Democratic Sen. John Fetterman spoke to the Republican midterm convention via video Wednesday, an extraordinary escalation of the growing rupture between the Pennsylvanian and his party.
Fetterman’s decision is certain to stoke fears, already simmering among Democrats, that he will switch parties. Democrats need to pick up four GOP-held Senate seats in November to regain the majority. If Fetterman were to join the Republican Party, Democrats would need to pick up another seat to have control of the chamber.
Fetterman spoke for just over one minute in a recorded video introducing his fellow Pennsylvania senator, Republican Dave McCormick, whom Fetterman called “a great American.”
He didn’t criticize anyone by name but suggested Democrats are extremists, underscoring the message that Republicans are trying to drive home during their two-day rally in Dallas. The convention is meant to fire up the conservative base ahead of midterm elections, when the president’s party has historically lost seats.
“I’m always going to stand with America,” Fetterman said. “I’m always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life.”
Standing in front of a steel mill, Fetterman said he “will work with President Trump to fight and defend the steel way of life.”
Fetterman has grown increasingly isolated from his party as he maintains staunch support of Israel’s war in Gaza and criticizes left-wing candidates who are members of the Democratic Socialists of America. He’s often gone his own way in the Senate, voting with Republicans to end last year’s shutdown, supporting several of President Donald Trump’s nominees and opposing efforts to end the war in Iran.
Fetterman has repeatedly said he wouldn’t switch parties because of his support for labor unions, LGBTQ rights and other issues held dear by the left.
If he switched parties, how could you tell?
The only difference would be an idiot wearing a red hoodie.
The main reason it would be better if he stays as a D is, that’s how it’s determined which party has the majority and thus gets power over what bills are allowed to come to the floor, power on the committees. etc etc. So even if he votes with R’s most of the time on bills, it’s still important.
Hes been a Republican, this isn’t news.
Fears? He basically already did it when he got brain damage.
What would be the functional difference if he wears the R jersey other than the D jersey?
Other than him having basically no shot at getting elected as an R. Dudes dead man walking. It doesn’t matter which parties flag he flies.
It’s a Catch-22 for both parties. If he stays on as a Democrat he sows discord in the party and will likely vote against the party line at times, but it will help them keep the majority after the midterms. If he switches parties, he upsets the Dem majority but his fellow Republicans will shun him and make him their scapegoat, and as you said he’ll never get elected again.
I hope he does…mostly because I don’t think he can win as a republican.
The second he’s one of them he becomes the left most Republican instead of the furthest right dem…
That’s a huge difference and if it wasn’t for his brain damage he could see that coming.
The danger is if the Senate is 51/49 blue, Fetterman switching would make it 50/50 and defacto R with Vance as tiebreaker. And if Fettermen isn’t 100% with them on votes, he’ll get accused of being a double secret antifa.
He won’t handle that rationally either, and Id fully expect him to resign
I just want to be unfettered.
fear? relief he gone
What a shithead
