Sen. John Fetterman staged a surprise appearance at the Republican convention Wednesday night in a video criticizing democratic socialists and praising his fellow Pennsylvania senator, Republican Dave McCormick.
“I’m always going to stand with America. I’m always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life,” Fetterman said.
Fetterman promised to work with President Donald Trump to defend the Pennsylvania steel industry.
Hours after the video aired, Fetterman said in a statement that he would not leave the Democratic Party.
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“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,” he said.
Questions have swirled for months over the senator’s future party affiliation, especially with Democrats now competing to win enough seats to take control of the Senate. Fetterman has consistently said he has no intention of joining Republicans, though he’s at times left the door open to change. In July, Fetterman said he would switch parties if Democrats became “the anti-Israel party.” Fetterman has backed Republicans in recent Iran war powers votes and, in conservative media appearances, has increasingly supported Trump-led policies.
Fetterman wrote in a Washington Post op-ed in May that he is an “an independent voice that works with the other side to deliver for Pennsylvanians” with “no plans” to leave the Democratic Party.
“Plus,” he wrote, “I’d be a terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats.”
Rep. Chris Deluzio, a fellow Pennsylvania Democrat, assailed Fetterman on Wednesday night in the aftermath of his convention appearance.
“If the failing Republican politicians want him, they can have him,” he said in a statement. “Like them, John Fetterman has failed the Pennsylvanians who elected him, who expected him to fight against White House corruption, health care cuts, and reckless war, not cheerlead it. He’s not going to be a Senator after 2028 — mark my words.”
Eugene DePasquale, the chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, mocked the GOP convention in a statement after Fetterman’s cameo, while not explicitly mentioning the senator.
“We aren’t going to be distracted by GOP stunts like this video or a weak midterm convention held by a party that’s entirely dedicated to enabling Trump’s ego and defending his disastrous agenda while Pennsylvanians pay the price,” he said.
Beating Republicans, he added, “will remain our entire focus” between now and November.
Fetterman’s video served as an introduction for McCormick’s speech at the Dallas gathering. Axios reported that McCormick helped arrange the appearance. In his video, Fetterman fell short of announcing a party switch.
“He’s in a different party, but I’m proud to count him as my great friend,” Fetterman said.
Pennsylvania state Sen. Scott Martin, a Republican who watched the video from the convention floor in Dallas, told The Washington Sun that there was “symbolism” in Fetterman’s appearance.
“I think it’s the willingness to work hand in hand for two U.S. senators to focus on different issues that greatly impact Pennsylvanians,” he said in an interview. He wouldn’t go much further in speculating about Fetterman’s future.
“I know there’s a lot swirling on in Democratic Party politics related to him, and they’ll obviously deal with that,” Martin said. “But as long as he’s a U.S. senator willing to work hand in hand on the issues that are really important to help a Pennsylvania that desperately needs to grow economically and demographically, I’ll take them working together.”
He did say that if Fetterman ever switched parties, he believed his party would welcome him.
The Democratic senator’s appearance comes less than a week after he was denounced by many in his party for neglecting his senatorial duties.
Fetterman’s term ends in 2028, and he has not confirmed whether he will seek reelection.
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