Every time John Fetterman says something or votes for something against his party, his record is overwhelmingly that of a leftist. I know some people think he should switch parties, but that’s not going to happen. Even though Fetterman votes with his party virtually all the time, the times he strays from the plantation have infuriated his party, so much so that they’re getting ready to primary him. And that would be a mistake.
I’m not trying to give the left advice. And frankly, it doesn’t matter because they won’t list anyway. Activists often learn the hard way that litmus tests can backfire if they’re not strategic. And it looks like left-wing activists are intent on making the same mistake.
The Working Families Party, which supported Fetterman during his first Senate race, has now turned on him with the fury of a scorned ex. They've launched an entire campaign to primary him in 2028, complete with a shiny new website called PrimaryFetterman.com.
“We supported John Fetterman in 2022,” a statement on the website begins. “Since then, he’s sold us out. It’s time to replace him. Fetterman was the deciding vote for a Republican budget bill that will increase healthcare costs for 500,000 Pennsylvanians. He has supported more of Trump’s nominees than any Democratic Senator. He consistently skips votes and Senate work. We deserve better.”
On the site, you can recruit volunteers, get instructions for getting a refund on past Fetterman donations, and scroll through opposition research they've compiled on the guy they once called their champion.
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When Fetterman first ran in 2022, leftists adored him. He checked every box on their wish list, and his whole aesthetic screamed anti-establishment leftist authenticity. Since then, he’s voted for the Laken Riley Act, supported Israel, ICE, and even Trump’s quest to buy Greenland.
Oh, and he’s even spoken out against socialism.
But the left doesn't tolerate an independent streak, no matter how small.
When someone asked him about the primary threat back in November, Fetterman practically laughed it off. "Ooh, ooh, oh, I hope, promise. I hope so," he said mockingly. "Because I guarantee whoever they put up, they're going to make me look the reasonable guy that's going to work with both sides together and find a way for Pennsylvania."
I get why he’s laughed it off, but he should probably take the threat seriously. He can position himself as the pragmatic Democrat who can win in a state all he wants, but that’s not exactly the message that wins you a primary when the party activists are the ones who mostly vote. Chances are good that if he's primaried, he will lose.
From a conservative perspective, this whole drama is a gift. Fetterman may still vote overwhelmingly to the left, but he’s independent enough to win support from more independent voters and some Republican voters. So when it comes to potentially flipping the seat, I’d rather go against the candidate that Democrat activists want to run with. In 2024, not only did Trump win the state, but Sen. Dave McCormick unseated Bob Casey Jr.
Fetterman still votes with his party most of the time, but he's smart enough to recognize the political geography he's operating in. Pennsylvania isn't New York. The party base isn’t. If the party bases insist on primarying Fetterman because he won't bow to their purity tests, they'll hand Republicans a golden opportunity on a silver platter.
