TLDR:
- Sen. John Fetterman’s approval has completely flipped — Republicans now approve 54%-33% while Democrats disapprove 62%-21%, reversing his January numbers
- The Pennsylvania Democrat has become a Fox News regular, appearing on “Fox & Friends” to criticize his own party after voting with Republicans to end the shutdown
- Progressive activists who backed his 2022 campaign feel betrayed, having thought they were electing a Bernie Sanders-style Democrat
- Former primary rival Conor Lamb is publicly questioning his judgment, fueling speculation about a potential 2028 rematch
Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman’s transformation from progressive darling to Fox News fixture has triggered a stunning political reversal that threatens his Democratic future.
Mr. Fetterman appeared on “Fox & Friends” after breaking ranks with his party on the shutdown fight, declaring Democrats had “crossed a line.”
“That was a red line for me, that I can’t cross as a Democrat,” Mr. Fetterman said, calling it “country over party.”
The backlash has been swift. Democrats now disapprove of him 62% to 21%, while Republicans approve 54% to 33% — a complete inversion from January, when Democrats approved 80% to 10% and Republicans disapproved 75% to 16%, according to a Quinnipiac University poll.
Progressive activists who championed his 2022 Senate bid feel betrayed. Mr. Fetterman endorsed Bernie Sanders for president in 2016, and Mr. Sanders backed his campaign, leading supporters to believe they were electing a democratic socialist.
Instead, Mr. Fetterman has refused to demonize President Trump, praised border policies and even suggested Mr. Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize.
Former Rep. Conor Lamb, who lost to Mr. Fetterman in the 2022 primary, is publicly questioning his judgment.
“He doesn’t emphasize those things anymore and aligns with people who oppose them,” Mr. Lamb told The Washington Times.
Read more:
• Sen. Fetterman’s maverick mantra of ‘country over party’ increasingly frustrates fellow Democrats
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