Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) appeared in a prerecorded video played at the Republican National Committee's midterm convention in Dallas this week, calling himself a "commonsense Democrat" and praising his Pennsylvania Senate colleague, Republican Dave McCormick.
"David McCormick is the kind of senator that gets the job done," Fetterman said in the clip, adding that the two would work with President Trump to revitalize Pennsylvania manufacturing. He also said he would "reject the extremes in socialism and that anti-American way of life," a line delivered as progressive and democratic-socialist candidates have gained ground in Democratic primaries elsewhere in the Northeast this cycle.
The video, recorded in front of the Mon Valley Works steel mill in Western Pennsylvania, showed Fetterman pledging to "fight and defend the steel way of life right here in the Steel Valley" alongside Trump. McCormick took the stage immediately after it played and returned the praise, telling the convention crowd, "How great is John Fetterman, right? Thank you Senator Fetterman for your friendship, thank you for your courage and thank you for all you do for Pennsylvania."
The appearance follows months of public bipartisanship between the two senators, formalized in July with a joint fundraising vehicle called Common Ground PA, which splits donor contributions between their campaigns.
Fetterman has said he has no plans to leave the Democratic Party, though he has drawn a line: he told The Hill in July he would depart if Democrats became the "anti-Israel party."
With McCormick not up for reelection until 2028 and Fetterman's own term running through 2029, the video is unlikely to have immediate electoral consequences. Whether it draws a primary challenge, or further strains his standing with national Democrats, remains to be seen.
