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Ongoing story / John Fetterman

John Fetterman's drift from the Democratic Party

Overview · reviewed November 12, 2026

Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, a Democrat, has broken with his party on issues from immigration protests to Israel and Iran, and has repeatedly been asked whether he will leave it.[1][2][3] Fetterman says he remains a Democrat, but he has threatened to leave if the party turns against Israel, and polls show he is now more popular with Pennsylvania Republicans than with Democrats.[4][2][5] President Donald Trump and Senate Republican leaders have said they would welcome him.[6][7]

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Follow this story to see new developments when you return.

Fetterman says he remains a Democrat, but he has threatened to leave if the party turns against Israel, and polls show he is now more popular with Pennsylvania Republicans than with Democrats.[4][2][5] President Donald Trump and Senate Republican leaders have said they would welcome him.[6][7]

Coverage over time

Share of tracked outlets · weekly (UTC)

Week of 2025-01-06 (UTC): 8%, 18 of 221 tracked outlets (3 left, 7 center, 8 right)Week of 2025-01-13 (UTC): 2%, 4 of 228 tracked outlets (1 left, 0 center, 3 right)Week of 2025-01-20 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-01-27 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-02-03 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-02-10 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-02-17 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-02-24 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-03-03 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-03-10 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-03-17 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-03-24 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-03-31 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-04-07 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-04-14 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-04-21 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-04-28 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-05-05 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-05-12 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-05-19 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-05-26 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-06-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-06-09 (UTC): 4%, 7 of 199 tracked outlets (0 left, 1 center, 6 right)Week of 2025-06-16 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-06-23 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-06-30 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-07-07 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-07-14 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-07-21 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-07-28 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-08-04 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-08-11 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-08-18 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-08-25 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-09-01 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-09-08 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-09-15 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-09-22 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-09-29 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-10-06 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-10-13 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-10-20 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-10-27 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-11-03 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-11-10 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-11-17 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-11-24 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-01 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-08 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-15 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-22 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-29 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-01-05 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-01-12 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-01-19 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-01-26 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-02-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-02-09 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-02-16 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-02-23 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-09 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-16 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-23 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-30 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-06 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-13 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-20 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-27 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-05-04 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-05-11 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-05-18 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-05-25 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-01 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-08 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-15 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-22 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-29 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-07-06 (UTC): 1%, 8 of 560 tracked outlets (1 left, 2 center, 5 right)Week of 2026-07-13 (UTC): 5%, 29 of 559 tracked outlets (3 left, 14 center, 12 right)Week of 2026-07-20 (UTC): 1%, 5 of 562 tracked outlets (0 left, 2 center, 3 right)Week of 2026-07-27 (UTC): 1%, 5 of 561 tracked outlets (0 left, 2 center, 3 right)Week of 2026-08-03 (UTC): under 1%, 1 of 537 tracked outlets (0 left, 1 center, 0 right)Week of 2026-08-10 (UTC): 1%, 7 of 545 tracked outlets (0 left, 4 center, 3 right)Week of 2026-08-17 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-24 (UTC): 1%, 6 of 466 tracked outlets (1 left, 3 center, 2 right)Week of 2026-08-31 (UTC): 4%, 19 of 475 tracked outlets (3 left, 13 center, 3 right)Week of 2026-09-07 (UTC): 1%, 6 of 480 tracked outlets (2 left, 3 center, 1 right)Week of 2026-09-14 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-21 (UTC): 2%, 8 of 479 tracked outlets (2 left, 2 center, 4 right)Week of 2026-09-28 (UTC): 1%, 4 of 476 tracked outlets (2 left, 1 center, 1 right)Week of 2026-10-05 (UTC): 4%, 18 of 479 tracked outlets (1 left, 10 center, 7 right)Week of 2026-10-12 (UTC): under 1%, 2 of 476 tracked outlets (1 left, 1 center, 0 right)Week of 2026-10-19 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-10-26 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-11-02 (UTC): 1%, 7 of 471 tracked outlets (1 left, 4 center, 2 right)Week of 2026-11-09 (UTC): 3%, 15 of 469 tracked outlets (2 left, 6 center, 7 right), so far

LeftCenterRight

Each bar is the share of the outlets on our Left / Center / Right rating scale that we tracked publishing that week which carried reporting on this story, split by the outlets' ratings.We track more outlets now than in the archive, so a share keeps earlier and later weeks comparable. An outlet counts once a week however much it published, and outlets in one ownership or syndication group count as one on each side they appear on. A rating describes the outlet, not the report. A gap means no such reports were collected that week, not that nothing was reported anywhere. Weeks run Monday to Sunday in UTC, so a report published on a Sunday evening in US Eastern time counts in the next week. 1 more outlet off the scale (not rated, or outside the left-right graphs) also reported; they are not in this chart. See them.

Weekly counts, outlets and reports (18 weeks with coverage)
Outlets on the rating scale that carried this story each week, of the outlets tracked that week, newest first
Week of (UTC)LeftCenterRightOf trackedShareReceipts
Nov 9, 2026 (so far)26715 of 4693%
Nov 2, 20261427 of 4711%
Oct 12, 20261102 of 476under 1%
Oct 5, 2026110718 of 4794%
Sep 28, 20262114 of 4761%
Sep 21, 20262248 of 4792%
Sep 7, 20262316 of 4801%
Aug 31, 2026313319 of 4754%
Aug 24, 20261326 of 4661%
Aug 10, 20260437 of 5451%
Aug 3, 20260101 of 537under 1%
Jul 27, 20260235 of 5611%
Jul 20, 20260235 of 5621%
Jul 13, 20263141229 of 5595%
Jul 6, 20261258 of 5601%
Jun 9, 20250167 of 1994%
Jan 13, 20251034 of 2282%
Jan 6, 202537818 of 2218%

Latest coverage

The newest reporting in this story's record.

