President Donald Trump publicly urged Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) to join the Republican Party, weeks before midterm elections that could decide control of Congress.
“I’d love to see him as a Republican,” Trump told reporters Saturday at Joint Base Andrews, as he returned from a Tennessee rally. “He does better as a Republican than he does as a Democrat.”
Senate Control Hinges On Four Seats As Midterms Near
The remarks are among Trump’s most direct overtures to Fetterman. They come as Republicans risk losing their Senate majority next month.
Democrats need to pick up four seats to retake the 100-seat chamber. That once looked remote but remains difficult. Even so, Trump’s unpopularity and economic fallout from the Iran war have intensified headwinds for Republicans.
A 51-seat Democratic majority could give Fetterman significant leverage as a potential swing vote, reducing his incentive to leave the party.
Fetterman Rejects GOP Switch, But Republican Ties Keep Growing
Fetterman has pushed back against the idea, writing in The Washington Post in May that he would be a “terrible Republican” who still votes with Democrats on most issues. However, his recent actions have fueled speculation about his political direction.
Last month, he recorded a video for the Republican midterm convention praising Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa). Trump suggested such moves could make it harder for him to win the Democratic nomination for another term.
McCormick said in August on WABC radio that Fetterman votes with Democrats 93% to 95% of the time. Even so, a July Quinnipiac University poll found 52% of Pennsylvania voters want Fetterman to leave the Democratic Party.
Fetterman said in July he has no plans to leave but would reconsider if the party became “the anti-Israel party.”
His breaks with Democrats go back further. In April, he opposed Democratic war powers resolutions, which would restrict Trump’s authority to continue military action against Iran without congressional approval. In January 2025, he became the first Democrat to accept a Mar-a-Lago invitation from Trump after the 2024 election.
Past Party Switches That Shifted Senate Power
Fetterman would not be the first senator to switch parties. In 2001, Vermont Sen. Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party and became an independent who caucused with Democrats, giving them control of the evenly divided Senate.
In 2009, Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter also switched from Republican to Democrat. His move helped Democrats reach 60 seats, the threshold generally needed to overcome a Senate filibuster at the time.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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