{"id":2637666,"date":"2026-07-30T07:38:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T11:38:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/john-fetterman-has-a-big-choice-to-make\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T07:43:27","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T11:43:27","slug":"john-fetterman-has-a-big-choice-to-make","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/john-fetterman-has-a-big-choice-to-make\/","title":{"rendered":"John Fetterman has a big choice to make"},"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%2Fjohn-fetterman-has-a-big-choice-to-make%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=2637666&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>Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) is increasingly feeling out of place within the Democratic Party, with some figures like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urging him to remain, while republicans like John Thune have expressed openness to welcoming him into the GOP. Fetterman, regarded as a progressive, faces internal conflicts-especially amid clashes with fellow Democrats over issues like Israel-and may need to resolve these before seeking re-election.Although he currently votes predominantly with Democrats, he has shown some self-reliant tendencies, including criticism of party socialists and noncommittal responses on issues like the Fauci hearings and claims about voter fraud. His political strength is notable, yet potential challenges include primary opposition, party disputes, and the possibility of running as an independent, which would face notable logistical hurdles in Pennsylvania. Historically, figures like Arlen Specter and Joe Lieberman offer models for how Fetterman might navigate a possible primary or third-party run. Ultimately,he maintains broad support and is considered a unique,independent-minded figure in Senate politics,with his future choices likely vital for Pennsylvania and national midterm and presidential dynamics.  <\/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 class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-fetterman\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-fetterman\">John Fetterman<\/a> (D-PA) looks increasingly uncomfortable inside the Democratic Party, which fits him today less like a well-worn hoodie than a rumpled suit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Senate Minority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/chuck-schumer\/\">Chuck Schumer <\/a>(D-NY) is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4668396\/chuck-schumer-john-fetterman-democratic-party-moderate-power-weakening\/\">begging Fetterman to stay<\/a>. Senate Majority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-thune\/\">John Thune<\/a> (R-SD) would <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4657518\/thune-gop-welcome-fetterman-if-he-leaves-democratic-party\/\">welcome him into the GOP<\/a> with open arms.<\/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\/senate\/4668588\/john-fetterman-republican-democrat-party-swtich\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>John Fetterman has a big choice to make<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4668467\/dsa-aligned-donavan-mckinney-sees-surge-support-cbc-members-will-black-voters-back-him\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Michigan primary tests socialism\u2019s reach with black voters<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4667750\/janet-mills-cool-endorsement-troy-jackson-prominent-democrat-supporters\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Janet Mills keeps cool on endorsement of Troy Jackson<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s a \u201cquandary,\u201d according to one <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pennsylvania\/\">Pennsylvania<\/a> political insider, and it\u2019s one Fetterman is going to have to resolve before he runs for reelection. His spats with fellow Democrats could jeopardize his chances at securing a second term two years from now.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf John Fetterman gets into a one-on-one [Democratic] primary, he\u2019s got real trouble,\u201d Charlie Gerow, a longtime Republican strategist in the state, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cIn a multicandidate field, he does much better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrats nominated Fetterman and elected him as a progressive, defeating former Rep. Conor Lamb in a 2022 primary and then Republican Mehmet Oz that November.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But since arriving in the Senate, Fetterman has, with growing frequency, clashed with fellow Democrats over Israel. He has been an outspoken critic of his party\u2019s leading socialists, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4665796\/fetterman-calls-mamdani-clown-says-democrats-must-police-ranks\/\">dismissing<\/a> New York City <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/zohran-mamdani\/\">Zohran Mamdani<\/a> as a \u201cclown,\u201d dubbing former Maine Senate candidate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4652593\/graham-platner-socialists-2026-midterms\/\">Graham Platner<\/a> \u201cP-hustle\u201d in reference to the erstwhile Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/susan-collins\/\">Susan Collins<\/a> (R-ME) challenger\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/daily-memo\/4603116\/time-to-see-graham-platner-sexts-maine-senate-race\/\">sexting scandal<\/a>, and likening Michigan Senate candidate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/abdul-el-sayed\/\">Abdul el Sayed<\/a> to Platner.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maine and Michigan are crucial states for Democrats to win if they are going to regain control of the Senate in the midterm elections.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe seems to want to fight back against the DSA encroachment of his party. Witness his broadsides against the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/graham-platner\/\">Nazi tattoo guy<\/a> and now the new nominee there [Troy Jackson],\u201d veteran Pennsylvania Republican political consultant Christopher Nicholas told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201c\u2018Pontiac Platner\u2019 [his nickname for el Sayed] is a terrific slam. My Dem friends here loved when he was a social media s***poster focused on the GOP. Now that he\u2019s switched his aim, they aren\u2019t so happy, are they?\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But with the significant exceptions of Israel, averting Democratic-led government shutdowns, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4664084\/fetterman-explains-flip-flop-senate-filibuster\/\">preserving the filibuster<\/a>, and his occasional openness to confirming Trump administration nominees, Fetterman still has a predominantly liberal voting record.