WASHINGTON — Sen. John Fetterman made clear he has no interest in working against Pennsylvania’s other senator, Dave McCormick, pointing to the unlikely but genuine friendship the two have built on Capitol Hill.
Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, and McCormick, a Pennsylvania Republican, have become one of the Senate’s more unusual bipartisan pairings, even teaming up recently to create a joint fundraising committee.
“Well, I would absolutely never move against my friend,” Fetterman told the Washington Examiner, while stopping short of saying whether he would formally endorse McCormick.
“I would never, ever move against my friend.”
Pennsylvania is one of just three states, along with Maine and Wisconsin, currently represented by senators who caucus with different political parties.
Their alliance carries an added twist: Fetterman and McCormick nearly faced each other in the 2022 Senate race. McCormick sought the GOP nomination that year but narrowly lost the Republican primary to Dr. Mehmet Oz. He later returned to the political arena and defeated former Democratic Sen. Bob Casey in 2024.
Since arriving in the Senate, McCormick has publicly come to Fetterman’s defense more than once, including when the Democrat faced criticism from some of his former staff members.
McCormick has also openly encouraged Fetterman to switch parties and join the GOP, though the independent-minded Democrat has firmly dismissed that possibility.
“I’m not going to be a Republican,” Fetterman told NBC’s “Meet the Press NOW” last month.
“I would just remind anybody that I’ve been very clear on that, whether it’s the president or the Republicans [who] are putting down perfectly loyal conservative senators — whether it’s [Texas Sen. John] Cornyn or [Louisiana Sen. Bill] Cassidy or these people.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has defended Fetterman from attacks he has faced from the left flank of the party, underscoring how he usually votes with Democrats on key issues.
But Fetterman hasn’t been shy about criticizing the party, especially over Israel or during government shutdown showdowns.
The hulking, shorts-wearing senator has a whopping 69% disapproval rating among Democratic voters in his home state while just 19% approve, according to a recent Quinnipiac University poll.
Among Republicans, however, 77% approve of Fetterman’s job performance, compared to 12% who disapprove of him.
Fetterman is not up for reelection until 2028, and McCormick isn’t up until 2030.
