It’s baffling that anyone on the right bought into the idea that Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) was ever going to become more moderate. His announcement Thursday that he will vote against the confirmations of RFK Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard should be a wake-up call to conservatives who foolishly believed in some kind of political transformation.
“I have met with most of the cabinet nominees and have carefully watched their confirmation hearings,” Fetterman announced on X Thursday evening. “After considering what’s at stake, I have voted against moving forward to the confirmation of Ms. Gabbard and Mr. Kennedy and will be voting NO on their confirmations.”
I wasn’t surprised, but a lot of people on the right seemed shocked, especially in light of all the excitement last month when he was forced to defend his willingness to meet with Trump nominees and even vote for some. Has he voted for some? Sure. He was the only Democrat to vote for Pam Bondi as Attorney General.
But so what?
I’ve been saying for a while now that Fetterman’s shtick is all about optics. By meeting with Trump nominees or supporting non-controversial picks, Fetterman aimed to project a veneer of bipartisanship, knowing that these moves would only appeal to the more credulous or desperate wings of the Republican Party. His decision to support the Laken Riley Act or confirm select Trump-nominated officials wasn’t evidence of some ideological pivot — it was a carefully crafted strategy to protect himself politically in a state shifting increasingly red. It was never a sign that he was moving toward the center.
Those who were shocked by his decision to reject RFK Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard were operating under a serious delusion. The reality is that Fetterman remains who he has always been: a staunch partisan Democrat with a voting record and rhetoric to back it up.
Related: Are Republicans Souring on Musk?
Let’s not forget that Fetterman’s supposed “moderation” is nothing more than political theater, a calculated façade to appeal to swing voters in Pennsylvania as he prepares for his 2028 reelection fight. His lifetime conservative score, according to Heritage Action, stands at a dismal 7%. To put that in perspective, even the average Senate Democrat scores 11%. Anyone claiming that Fetterman is becoming some blue-dog Democrat has not been paying attention.
Last month, there were even rumors that Fetterman was going to switch parties. I couldn’t help but laugh.
Fetterman is playing the long game. A few strategic votes for Trump nominees, like Pam Bondi for attorney general, don’t erase a career built on far-left policies and partisanship. The idea that he’s moderating was always a mirage — carefully staged to manipulate perceptions, and some on the right fell for it.
When it truly matters, Fetterman stays loyal to the partisan left, as shown by his refusal to confirm RFK Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard. His rhetoric of democracy in action is just political spin — he mostly supports safe, uncontroversial nominees and legislation to appear bipartisan but falls in line when real change is on the table.
Pennsylvania not only voted for Trump in 2024 but also ousted a Democrat incumbent senator. Fetterman, who was elected in 2022, is up for reelection in 2028 and wants to keep his job representing a state that is increasingly trending Republican. He’s not moderating; he’s campaigning. Those who thought otherwise should learn a valuable lesson about being easily duped.