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Wednesday, Fetterman was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CBSNews\/status\/2082514042728448339\">noncommittal <\/a>about Senate Republicans grilling Anthony Fauci on his pandemic response. \u201cI\u2019m not there to embarrass him or to defend or praise him,\u201d he told CBS News. \u201cTo me, it\u2019s like, \u2018Hey, I\u2019ll talk about my regret during that time,\u2019 you know, when I was [lieutenant governor] at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earlier this month, Fetterman was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4654765\/fetterman-trump-noncitizen-voting-2020-election\/\">skeptical of<\/a> President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s primetime claims about noncitizens voting. These two issues alone are red meat to the Republican base and could prove important to securing a Trump endorsement in a GOP primary. \u201cI\u2019d be a s****y Republican,\u201d Fetterman <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/magazine\/2026\/05\/04\/fetterman-switch-parties-republican-00904177\">admitted<\/a> to <em>Politico<\/em> earlier this year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI doubt he switches to the GOP, as he still votes 90% with the Senate Dems,\u201d Nicholas said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Any competent conservative primary challenger could capitalize on Fetterman\u2019s deviations from the Republican line. Gerow described Fetterman as being in \u201cthe unenviable position of having strong support across the board but not the support within either party to make it to the general election ballot.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is precedent for this in Pennsylvania. The state\u2019s longtime Republican Sen. Arlen Specter was a centrist who was to the left of the party on abortion and a host of other policy matters, though his record was more conservative than Fetterman\u2019s. (Specter actually switched from Democrat to Republican in the 1960s.) He barely won his primary for a fifth term in 2004, needing strong support from then-President George W. Bush to get across the finish line, and seemed unlikely to prevail a sixth time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Specter returned to the Democrats in 2009 to give then-President Barack Obama a filibuster majority for passing Obamacare in exchange for Obama\u2019s support in a Democratic primary. Specter\u2019s experience is a cautionary tale for Fetterman: Specter lost his leverage as just another Democrat rather than an important Senate swing vote; Democrats lost their 60-vote majority in the special election to fill the late Sen. Ted Kennedy\u2019s seat in Massachusetts; Democrats soon afterward <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/blogs\/pundits-blog\/lawmaker-news\/27169-maybe-no-free-ride-for-specter\/\">lost interest in Specter<\/a> and failed to clear the primary field for him; Specter then lost the Democratic primary.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What if Fetterman could avoid a primary altogether? \u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s any question he\u2019d do well in a general election,\u201d Gerow said. \u201cHe\u2019s very popular.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A better precedent for Fetterman might be Joe Lieberman, a longtime Connecticut senator with a mostly liberal voting record who lost in the 2006 Democratic primary just two years after serving as the party\u2019s vice presidential nominee, mostly because of his support for the Iraq War and Israel. Lieberman then ran in the general election as an independent against Democrat Ned Lamont and a weak Republican. Lieberman won reelection.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fetterman paid tribute to other Democrats turned independents before him on Monday. \u201cHistory has vindicated former senators Kyrsten Sinema (Arizona) and Joe Manchin III (West Virginia), two people who were vilified by the Democratic Party for their support of the filibuster and whose courageous efforts damaged their political careers,\u201d he wrote in his pro-filibuster <em>Washington Post<\/em> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/opinions\/2026\/07\/27\/john-fetterman-why-i-changed-my-mind-about-filibuster\/\">op-ed<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Manchin <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4631583\/manchin-urges-democrat-fetterman-becoming-an-independent\/\">urged<\/a> Fetterman to follow the independent path in an interview with the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> earlier this year. \u201cIt\u2019s liberating,\u201d the West Virginian said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fetterman would need to make his decision to go independent before the primaries, because Pennsylvania has a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wgal.com\/article\/pennsylvania-sore-loser-law-explainer\/64705368\">sore loser law <\/a>that would probably prevent him from bolting after a defeat. But there would be other obstacles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCould he become an independent and then caucus with Dems, a la Bernie and Angus King? Sure,\u201d Nicholas said. \u201cBecoming an indie would allow him to bypass our primary season here, which means he would have about 8-10 weeks over summer of 2028 to get enough ballot sigs to get on the fall ballot. Those are due on the first Tuesday in August.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gerow cautioned that ballot access as an independent would be \u201cdaunting\u201d because Pennsylvania has a \u201cvery, very high bar\u201d for signature gathering. \u201cFundraising becomes inordinately difficult,\u201d he added, noting the state has \u201cseven media markets, and two of them are expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt is unclear how he would be able to raise money if he did all that,\u201d Nicholas concurred. \u201cThe GOP would be supporting their candidate, who would most likely not be mucho pro-labor, pro-marijuana, and 1,000% pro-choice. The Dems would hate it, as he would most likely pull more Dem votes than GOP votes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2028 presidential race would also be going on at the time, with Pennsylvania a likely battleground state once again. Trump carried Pennsylvania in two of the last three presidential elections. Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), a fellow centrist, may seek his party\u2019s nomination.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schumer may need Fetterman\u2019s vote to remain in charge of the Democratic caucus after the midterm elections.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/op-eds\/4660808\/mamdani-left-israel-antisemitism-governing-clout-chasing\/\"><strong>THE MAMDANI LEFT ISN\u2019T GOVERNING \u2014 IT\u2019S CLOUT CHASING<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPeople in our caucus very much like him and respect him, and we\u2019re a big-tent party. We can have a lot of different views in that party,\u201d he told reporters, calling Fetterman \u201ca very good member of Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cJohn has always defied the odds,\u201d Gerow said. \u201cPeople respect that he\u2019s independent, free-thinking, and that nobody owns him.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fetterman faces tough choices amid party tensions<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2659,"featured_media":2637667,"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":[33651],"tags":[7921,5836,5894],"class_list":["post-2637666","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-fetterman","tag-pennsylvania","tag-politics"],"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\/2637666","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\/2659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2637666"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2637666\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2637669,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2637666\/revisions\/2637669"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2637667"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2637666"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2637666"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2637666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}