had heard only twice before in eleven years.
By Midnight, Everyone Beneath the Glass Roof Would Have to Decide Who They Believed
"""The phone had barely touched the marble when Grant Vale kicked it hard enough to send it spinning beneath a banquet table.
The Day One Cruel Sentence Forced a Family to Choose What Blood Meant
"""Rachel Carter’s palm struck Helen’s cheek at the exact moment Helen lifted the plate of grilled corn farther above Ethan’s head.
The Birthday Dress on the Floor Changed What This Family Could Forgive
""Evelyn Mercer ripped the folded birthday dress out of seven-year-old Lily’s hands, dropped it into the overflowing laundry basket, and kicked the basket hard enough to send socks, T-shirts, towels, and a pair of Noah’s navy shorts skidding across the beige tile.
The Christmas Dinner When My Son Told Me to Leave the House I Built
"""Ryan pulled the chair away just as Margaret Hale began to sit.
The Birthday Tiara on the Grass Was Only the First Thing Our Family Broke
"Amanda ripped the little gold birthday tiara off Lily’s head so hard that one of the plastic combs caught in her blonde ponytail. Lily made a startled sound, more surprise than pain, and reached up with both hands just as Amanda dropped the tiara and drove the side of her sandal into the red...
The Birthday Dinner Ended Before Anyone Understood Who Would Be Asked to Leave
"The cake hit the floor before Lily understood that Richard had touched it.
The Braid in Lily’s Hand Forced Rachel to Choose Between Family and the Truth
"Lily dropped the pink sunhat before Rachel had time to ask why she was home early, and when the brim struck the warm wooden floor, the side of her daughter’s head became visible.
He Cleared a Forgotten Sidewalk, Then the County Ordered Everyone Back Into Traffic
"""The county inspector planted a red SIDEWALK CLOSED sign in the middle of Daniel Park’s freshly cleared pavement while Daniel was still recording the sentence he had spent all morning trying to get right.
The Bracelet in Lily’s Hand Broke More Than a Birthday Party
"Lily hit the broken bracelet into Ethan Walker’s palm hard enough for the little silver heart to sting him.
The Last Voice Message at Her Daughter’s Funeral Changed What Their Family Could Survive
"""Rachel Cole struck her phone against the edge of her daughter’s coffin hard enough to make the framed photograph beside it jump.