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Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., delivered a surprise video message at the GOP midterm convention Wednesday night, praising President Donald Trump and Republican Sen. Dave McCormick while rejecting what he described as the Democratic Party’s "extremes and socialism."
"I’m a commonsense Democrat. I’m always going to stand with America," Fetterman said. "I’m always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life."
Fetterman introduced McCormick, who is seeking re-election to the Senate, as "the kind of senator that gets the job done" and someone who will "fight for Pennsylvania."
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Standing in front of an iconic U.S. steel mill, Fetterman said he was proud to work with McCormick and Trump to defend Pennsylvania’s steel industry, which remains a central part of the state’s economic and political identity.
"That’s exactly the kind of thing that we will work together and will work with President Trump to fight and defend the steel way of life right here in the Steel Valley," Fetterman said.
The message was notable because Fetterman is a sitting Democratic senator appearing at the Republican Party’s first midterm convention, where Trump is expected to rally GOP voters ahead of the Nov. 3 elections.
His appearance also highlighted his increasingly strained relationship with Democratic leaders and the party’s left wing. Fetterman has repeatedly broken with Democrats on issues including Israel, immigration and Trump’s military actions against Iran.
He has remained one of the most outspoken Democratic supporters of Israel in the Senate and has criticized members of his party who have sought to limit U.S. support for the country. Fetterman has also backed tougher immigration enforcement and supported some Trump administration nominees, positions that have drawn criticism from Democrats.
Fetterman has said he would consider leaving the Democratic Party if it became "the anti-Israel party," though he has not indicated that he plans to switch parties.
The senator’s relationship with McCormick has also fueled speculation about his political future. The two Pennsylvania senators previously faced one another in the 2022 Senate race, when Fetterman defeated Republican nominee Mehmet Oz and McCormick lost the GOP primary.
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Since then, Fetterman and McCormick have developed an unusually close relationship. Their campaigns formed a bipartisan joint fundraising committee in July, an arrangement that drew attention because the two senators belong to opposing parties.
McCormick has also sought to emphasize his ties to Pennsylvania’s industrial base and his support for the state’s steel workers. Fetterman’s video allowed him to reinforce that message while presenting McCormick as a senator willing to work across party lines.
The appearance does not mean Fetterman is switching parties, but it is likely to intensify questions about whether he can maintain support from Democratic voters as he continues to align himself with Trump and Republican priorities.
It also gives Republicans a high-profile Democratic voice to showcase as they argue that the party’s coalition is expanding beyond traditional GOP voters.
"A different party," Fetterman said of McCormick. "But I’m proud to count him as my great friend."
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