{"id":2599280,"date":"2026-05-06T06:17:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T10:17:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/talk-of-fetterman-switching-parties-colors-2028-race\/"},"modified":"2026-05-06T06:20:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T10:20:08","slug":"talk-of-fetterman-switching-parties-colors-2028-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/talk-of-fetterman-switching-parties-colors-2028-race\/","title":{"rendered":"Talk of Fetterman switching parties colors 2028 race"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftalk-of-fetterman-switching-parties-colors-2028-race%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2599280&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Sen. John Fetterman says he is not changing parties, even as speculation about a possible switch is reshaping expectations for Pennsylvania\u2019s 2028 Senate race. While Democrats increasingly resent his more autonomous stance-at times aligning with positions favored by President Donald Trump and criticizing his own party-Republicans see potential opportunities, including the possibility of him running as a Republican or independent.<\/p>\n<p>Democratic activists have gone so far as to publicly call him a \u201ctraitor,\u201d and strategist Mike mikus argues that the backlash could lead to a serious challenge if Fetterman runs again as a Democrat. Possible Democratic contenders mentioned include Conor Lamb, Brendan Boyle, and Chris Deluzio, though others caution against assuming the situation will lead to a switch or an actual primary fight.<\/p>\n<p>Other strategists note that Fetterman still largely votes with Democrats (including backing them more than 90% of the time), making a clean party switch harder to imagine. polling also suggests he occupies an <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >unusual position-drawing notable crossover support<\/a> from Republicans-while remaining vulnerable within Democratic ranks. With no reelection campaign until 2028, all sides emphasize the race is still early, and the issues driving today\u2019s anger may not be decisive two years from now.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-fetterman\/\">Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA)<\/a> is shutting down talk of a party switch, but the speculation itself is already reshaping the early contours of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pennsylvania\/\">Pennsylvania<\/a>\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2028-elections\/\">2028<\/a> Senate race.<\/p>\n<p>The Democratic senator has become the subject of growing chatter in Washington and back home about whether he could leave the party, driven by his repeated breaks with Democrats and willingness to align with some positions backed by President Donald Trump. At the same time, frustration from Democratic activists and early movement from possible challengers are raising new questions about his political future.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4556047\/derek-merrin-house-gop-primary-ohio-kaptur\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Derek Merrin wins competitive GOP primary to take on Marcy Kaptur<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4556137\/ohio-senate-race-set-sherrod-brown-jon-husted\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Ohio Senate race set with Sherrod Brown comeback bid against Jon Husted<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4556389\/gop-democrats-gerrymander-targets-supreme-court-ruling\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Red or blue? GOP and Democrats eye next gerrymander targets after Supreme Court ruling<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>Fetterman has been unequivocal about where he stands.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not changing,\u201d he told <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/magazine\/2026\/05\/04\/fetterman-switch-parties-republican-00904177?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us\"><em>Politico<\/em><\/a>. \u201cI\u2019m a Democrat, and I\u2019m staying one,\u201d adding that he would be a \u201cs***ty Republican.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Still, the speculation has gained traction as Fetterman has carved out an increasingly independent profile. He has backed the U.S. posture in the Iran conflict, supported advancing Markwayne Mullin\u2019s nomination for homeland security secretary, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4543653\/fetterman-graham-ballroom-after-shooting-scare\/\">defended <\/a>Trump\u2019s proposed White House ballroom project, and remained firmly supportive of Israel following its war in Gaza.<\/p>\n<p>He has also taken aim at fellow Democrats, accusing the party of falling into what he calls \u201cTrump derangement syndrome,\u201d further straining his standing with the party\u2019s base.<\/p>\n<p>That tension is now spilling into public view. The Monroe County Democratic Party <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4554345\/pennsylvania-democrats-john-fetterman-traitor\/\">recently labeled<\/a> Fetterman a \u201ctraitor\u201d <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MonroePaDems\/status\/2051053281124770166\">in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-this-average-american-is-voting-for-donald-trump\/\" title=\"Why This Average American Is Voting for Donald Trump\">social media post<\/a>, <\/a>underscoring the depth of anger among some grassroots activists. At the same time, Republicans are watching closely and in some cases quietly encouraging the dynamic.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans have been privately urging Fetterman to either switch parties or run as an independent, a move that could help them maintain control of the Senate after the midterm elections, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/magazine\/2026\/05\/04\/fetterman-switch-parties-republican-00904177?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us\">according to reporting <\/a>from <em>Politico.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Even Trump has signaled interest. During a March episode of Sean Hannity\u2019s podcast, the Fox News host said Trump indicated that the GOP would be willing to back Fetterman financially if he changed his political affiliation. Fetterman\u2019s office did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n<p>Despite that interest, the political reality for Fetterman is complicated in either party.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are a large number of Democratic activists and leaders who think it\u2019s a possibility that he switches parties, but I personally don\u2019t think it\u2019s likely,\u201d said Mike Mikus, a Pittsburgh-area Democratic strategist.