Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro publicly criticized Sen. John Fetterman on CNN this week, urging the senator to 'get back to what he was elected to do' as a Democrat amid reports that Republicans have approached him about changing his party affiliation.
Shapiro, himself mentioned as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, spoke with Jake Tapper about growing tensions within his state's Senate delegation. 'I know that Pennsylvanians voted for a Democrat to represent them in the United States Senate,' Shapiro said. 'So I think he needs to honor that and continue with his service to Pennsylvania.'
The friction between Fetterman and Shapiro is not new. In his book 'Unfettered,' released last November, Fetterman wrote that he and Shapiro 'no longer speak' with one another, describing their relationship as deteriorating into an 'ugliness' from which they 'have never recovered.' Politico reported Monday that Republicans have been trying to persuade Fetterman to switch parties, though the senator told the outlet he is staying a Democrat.
Fetterman has repeatedly bucked his party on key votes. He was the lone Democratic senator to vote in favor of advancing President Donald Trump's nominee for Department of Homeland Security, former Sen. Markwayne Mullin. During last year's prolonged government shutdown fight, Fetterman voted with Republicans to reopen the government, explaining he was choosing 'country over party.'
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans have welcomed Fetterman's bipartisan voting, with some actively courting him to change parties. Fetterman represents one of just six Democratic senators who represent states that Trump won in the 2024 presidential election, making him a potential swing vote on key Republican priorities.
Fetterman has defended his approach by pointing to his role as an elected official representing all Pennsylvanians, not just those who voted for him. His willingness to work across the aisle on issues like government funding and border security has drawn praise from some conservative commentators who see him as a model for bipartisan governance in a divided Senate.
The senator told Politico he is 'a Democrat' and is 'staying one,' though he has not ruled out continued cooperation with Trump's agenda on specific policy priorities.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic leaders have grown increasingly vocal in their frustration with Fetterman's independent voting pattern. Democratic National Committee Vice Chair Malcolm Kenyatta attacked the senator on X in April, writing: 'Almost every day now my US Senator comes on this site to attack his constituents and many people who worked hard to elect him. Suggesting that they have "derangement syndrome" for opposing this administration. You're a mess @JohnFetterman.'
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also criticized Fetterman's rhetoric, particularly regarding the war in Iran, telling CNN in April that he 'knows better.' On the 'Talk Easy' podcast with Sam Fragoso, Shapiro said while he has 'no beef with John,' there are 'a lot of questions that I think he needs to answer for the people of Pennsylvania.'
Shapiro declined to commit to supporting Fetterman's potential 2028 re-election bid. 'I don't know if he's running for re-election. I think he needs to decide if he's running, and then we'll make a decision from there,' Shapiro said in February.
What the Numbers Show
According to Congress Vote Tracker, Fetterman voted with Republicans approximately 26 percent of the time in 2025. This makes him one of the most independent-minded Democrats in the current Senate, a group that also includes Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Krysten Sinema of Arizona.
Fetterman's voting record stands out among the six Democrats representing Trump-won states. While these senators have faced varying levels of pressure to cooperate with the administration, Fetterman has gone furthest in breaking with his party on high-profile votes, including the DHS nomination and government funding measures.
In the 2022 midterm elections, Fetterman won his Senate seat by defeating Republican Mehmet Oz by roughly 5 percentage points in a race that helped determine control of the chamber.
The Bottom Line
The tension between Fetterman and national Democratic leadership reflects broader divisions within the party over how to respond to Trump's return to power. Shapiro's public criticism signals that establishment Democrats are prepared to pressure maverick members, while Fetterman's continued independence suggests he is willing to risk those relationships for a different political path.
What happens next will likely depend on whether Fetterman continues his bipartisan voting pattern through the 2026 midterm elections and into his own re-election campaign in 2028. The senator's office has not announced whether he plans to seek another term, leaving open questions about how much leverage party leaders will have in shaping his behavior.
Watch for whether other Democratic senators in Trump-won states face similar pressure from their state parties, and whether Fetterman's independent streak becomes a liability or an asset as the political landscape continues to shift.