Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) lost his temper Tuesday at a reporter who raised questions about his loyalty to the Democratic Party, a reaction that comes as the freshman senator has faced questions for months about the possibility of crossing the aisle for good.
As he was getting on an elevator, Fetterman was asked whether he would consider switching parties, a question that was met with strong emotion.
“I’m not going to be a Republican,” Fetterman said, raising his voice. “Why can’t you guys just wait till the midterm? You know, and if I turn a Republican, and then I’ll be a liar. Like, my name is not on the ballot. Like, chill and wait for the midterm here. I’ve always been a Democrat. It’s like, no matter how many times I say that, I’m still getting asked.”
Fetterman is not up for reelection until 2028, but he could face a primary challenger.
He has previously affirmed that he plans to stick with Democrats, but he has appeared to leave the GOP door open when he said opposition to Israel is a “red line” for him.
Fetterman has not shied away from stepping into Republicans’ sphere, which has led to brewing tensions within his party. The Washington Examiner exclusively reported that he attended a retreat with executives from Fox News, traveling to Montana in July at the invitation of the network’s owners. He also made a video appearance at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention last week, praising President Donald Trump and his colleague, Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA), which was met with backlash from his party.
While Fetterman has occasionally voted with Republicans in the upper chamber, he continues to vote with his fellow Democrats most of the time.
FETTERMAN ATTENDED FOX NEWS RETREAT AT RUPERT MURDOCH’S RANCH IN MONTANA
“I know Democrats are frustrated with me, but I will remain one, and that’s where I’m at,” Fetterman told the Washington Examiner on Tuesday before his outburst.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also said Tuesday that he considers Fetterman to be a “good member” of the Democratic caucus in the Senate.