Fetterman Now More Popular With Republicans Than Democrats
Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has become dramatically more popular with Republicans than with Democrats in his home state, according to a new Inquirer/New York Times/Siena University poll of 760 likely Pennsylvania voters conducted August 17-21. The survey found that 73 percent of self-identified Republicans view Fetterman favorably, compared with just 22 percent of Democrats.
The findings mark an extraordinary political inversion for the first-term Democrat, who won his 2022 Senate race as a populist progressive. Fetterman is now viewed more warmly by Pennsylvania Republicans than the state’s sitting Republican senator, Dave McCormick, whom 63 percent of GOP voters view favorably.
A Dramatic Flip Since 2024
Fetterman’s favorability numbers have effectively reversed since 2024, when 74 percent of Democrats viewed him favorably and 64 percent of Republicans viewed him unfavorably. Today, 69 percent of likely Democratic voters hold an unfavorable opinion of the senator, according to the poll.
Don Levy, director of the Siena Research Institute, called the numbers “shocking.”
“If you didn’t know any difference, you would immediately assume that Fetterman and McCormick are both Republicans, and that Fetterman is an extremely popular Republican senator amongst Republicans,” Levy said. “I can’t think of another case exactly like this.”
The shift reflects Fetterman’s willingness to break with his party on several high-profile issues. He has been the only Senate Democrat to vote against restricting President Trump’s use of military force in Iran, and he was the sole Democrat to vote for Pamela Bondi’s confirmation as attorney general. According to Congress Vote Tracker, Fetterman voted with Trump and Republicans 26 percent of the time in 2025, the highest rate among Senate Democrats.
Democratic Voters Express Regret
Among likely Democratic voters, 67 percent believe Fetterman supports President Trump too frequently, while about half say he has been too supportive of Israel. The poll also found that a plurality of all likely voters — 47 percent — say Fetterman is “about right” in his approach to Trump, while 38 percent say he supports the president too much.
Joseph Jaskula, a retired salesman from Lewisburg who voted for Fetterman in 2022, expressed the frustration of many Democratic voters.
“I’m so disappointed in him, I can’t even see straight,” Jaskula told The Inquirer. “He voted with the Republicans on that. And he’s had some other ones where we wonder if he’s a Republican or a Democrat.”
Republicans, by contrast, have embraced the Pennsylvania Democrat. Nicholas Morabito, a 32-year-old warehouse worker in Butler and registered Republican who participated in the poll, said he would consider voting for Fetterman in 2028.
“He’s a voice in the party, standing up for what’s right,” Morabito said. “I don’t think there’s very much difference between the two of us. Just the difference in party.”
Party Switch Speculation Persists
Fetterman has repeatedly said he will “never” switch parties, but he has raised the possibility of leaving if Democrats officially become the “anti-Israel party.” His outspoken support for Israel following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack has put him at odds with a growing pro-Palestinian wing of his party.
Pennsylvania GOP leaders have signaled they would welcome Fetterman into their fold. State Sen. Greg Rothman, chair of the Pennsylvania GOP, has said he could consider supporting Fetterman’s reelection if he switched parties, and Fox News host Sean Hannity has said Trump urged him to coax Fetterman into becoming a Republican.
Despite the turmoil, Fetterman’s overall standing among all Pennsylvania likely voters remains relatively stable at 49 percent favorable and 43 percent unfavorable — nearly unchanged from May 2024. His term runs through January 2029, and he has not announced whether he will seek reelection.
What to Watch For
Fetterman’s unusual positioning could complicate Democratic efforts to reclaim the Senate in the 2026 midterms and raises questions about his political future. If he runs for reelection as a Democrat in 2028, he would face a potentially hostile primary electorate, with potential challengers including U.S. Reps. Brendan Boyle and Chris Deluzio and former U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb.
As Newsweek noted, prediction markets give roughly a 7 percent probability that Fetterman leaves the Democratic Party before the 2026 midterms. The senator’s trajectory reflects broader realignment in American politics — the shifting loyalties of working-class voters, the salience of the Israel issue within the Democratic Party, and the growing appeal of cross-partisan positioning.
Whether Fetterman’s crossover appeal can translate into electoral success — and whether he remains a Democrat at all — remains one of the most closely watched questions in American politics.