  1. Nov 10, 2026 · first reported · Headline from Mytwintiers

    Pennsylvania Democrat considering challenging Fetterman in 2028

Background

Fetterman met President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in January 2025, and Trump praised him afterward.[8] In June he criticized his party for not condemning protests in Los Angeles as "anarchy and true chaos."[1] In July 2026 he joined forces with Pennsylvania's Republican senator, Dave McCormick, on a venture that stoked speculation about his future,[9] and he warned that he would leave the Democratic Party if it adopted an anti-Israel policy.[2] A Quinnipiac poll found that just over half of Pennsylvania voters thought he should leave.[10]

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Republicans would welcome him,[7] while Democratic leader Chuck Schumer urged him to stay.[11] Fetterman said he would not campaign against McCormick in 2030,[12] and in September he was the only Democrat to vote against a resolution limiting Trump's military action against Iran.[3] A report that month accused him of avoiding constituent meetings, which he dismissed as a smear by "disgruntled staffers."[13][14] After he appeared virtually at the Republican midterm convention, a poll found him more popular among the state's Republicans than its Democrats.[5] After the midterms, Ahmed Moor, a Gaza-born Palestinian American, launched a campaign to challenge Fetterman in the 2028 Democratic primary,[15] and another Pennsylvania Democrat said they were considering a run against him.[16]

Supporting stories (16)
  1. Fetterman rips ‘anarchy and true chaos’ in LA, warns Dems not to cede ‘moral high ground’
  2. Fetterman cites anti-Israel sentiment in Democratic Party as reason to potentially leave
  3. Fetterman bucks party again, votes against Iran War Powers resolution
  4. Fetterman defends political identity, weighs potential role as 51st senator
  5. Fetterman more popular with Pennsylvania Republicans than Democrats: poll
  6. Trump urges Sen. John Fetterman to switch parties and become a Republican
  7. Thune: Republicans would ‘welcome’ Fetterman joining Senate GOP conference
  8. Trump pronounces Sen. John Fetterman ‘impressive’ after Mar-a-Lago meeting
  9. John Fetterman joins forces with Republican counterpart in Senate for fundraising committee
  10. 52 percent of Pennsylvania voters would like to see Fetterman leave Democratic Party: Poll
  11. Schumer urges Fetterman not to leave Senate Democratic caucus
  12. Fetterman says he won't campaign against McCormick
  13. ‘Fetterman Is a Disgrace,’ Democrats Say After Bombshell Article
  14. Fetterman blasts ‘disgruntled staffers’ and ‘smears’ after report details apathy toward his work
  15. Gaza-born Ahmed Moor launches primary challenge against Sen. John Fetterman
  16. Pennsylvania Democrat considering challenging Fetterman in 2028

The full record

Each date is when an update was first reported.

All 19 recorded updates

November 2026

  1. Pennsylvania Democrat considering challenging Fetterman in 2028Headline from KTSM 9 News · 3 outlets
  2. Gaza-born Ahmed Moor launches primary challenge against Sen. John FettermanHeadline from Triblive · 14 outlets
  3. Pennsylvania Congressman Brendan Boyle not running for U.S. Senate in 2028Headline from ABC 27 Harrisburg · 7 outlets

October 2026

  1. Trump urges Sen. John Fetterman to switch parties and become a RepublicanHeadline from MyNorthwest · 16 outlets
  2. Fetterman more popular with Pennsylvania Republicans than Democrats: pollHeadline from Mytwintiers · 6 outlets

September 2026

  1. John Fetterman accidentally calls himself ‘a lifelong Republican’Headline from The Guardian · 6 outlets
  2. Fetterman bucks party again, votes against Iran War Powers resolutionHeadline from Just the News · 3 outlets
  3. Fetterman defends political identity, weighs potential role as 51st senatorHeadline from The Hill · 4 outlets
  4. Fetterman blasts ‘disgruntled staffers’ and ‘smears’ after report details apathy toward his workHeadline from WSVN Miami · 17 outlets
  5. ‘Fetterman Is a Disgrace,’ Democrats Say After Bombshell ArticleHeadline from NOTUS · 9 outlets

August 2026

  1. Fetterman Now More Popular with Pennsylvania Republicans Than GOP Sen. McCormick, New Poll ShowsHeadline from GOP Daily Brief · 6 outlets
  2. Fetterman says he won't campaign against McCormickHeadline from The Hill · 7 outlets

July 2026

  1. Schumer urges Fetterman not to leave Senate Democratic caucusHeadline from The Hill · 5 outlets
  2. Thune: Republicans would ‘welcome’ Fetterman joining Senate GOP conferenceHeadline from The Hill · 4 outlets
  3. 52 percent of Pennsylvania voters would like to see Fetterman leave Democratic Party: PollHeadline from The Hill · 4 outlets
  4. Fetterman cites anti-Israel sentiment in Democratic Party as reason to potentially leaveHeadline from Washington Times · 29 outlets
  5. John Fetterman joins forces with Republican counterpart in Senate for fundraising committeeHeadline from The Guardian · 9 outlets

June 2025

  1. Fetterman rips ‘anarchy and true chaos’ in LA, warns Dems not to cede ‘moral high ground’Headline from New York Post · 7 outlets

January 2025

  1. Trump pronounces Sen. John Fetterman ‘impressive’ after Mar-a-Lago meetingHeadline from Triblive · 20 outlets

Coverage & sources

Read the reports, see how much was collected over time, or compare outlets by political leaning.

Coverage & sources →