It’s been fascinating watching conservatives warm up to Sen. John Fetterman lately, as though he’s suddenly the voice of reason in a sea of left-wing insanity. In many ways, he is, and it’s easy to understand why some on the right have taken a liking to him. But you shouldn't fall for it.
Fetterman has recently sounded less like a carbon copy of his party’s leadership and more like a guy who’s actually aware of reality. He’s blasted his own party over the ongoing government shutdown, congratulated President Trump on securing a Middle East peace deal, and even — brace yourself — said that Trump isn’t Hitler. Throw in his support for the Laken Riley Act and the fact that he’s backed a handful of Trump’s cabinet nominees, and you can almost hear some people whispering: “Maybe he’s coming around.”
Some already think that. But I’ve never bought into the fantasy that Fetterman might switch parties, despite the hopeful chatter on the Republican side. It never made sense. Breaking ranks with his party now and then might make him look independent, but that doesn’t mean he’s undergone some grand ideological awakening. I can respect that he occasionally calls out his side’s worst behavior, but I’m not deluding myself into thinking he’s suddenly discovered his inner conservative. He hasn’t. He still fully aligns with the far left on abortion, gender ideology, universal healthcare, and criminal justice. Those are not small issues, and they define who he really is.
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So don’t fall for his shtick. Fetterman isn’t becoming a conservative, and he’s certainly not a centrist. He’s a politician who knows how to read his own state. Pennsylvania voted for Trump in 2024 and kicked out a Democratic incumbent senator. That’s a big flashing warning sign for Democrats who want to keep their jobs, and Fetterman sees it as clearly as anyone. Reelection in 2028 is on his mind, and this “moderate makeover” is pure survival strategy.
It’s simple pragmatism. Pennsylvania’s political landscape is shifting decisively to the right. If Fetterman wants another six years in the Senate, he needs to be someone who can get Republican and independent votes. That means striking a more reasonable tone, showing flashes of bipartisanship, and occasionally talking like a man who’s frustrated by his own team’s antics. It’s a clever act, and it might even work. But it’s still an act.
Some Republicans, bless their hearts, genuinely think Fetterman might be different; that maybe he sees what’s happening to the Democratic Party and wants out. That’s wishful thinking. There’s a big difference between having political survival instincts and being ideologically converted. Fetterman is doing what any competent leftist in a red-trending state would do: repositioning himself just enough to survive. There are already rumblings about a potential primary challenge against him, and that’s bound to put even more pressure on his balancing act. He has to look pragmatic without alienating the left-wing base that got him here in the first place.
It’s refreshing to see a Democrat publicly admit that his party is responsible for the shutdown or stand by Israel unabashedly when the far left won’t. It’s so rare that people sit up and take notice when it happens. But giving credit where it’s due doesn’t mean pretending his ideology has changed. It hasn’t.
I have no idea who the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania will be in 2028 when Fetterman is up for reelection, but I know that when Republicans nominate a bad candidate, a “reasonable” Democrat incumbent can earn Republican votes.
Look, by all means, enjoy the moments when Fetterman breaks from his party and says something sane. It’s entertaining, even encouraging. But don’t start believing he’s one of us. The man’s still a leftist, just one with better survival instincts than most of his Democrat colleagues. The 2028 election is a couple of years away, and Fetterman’s playing the long game.
