Fetterman's video appearance at GOP convention draws fresh Democratic backlash
Democratic Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman's 65-second video appearance at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, pledging to work with Trump and praising GOP colleague Dave McCormick
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) made a surprise video appearance Wednesday at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, praising Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pennsylvania) and pledging to work with President Trump. Speaking in front of the U.S. Steel plant in Braddock, Pennsylvania, where he once served as mayor, Fetterman said, "We'll work together, and we'll work with President Trump to fight and defend the steel way right here in the Steel Valley."
The senator described himself as a "common-sense Democrat" who rejects socialism and "extremes." McCormick returned the praise from the convention stage, asking the crowd, "How great is John Fetterman, right?"
Fetterman said afterward he would not switch parties even if Democrats retake the Senate, stating, "I'm a lifelong Democrat who votes overwhelmingly with my party, and should the Senate flip in November, I will still be the 51st vote that I ran on."
The appearance capped two years in which Fetterman voted repeatedly with Republicans to end last year's shutdown, supported multiple Trump nominees, and opposed efforts to end the war in Iran. A New York Times poll from August found only about 2 in 10 Pennsylvania Democrats view Fetterman favorably, down sharply from 74% in 2024, while 73% of Republicans now view him positively, up from 25%.
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Lori McFarland, the Democratic Party chair in Lehigh County, said local Democrats "feel betrayed by him." Fetterman has said his party turning "anti-Israel" would be a "red line" that would push him out. However, in an interview with Fox News last week, the Senator said, "I'm not going to be a Republican, but I'm going to be a Democrat that's going to have a conversation with whoever is playing it straight."
Former Rep. Conor Lamb, whom Fetterman defeated in the 2022 Senate primary and who is weighing a 2028 Senate run, said the video had "all the persuasiveness of a North Korean newscast." Lamb added that Pennsylvania party officials have "already assumed Fetterman is a non-factor" in future races.
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Rep. Chris Deluzio said Fetterman was "making it harder" for state Democrats to win in November and predicted, "this guy is not going to be a senator after 2028."
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis said "there is a time and place for bipartisanship, but this isn't it," adding that "if you willingly participate in this, you're part of the problem." Fetterman did not immediately respond to the criticism.