Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., is proving to be one of the more moderate Democrat senators, joining Truth Social this month, calling for pardons for President-elect Donald Trump, and meeting with Trump's Cabinet nominees.
It might be alienating him from progressives and Senate Democrats, but it is a "political calculus" that might be necessary for his survival in the state of Pennsylvania after Trump turned the state red and Sen.-elect David McCormick, R-Pa., flipped the other Senate seat, Axios reported.
Fetterman will remain a progressive in his words and policy votes, but he has to at least show a willingness to listen to the other side, unlike Democrats from deep-blue states.
"If you're in a hard blue state, you have the luxury to say all kinds of things," Fetterman told Axios.
Fetterman is up for reelection in the next presidential election cycle in 2028 and will be a potential target for a seat flip.
He has to show his state he was at least willing to listen to the Trump transition team and his prospective Cabinet nominees. Fetterman is the first Democrat senator to agree to talk to Defense Secretary-nominee Pete Hegseth, at least showing he is not a Democrat obstructionist.
Fetterman was also a rare Democrat to publicly support Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas terrorists, even joining Newsmax's "The Record With Greta Van Susteren" to show support for the Jewish people against terrorists and antisemites even before Trump won the election.
If Hegseth is "going to be the head of one of the most important parts of our government, then do you think I'm doing a job by flipping anyone off and saying, I'm not going to talk to him or just have a conversation?" he asked, saying it would be "reckless" and "distressing if we're willing to completely turn our back" on talking with Trump Cabinet officials.
"It's really a simple rule: I'll have a conversation with anyone, if they're playing it straight, I'm going to do the same and engage," Fetterman has said.
Fetterman could be a rare Democrat to vote for Trump Cabinet picks, having publicly endorsed Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., in her bid to serve as Trump's U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
But, Fetterman maintains he is not going to abandon Democrats even if he breaks with them on obstructing Trump.
"I'm not leaving my party, I just happen to have reasonable views, and I don't know why that's controversial," he told The New York Times in October.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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