<\/p>\n<p>Mikus said the bigger question is not whether Fetterman leaves the party, but whether he can survive within it.<\/p>\n<p>He added that Fetterman\u2019s posture has not just frustrated Democrats but actively inflamed them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt almost seems as if he\u2019s purposefully trying to poke them in the eye,\u201d Mikus said. \u201cFor the life of me, I can\u2019t figure out why he thinks that\u2019s a good idea.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That anger, Mikus argued, could translate into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/two-americas-chasm-grows-between-red-and-blue-states-on-hot-button-social-issues\/\" title=\"Two Americas: Chasm Grows Between Red And Blue States On Hot-Button Social Issues\">real political consequences<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf he runs again as a Democrat, he\u2019s going to have very stiff competition,\u201d he said, warning that the party\u2019s donor base and grassroots network could quickly coalesce around a challenger.<\/p>\n<p>Mikus also pointed to early signs of erosion in Fetterman\u2019s home base, recalling a recent event in Braddock where voters who had once supported the senator expressed regret. Fetterman was the mayor of Braddock between 2006 and 2019. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou had people standing up apologizing for not supporting Conor Lamb,\u201d he said. \u201cThat was his backyard. He would not get those votes today.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That frustration is already fueling early talk of challengers. Democrats such as former Rep. Conor Lamb and Reps. Brendan Boyle (D-PA) and Chris Deluzio (D-PA) are seen as contenders, though the field remains fluid. Other Democrats, however, caution against overstating the moment.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel Fee, a longtime Pennsylvania Democratic strategist, emphasized that Fetterman still aligns with the party on most issues and said much of the speculation is amplified by media coverage.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe has been very clear that he is a Democrat and he intends to stay a Democrat,\u201d Fee said. \u201cIt\u2019s not like 95% of the issues that Sen. Fetterman cares about fit in the Republican Party.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fee also downplayed concerns about a primary, arguing that competitive contests can ultimately strengthen candidates.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf there is a real strong argument to be made, candidates come out of hard-fought primaries stronger,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans, meanwhile, are weighing how the situation could play out in a battleground state where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/with-the-taliban-an-end-to-the-opium-trade\/\" title=\"With the Taliban, an End to the Opium Trade?\">small shifts<\/a> can have outsize consequences. Matt Beynon, a veteran GOP consultant in Pennsylvania, said the dynamic reflects deeper shifts within the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI look at Sen. Fetterman, and I think he\u2019s, in a lot of regards, a test case of your party leaving you,\u201d Beynon said.<\/p>\n<p>But Beynon added that Fetterman\u2019s voting record, including backing Democrats more than 90% of the time, still makes a clean party switch difficult to envision.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHis record is simply not one that aligns with the Republican Party,\u201d he said, describing much of the speculation as \u201cpalace intrigue in Washington.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even so, Beynon acknowledged that divisions within the Democratic Party could create an opening, particularly if a primary pushes the eventual nominee in a direction that is less viable statewide.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBe careful what you wish for,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Polling underscores the unusual coalition Fetterman has built. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/poll.qu.edu\/images\/polling\/pa\/pa02252026_pdkl34.pdf\">A Quinnipiac University survey<\/a> in February found him with stronger support among Republicans than Democrats, highlighting both his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bill-maher-on-democrats-making-bad-faith-attacks-on-kevin-mccarthy-shut-up-shut-the-f-up\/\" title=\"Bill Maher On Democrats Making \u2018Bad Faith\u2019 Attacks On Kevin McCarthy: \u2018Shut Up. Shut The F*** Up.\u2019\">crossover appeal<\/a> and his vulnerability within his own party.<\/p>\n<p>Fetterman is not up for reelection until 2028, leaving significant time for the political landscape to shift. And in Pennsylvania, strategists say that uncertainty matters.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s early,\u201d Fee said. \u201cPeople make decisions when they make decisions, and we\u2019re far from that point.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4554345\/pennsylvania-democrats-john-fetterman-traitor\/\"><strong>PENNSYLVANIA DEMOCRATS REBUKE \u2018TRAITOR\u2019 FETTERMAN AS PARTY THREATENS PRIMARY CHALLENGE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>He added that the issues driving backlash now may not define the race in two years.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf in 2028 the biggest issues are the ones people are mad about today, then we\u2019ll know that then,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t think we know that now.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sen. Fetterman denies party switch, but chatter reshapes PA\u2019s 2028 Senate race<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2657,"featured_media":2599281,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26063805229248.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[41461,79181,7921,45299,35292],"class_list":["post-2599280","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-2028-election","tag-campaign-rumors","tag-fetterman","tag-pennsylvania-politics","tag-political-parties"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26063805229248.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2599280","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2657"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2599280"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2599280\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2599284,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2599280\/revisions\/2599284"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2599281"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2599280"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2599280"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2599280"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}