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As tensions between John Fetterman and fellow Democrats have grown since he took office in 2023, the Pennsylvania lawmaker has also developed a series of unexpected relationships with Republican senators.
With Democrats’ prospects of flipping the Senate improving ahead of November, some Republicans have signaled increasing openness toward Fetterman. Pennsylvania GOP Chair Sen. Greg Rothman suggested last month that backing Fetterman’s reelection could be possible if he switched parties.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said during an appearance with Sean Hannity that the host should encourage Fetterman to become a Republican in exchange for presidential support. Trump hosted Fetterman and his wife at Mar-a-Lago shortly after he won election to a second term in November 2024.
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Despite the speculation, Fetterman has repeatedly said he has no plans to leave the Democrat Party, including in an opinion piece published in The Washington Post this week.
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“Being an independent voice that works with the other side to deliver for Pennsylvanians might put me at odds with the party that I have stayed committed to and have no plans to leave — but I will continue to put the commonwealth and the country first,” Fetterman wrote.
“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.
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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.
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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.”
