Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., a centrist Democrat known for his critiques of the left wing of his party, is increasingly popular among Pennsylvania Republicans, according to a recent poll. The survey found that 73% of registered Republican voters in the state hold a favorable opinion of Fetterman, which is 10 points higher than the 63% of Republicans who view the state's GOP Senator, Dave McCormick, favorably. This marks a significant increase from 2024, when only 25% of Republicans held a favorable view of Fetterman.
The poll, released by the New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Siena University, also indicated a decline in Fetterman's standing among his own party members. Just 22% of registered Democrats in Pennsylvania reported a favorable view of Fetterman, while 63% viewed him unfavorably. This is a sharp contrast to two years prior, when 74% of Democrats held a favorable opinion of him.
Independents in Pennsylvania showed a favorable view of Fetterman by a 49%-35% margin.
Fetterman's willingness to publicly disagree with certain elements of the Democratic Party on issues such as the conflict between Israel and Hamas has drawn attention. He has stated that while he has no plans to leave the Democratic Party, he would consider departing if the party officially became the "anti-Israel party."
This growing popularity among Republicans has fueled speculation about his political future, including the possibility of switching parties. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has acknowledged past conversations with Fetterman and other Republicans about the challenges he faces within his caucus, stating that many Republicans would welcome him to the GOP conference.
However, some Republican consultants suggest that despite Fetterman's current favorability among GOP voters, they would likely remember his voting record, which aligns with Democrats over 90% of the time, during future election campaigns. Fetterman is up for re-election in 2028.
