HARRISBURG, Pa. — Around this time two years ago, Sen. John Fetterman was in high demand on the campaign trail, going county-to-county in Pennsylvania to help Democrats up and down the ballot.
Now, after two years of crossing swords with Democrats and backing some of President Trump’s priorities, he’s nowhere on the stump.
No Democrat in the state wants to be seen with him. His approval ratings are better with Republicans — far better — than they are with Democrats. And a shadow primary of sorts is taking shape for Mr. Fetterman’s Senate seat in 2028, even if he runs again.
Mr. Fetterman has acknowledged his isolation in the 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 repeatedly with Republicans to end the shutdown last year while supporting multiple Trump nominations and opposing efforts to end the war in Iran.
Still, Mr. Fetterman has repeatedly said that he wouldn’t switch parties because he supports labor unions, LGBT rights and other issues held dear by the left.
“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,” Mr. Fetterman told Fox News host Sean Hannity.
Mr. Fetterman’s office and political adviser did not return messages seeking comment.
Out of favor with Pennsylvania Democrats
Mr. Fetterman has been silent about any plans to campaign in Pennsylvania this year, and Democrats say they aren’t asking him for help.
“I absolutely think that Fetterman would bring us more harm than good,” said Lori McFarland, the Democratic Party chair in Lehigh County, which is home to a congressional seat and a state Senate seat that Democrats are trying to flip. “Nobody’s asked to see him, nobody’s requested his presence, and people, quite honestly, they’re mad at him.”
Only about 2 in 10 registered Democrats in Pennsylvania have a favorable view of Mr. Fetterman, according to a New York Times poll from August. That’s a sharp reversal from 2024, when 74% had a positive view. He’s now seen more favorably by Republican voters in the state, with 73% giving him a positive rating. That’s up from 25% a couple years ago.
Cindy Durian, a Democrat voting in May’s primary in suburban Harrisburg, said she would never vote for Fetterman again.
“He might as well change from a D to an R,” she said.
Frustration has been building
Mr. Fetterman had a stroke on the campaign trail before winning his Senate seat in 2022 and then was hospitalized for clinical depression in the first months of his term.
Left-wing frustration with Mr. Fetterman began to emerge in late 2023 with his support for Israel’s war against Hamas. But it’s moved beyond that since Mr. Trump took office. Democrats have watched him belittle their attempts to push back on Mr. Trump while emerging as a conservative media darling.
“He is antagonizing Democrats, seemingly for pleasure,” said J.J. Abbott, a Democratic strategist.
Mr. Fetterman’s dedication to the job has also been called into question. Last year, he began racking up missed votes and missed hearings in the Senate. He also avoided public events, including the funeral for three police officers killed in the line of duty.
Public officials around Pennsylvania say they can’t remember when they last saw him.
A lot on the line in November
The state has several marquee races this year. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, seen as a likely presidential candidate in 2028, is running for reelection and leading the party’s efforts to hold a narrow state House majority, capture a state Senate majority for the first time in decades and flip four U.S. House seats.
It’s unclear whether Mr. Fetterman will ever return to the campaign trail, or whether he even wants another term in 2028. He often sits alone in the hallway during Senate votes, eschewing conversations with colleagues inside the chamber.
Talk of 2028 among Democrats often turns to several others — Reps. Chris Deluzio and Brendan Boyle and former U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb — who have become outspoken critics of Mr. Fetterman.
A ’red line’ with his party
While Fetterman has insisted he won’t change parties, he hasn’t ruled it out, saying the Democratic Party becoming anti-Israel would be a “red line” that would force him out.
He’s also become close with Pennsylvania’s other senator, Republican David McCormick, appearing at events alongside him and launching a joint political fundraising committee, an unusual arrangement for senators from opposing parties.
“If he ever comes to the conclusion that he’s ready to move, we’d certainly welcome him,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, South Dakota Republican.
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