There’s a lot of talk around the shifts in Senate power after the midterm elections, and one Democratic senator, in particular, has caught quite a bit of attention. Pennsylvania’s Sen. John Fetterman has been depicted as somewhat politically adrift, as detailed in a recent article by Politico.
The piece highlights that as the midterm elections draw near, Republican leaders are trying to win Fetterman over. He’s a freshman senator, and, supposedly, those on the right see an opportunity given the tight majority they hold.
Fox News’ Sean Hannity has mentioned that former President Trump has been keen on convincing Fetterman to switch parties for a while now.
In an earlier interview with Fetterman, Hannity revealed that Trump was interested in him as a potential Republican candidate. Hannity said his directive was clear: tell Fetterman he’d have considerable support, more funding than he could imagine, and would likely have a strong chance of winning.
However, Fetterman has stated he has no intention of becoming a Republican. He has friendships with Republican senators like Dave McCormick and Katie Britt and frequently exchanges emails with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, but he continues to advocate for liberal causes that align more with the Democratic Party, particularly in terms of marijuana legalization, abortion rights, and LGBTQ+ issues.
He’s expressed concern over how Republicans who oppose Trump are treated — think Sen. Bill Cassidy or Sen. Thom Tillis. It seems he’s been mingling with those across the aisle more often, which may, well, be causing some distance from his own party.
Fetterman is also aware of his growing relevance; as the Senate races tighten, he seems to ponder, “If we exchange four seats, who becomes the new majority at 51?” Currently, Republicans hold 53 seats, while Democrats occupy 45, with two independents aligning with them.
