John Fetterman denies party change rumors
While attending Donald Trump's inauguration, Fetterman said switching from a Democrat to a Republican would be a "rocket sled to Palookaville."
Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.) shot down rumors he plans to jump to the Republican Party after meeting with President Donald Trump.
“It’s not going to happen,” Fetterman told Semafor Monday night. “And even if I wanted to do that, that is a rocket sled to Palookaville to try to switch. I would make a pretty bad Republican.”
Rumors had spread on social media following to Fetterman’s outreach to Republicans, including becoming the first sitting Democratic senator to visit Trump at Mar-a-Lago. He also called for Joe Biden to pardon Trump in his New York hush-money case.
“I’ve been encouraging my colleagues in D.C. and others saying, like, ‘This is what’s democracy. That’s how it works. That’s where we are,’” Fetterman said earlier this month about meeting with some Trump cabinet nominees.
Republicans currently hold a 53-47 seat advantage in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats control 45 seats along with two Independents who caucus with them — Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine.
Fetterman, who attended Monday’s inauguration wearing his trademark shorts and hoodie, sent a fundraising email out shortly after Trump took the oath with the subject line “my non-negotiables.”
“Even though Donald Trump is officially back in the White House, I’m not backing down from fighting for what’s right,” the email read.
He listed three somewhat vague categories: “the union way of life needs to live on, leave LGBTQ+ people … alone, and Government’s job is to make your life easier, not take away your rights.”
On Monday night, Fetterman was one of 12 Democrats to vote in favor of the GOP-backed Laken Riley immigration bill, which he also cosponsored. The bill passed the Senate with several GOP amendments and now heads back to the House for final passage.